The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1914-08-04

IIldt lie Is uldUc COltTdDIe lOT H1S
charges.
Guards Transfer Belongings
After the men start, the keepers
go back to the old prison, and pack
up the belongings of the men and
move them to the new cells, for the
men in no instance are permitted to
pack for moving day. The belongings
of the men are as varied as are their
temperaments. All of the prisoners
own several changes of undercloth-
ing, and, what is more, every member
of Warden VOTERS family is the ow-
ner also of a Sunday suit" which
he wears on Sundays, holidays and
state occasions.
Takes Correspondence Courses
Some of the men have pets, usual
ly birds, and these are carted over;
in the effects of others are peculiar
looking maps, charts, blue prints, and
blue-backed text books, and it is from
these that quite a number of the pris-
oners are studying mechanical and
electrical engineering, bookkeeping,
stenography, taking regular courses
from one of the two or three we'll
known correspondence schools, earn
ing the money to pay their tuition
through the allowance granted them
by the warden for work in the pris-
on's shops.
Become Expert at Trades
Through these studies, carried on
of evenings in their cells, quite a
few of the residents of the states
institution have become expert en-
gineers, draughtsmen and mechanics,
capable of earning comfortable
wage when their time is up, and they
bid the warden goodby at the prison
doors. Many discharged men are
today occupying good positions in the
twin cities at vocations learned by
mail within the prison walls; same
still in prison have even become SO
expert that their earnings allowed
by the state, amount to $25 monthly.
All Effects Taken to New Cells
/ Among the mems effects are favo-
rite books, clippings and all manner
of odd things, including the many
ingenious toys and articles made by
the men with whom time counts for
nothing. All are carefully examined,
although the warden says in no in
stance has he found contraband goods
among the effects of his wards; ev-
erything is carefully restored to the
owners in their new homes.
Act Like Hotel Guests
The effect of the change upon the
men is marked. Mr.. Wolfer says, and
! they act like new guests at good
hotel for summers outing; the un-
usually large, well ventilated and well
appointed cells are welcome change
to the convicts from the old prison
and with an exception here and there
all start in to decorate their new
home and make it as comfortable as
possible, and in this the warden al
lows the men great latitude, and en-
courages the making of such things
as will add to the comfort of the
prisoners.
All Anxious to Move
The men who are to move are not
picked at random, but sent over the
three-mile journey from the twin anC
farm machinery shops where they
work during the day and in the same
order that they are employed. Sc
eager are the convicts to move tina,
at night, when the days work is end
ed, they watch their keepers eager
w. hoping to hear the word that they
\ are to go.
Will End Wolfer's Work
BY Aug. /, the last of the men vii
be in the new prison, and then viii
Warden Wolfer consider his worl
derfully complete prison in the worlt
over to its new warden, Charles S
Reed, formerly superintendent of thu
state reformatory at st. Cloud.
Works Out Reform Plan
Twenty-three years ago Wardel
Wolfer came to Saltwater Even thel
his fame as penologist had sprea'
over the country, for he had been il
prison work for years before he frs
saw the gray walls of the old Still
water prison. Then it was he con
ceived the idea of a prison such a
he controls today; plan after plal
was made only to be erased and re
drawn, as little by little he learne
more of the needs of the institution
and the men confined within it. ]
was part of his idea that the uplif
movement among the convicts woul