Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-04-14

much of crime. -
In the old times the counties paid
the state for the care of prisoners, and
sometimes the counties got tired Of
paying for them and then the wardens
would let them 60 free. Later man
ufacturing was started in the pris-
ons and the contract labor system was
begun, which system was abolished
by the legislature in 1907.
At Saltwater penitentiary there
are now 1000 men and 81 women,
which proportion is about the same
everywhere. Mr.. Vasaly gave two
theories why there are 50 many more
men than women in the prisons. One,
because the woman is so innately
good, and the other, which Mr.. Vas.
ally believed to be the best theory,
because woman has always been in the
family and man has been out bearing
the stress of competition and being
more subject to temptation. Ct @
The speaker stated that he believed
women prisoners should be in an in
stitution governed by women and he
said that the state will have new
women's building soon as plans are
being prepared and site will soon
be chosen. Most arrests of women are
for immortality and now they are US.
ually sent to the work houses, which
is not the proper place for them. Some
women in the twin cities have been
arrested as high as 200 and 800 times,
and to place such n omen in the work
house is worse than useless.
There are two great industries at
the state prison, the Irvine industry
and the farm machinery manufacture
ing. The latter is much better as it
teaches, machinist work, ETC., all Of
which are very valuable trades. Many
have been able to 60 directly from the
prison at the expiration Of their terms
and enter factories and do very we'll.
A wage system now in operation
makes it possible for inmates to earn
from 81 to $35 per month, according
to ability. This is more than is paid
to men in any other prison in the
world. They are graded according to
their capacity for work and W hatever
they do over that amount they get
paid for. They do not work overtime,
however, and are never permitted to
work when they are ill. A physician
makes regular inspections and he has
power to take them away from work
at any time. The wages of the men
accumulate if they have no one de-
pendent upon them but many of them
have families and they send their
earnings to them, although the state
does not compel them to do this. In
cases where the men are ill and have
families that are dependent on them,
the state even provides for the fami-
! lies, having a separate fund for that
! purpose. This is something that is
not done elsewhere and the speaker
stated that it could be safely said
: that no child in Minnesota is depriv-
ed of living or an education because
its father was sent to prison.
! The prison earned $450,00O net pro-
| fit for the state last year and this year
will be entirely self sustaining and
! will pay for the construction Of sew
eral new buildings.
At the state reformatory there are
now $40 men. This institution was
established in 1887. Previous to that
time there was no way to parole pris-
oners, the indeterminate plan begin
ming when the reformatory was OPEN
ed. This institution is for first Of
Tenders only. Since the reformatory
was started there have been changes
whereby inmates of the state prison
can also be paroled and whereby the
life terms may be committed and af-
ter lifers have served % years and
some months they are eligible to
parole. Under the new law all SEN
fences are indeterminate except for
murder or high treason. There is a
maximum to the sentences but no min
imum. Mr.. Vasaly was Of the opinion
that there should be no maximum, as
offenders should remain in the stitu-
tions until they show material i'm
provement.
! Various trades are taught at the
reformatory but the wages are not as
high as at the penitentiary, ranging
from 5 to % cents per day.
In concluding Mr.. Vasaly stated
that there are four persons from Nor
rison county serving life sentences at
the state prison and total of about
60 persons from this county in the
various institutions of the state. He
told of one lifer from this county
at the prison who is doing very we'll
and who has great influence with
his fellow inmates.
Mr.. Vasaly gave the people in the
| audience the opportunity to ask him
any question in regard to the state
institutions and several cook advan-
. tage of it. One asked what the state
does to upbuild the minds of its
| wards? Mr.. Vasaly stated that edu-
cation is the essential thing especial
~ in the penal institutions. Miss
| Cary is the supervisor of libraries and
she is making special study of pris-
On and insane hospital inmates and
has become an authority on this work.
The states wards are also given the
! influence of religion, services for diff
forent denominations being held regu-
larly. The inmates cannot be com
PEELED to attend the services, however
| and to try to compel them would be
| mistake, Mr.. Vasaly believed.
Another person asked if anything is
done for persons after they are let
out of the reformatory. Mr.. Vasaly
stated that a rule of the board is to
get work for the inmates before they
| are released and the state has three
agents for this purpose. The board
| Of parole does not claim great results