Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-10-25
FORMER INNATE OF PENITEN
A FEW TO RUN THINGS.

Fargo, Oct 1S-"Warden Hellstrorn has
favorites among the convicts and peg
mits a few 'snitchers' to direct the gov
eminent Of the penitenttary.
1.-THE warden also uses tile honor .sys-
tenn to advance his political ambitions"
The two charges were made against
Warden Hellstrom yesterday by Lawc-
ence Duffy, a recently discharged pcis.
oner. Duffy was sent up ten months
ago for year on third degree burg
larry charge after having been kept in
Jail at Grand Forks for five months.
The Herald had a story at the time to
the effect that Duffy was railroadeu to
the pen by a jury on general principles
just because he was regarded as toe
fresh.
"The honor system at the state
pen,' said Duffy to the Forum, sis all
right in theory, but its combination
with the military system is disliked by
all and it doesn't work out in practice.
Under Warden Hellstrom's present plans
few fellows who will 'snitch and
quill get all the power. They get on the
good side of the warden and their likes
and dislikes govern the rest o. the pris-
sners. It is unfair to the body IF pris-
oners and gives a few petty fellows too
mucl. authority. 1t lessons the respect
and feeling the prisoners should have
for the warden.
1.-The honor system, alone, would lie
all right, and probably 30 per cent OF
the men would observe 1t, but the mil
lta1y system is obnoxious 20 at least 20
PC: cent VI the prisoners, sen:c Of whom
are bitterly an'agonistic. The guards 81
SO dislike it. Prisoners who are guilty
ot infrac tions Of the rules don mind
having punishment imposed by the war
den or proper officials but they resent
having other convicts usrrp that power
Guards dislike to be sworn and to be
compelled to testify against one con.
vict at the direction of another. The
system places u premium on spies and
telltales, causes lot Of resentment and
friction among the prisoners and gen
crates an undercurrent Of Ill feeling in
stead Of harmony. With the military
system entirely abolished and the honor
system enlarged and strengthened the
prison would be great deal better
governed.
while it is claimed that the military
system rules it's sentences are not OBJ
served. Robinson and Irwin, two pris,
oners who escaped this summer had
neither signed the honor roll, but Tad
been given the same privileges as those
who had. Whom thew were rcturnd to
the prison and under military rule the
convicts gave. these men twenty days on
bread and water in solitary confinement
Their time is up, but both are still held
in solitary confinement.
warden Hellstrom permits Noah anc
Conroy, two Ward county men, to prac-
tically run the military end Of the sys-
t m and they stand in with him to such
an extent other prisoners whom they
dislike suffer penalties they don't de-
serve
IF Warden Hellstrom was ally ir
earnest for reform he would have the
military plan promptly abolished.
Another thing that is causing
trouble concluded Duffy, 'is the fact
that since his nomination by the mo.
Gratis for governor, and before. the war
den has frequently been absent from tho
institution. He ~oes off on political mis-
sions and ayes the pen in charge OF
his deputy. The prisoners quickly re
alze his position and as result there
is a lack Of discipline in the institution
Duffy is returning to his home III the