The copper era and Morenci leader., 1913-02-28
PEN|TENT|ARY QUIZ |S NOW CLOSED
ADMINISTRATION OCCUPIES DAY IN INTRODUCING TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY AT THE STATE PENAL
 INSTITUTION.
SIMS MAKES
HIS STATEMENT
Does Not Violently Deny Charges Of the Florence People But Defends His Actions. Says Pen is Bet
 ter Managed than Ever.

ter Managed than Ever.
 The prison investigation is finished It was finished last night Three more sessions were held yesterday making six in all, the entire day being given over to the superintendent of the peni- tentiary and his friends, in order that full opportunity might be given for II the evidence they desired in support of their side of the controversy. As was expected Warden Sims occupied the stand for a large part of the day and gave a great deal of interesting tes- tfmony relative to his connection with the penitentiary and the application Of the honor system for the uplift of con- -victS confined therein.
 For the first time there was friction c in the committee. The members of the house committee assumed positive attitude toward the introduction of certain damaging testimony while the members, of the senate committee of equal number assumed the attitude Of objecting to the introduction of damag ing testimony so to an outsider it ap7 peared the committee was completely divided on the questions at issue, It was freely intimated yesterday toward the, close of the hearing and last night after the hearing there would be two reports from the committee one from the senate and one from the house. There was also a well defined rumor the house would condemn the admins s>ration of the prison while the senate teport would insist the charges in the petition had not been supported by the evidence
 The work progressed yesterday more rapidly than the first day. It appear ed by tacit agreement the questions in behalf of the petitioners were made entirely by Representative Jacobs OF the house committee, while those of the defense, if the administration can so be termed, were made almost en- tirely by Senator Hughes Of Pima. Both these gentlemen showed them selves. able champions of their respee- tive sides and their ability in ques- tioning the witnesses elicited much valuable information on both sides of the controversy.
 As in the first day, the delibera- tions were presided over by Sen. Wood of Maricopa, who seemed to develop suddenly a great deal of judicial abili- ty in his determination of the materi- ality of evidence and the revelancy of statements. One occasion in particu- lar demonstrated the fairness of his attitude during the investigation. It occurred in | re afternoon while Secre- tary Wamsle of the penitentiary was being examined. MT. Wamsley wished to introduce into the record certain letters received by him and Warden Sims from persons whose names were signed to the petition of Florence citi- zens which precipitated the investiga- tion. These letters it was claimed would show why certain persons de sired if possible although signing the petition to still retain the friendship of the superintendent of the peniten- tiary. Wamsley presented the letters and immediately made the explana- tory statement he wished to refute the | charge that all signers had been p1oOOu Oll thO p0LlIlOh WAIhOuI lO course to misrepresentation on the | part of the circulators of the docu- ment Jacobs immediately objected | on the grounds since the petition was addressed to the legislature the with drawal letters if any should al- so have been addressed to the legisla- ture or at least to the Investigating committee. Hughes demanded the letters be read on the ground that other letters had been read during the investigation that were not ad- dressed to the legislature nor to the committee. Jacobs said the names of the people writing the letters could be easily obtained and the persons could be brought before the commiC- tee and would enable them to find out whether or not there were con- alterations of weight back of the re- quests. Wood ruled the letters inn material and that the people themselv- es could give the best testimony.
 This precipitated so fierce a discus sion that finally Hughes moved and Maddock seconded that the committee take a recess and discuss in secret