The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1912-10-17
Bismarck Tribune: F. o. He'll

StTOm, the present Wdlueu VI Cue Stdte
penitentiary, is the democratic candi-
date of governor of North Dakota, and
just now he is touring the state in
the interests of his candidacy. He is
said to be basing his candidacy on the
record he has made while he has had
charge of the chief penal institution
Of the state. During his absence the
institution, which was placed under
his personal charge when he was
given the appointment as warden, is
being neglected. When he overlook
the institution he could not help but
know that the statute specifically
stated that the warden should not
have any other occupation. This part
of the law means that the warden
should remain coE*tantly and person
ally in charge, he should devote his
entire time to the institution, and if
he has in this present campaign de-
cided to enter the political contest as
a candidate for governor, or for any
the stewardship which Governor
Burke rendered him nearly six years
ago. If, however, he continues in the
race, and while he is on the cam
paign stump, he should make some
attempt to refute the ugly rumors
that are being scattered broadcast
over the state regarding the present
condition of the institution he is sup
posed to protect in the interests of
the people of the state. He should
stamp out the report that the inmates
Of the institution are at the present
time practically masters of the situa-
ton at the penitentiary. He should
convince the people that it is untrue
that some of the older guards have
resigned lately because they consider
ed their life and body in danger if
they remained there longer, because
they We're not now permitted to con.
troll the conduct of men who have
been sentenced to confinement for
berries, and other heinous crimes, and
because the management Of the insti-
tuition constantly favors the inmates
in place of supporting the guards in
the performance of their daily duties.
Warden Hellstrom should deny, if he
can, the fact that inmates maintain
an organization of their own that has
become SO strong that they have even
gone beyond the control of the war
den and his management. He should
deny that fights and dangerous as
.aults constantly occur among the in
mates, and that often times inmates
are seriously injured, as was the case
last winter when Convict Robinson
had secretly hidden a sharp knife up
on his person with which he nearly
decapitated Convict Conroy. He should
also deny the fact that he assisted
Convict Wooden in securing patent
in which he assumed personal in
terest, and afterwards became per-
sonally active in helping Wooden Sc
cure a pardon, when the records show
that Wooden was one of the most des-
perate characters that was ever COM
United to the institution. He should
also deny that as warden and a mem
Der of the parole board he disregard
ed the statute in permitting a parole
to be granted to a man from the west
ern part of the state who had been
convicted of rape, and who now holds
a position in a business establishment
here in Bismarck, and who enjoys the
same social freedom as do the best
moral and most law abiding citizens
of the city, when the law states that
he shall remain confined till he has
completed the sentence passed by the
court. He should also deny that when
the four convicts made their escape
aver the east wall few months age
that the guard formerly stationed
there had been removed by the honor
system for some time, and that the
convicts through their organization
had planned general outbreak by
having the four men who went over
the wall open the gate. He should
deny that frequently when guards at
tempt to enforce strict demeano1
among the inmates that if it is dis
pleasing to them the guards have
been court martialed by convict
court, with Murderer Noah as the
Judge and Bank Robber Conroy as the
prosecutor. He should deny thai
meetings of the convicts are permit
ted weekly to occur in the palatial au
ditoridm room, and that on these oc
casions no guards are allowed admit
lance, thus giving the convicts who
are members of this inside organiza
ton an excellent opportunity to plo,