Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-11
SENATE PASSES
BILL TO MOVE
REFORMATORY
Action Follows Hot Debate on
Cost and Benefits From
Change.
STATE FARM NEW SITE

After considerable discussion yesterday
afternoon the Senate passed the bill
providing for removal of the Indiana Re-
formatory to a site at or adjacent to the
State Farm at Putnamville. The vote
was A to 3, Senators Arnold, Hays and
Mccullough, all Democrats, voting
against it.
The bill provides for the appointment
Of four commissioners, not more than
two Of whom shall be of the same po-
litical party, who shall have the power
to locate the institution and build it.
The bill carries an appropriation OF
$500 600. 1t also empowers the Cover
nor to sell the present plant at Jefferson
Vile
In speaking for the bill Senator Estes
Duncan recalled the recent fire which
destroyed some Of the reformatory build
infs and said it would require $3OO,OOO
to rebuild them. He said the institution
is not as profitable as it might be, be-
cause of obsolete equipment. He said
that 1t could be sold for more than the
cost Of the transfer. The placing Of
prisoners on a farm such as would be
provided at Putnamville would result in
greatly decreased cost Of maintenance, he
maintained.
DECLARES COST
WOULD BE GREAT.
Senator Noble Hays. Of Scottsburg op-
posed removal, declaring 1t would cost
I about a million dollars. He read let
ter from David c. Peyton, former warden
( of the reformatory, in which Mr.. Peyton
said the present plant could be put In
good condition for $4,000 or $4,000
Senator Joseph NJ. Cravens of Madison
spoke for the bill, expressing the opln-
ion that the plan is economical. He said
a new dollhouse, which he declared was
needed, would cast the State between
$780, 600 and $500, 600. He said the hard
est job Of the warden of the reformatory
is to keep the prisoners employed and
that it is now necessary to transport
them several miles to farms. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the institution
could be made self supporting and pos
sibly profitable to the State a a site like
the one proposed where brick could be
manufactured and farming carried on.
A charge that political pressure was
being brought to bear by the office OF
the reporter Of the Supreme and APP
peIlate Courts was made by Senator
Robert L. Moorhead Of indianapolis
after the Senate defeated, 20 to %, his
bill providing for the printing and dis
tribution of advance sheets Of reports Of
the two courts The bill provided that
such sheets should be distributed at a
subscription price Of 50 annually.
POINTS TO DELAY
IN PUBLICATION.
Senator Moorhead declared the reporter
is three years behind on Appellate Court
reports and two years behind on Supreme
Court reports. He said before the office
was put on a straight salary basis the
reports were issued promptly.
IL.
the State Bar Association had called at
| tention to the slowness with which re-
ports are being issued. He said there
are SO 900 worth Of reports stored IN
| the Statehouse which are sold to any
| lawyer who VIII buy them.
| Senator Howard Cam expressed the
| opinion that a majority of the lawyers
| Of the State do not favor the bill be
| cause they think it would favor a par
| ticular publishing company"
Opposition wa suppressed also by Sen
! ator Alfred Hogston Of Marion. He said
the reports have never been up to date.
He insisted not more than 500 lawyers
in Iudiara would subscribe for advance
sheets and an additional appropriation
would be necessary to get out the re-
ports
During the debate the fact that the
West Publishing Company, publishers
| of the Northeastern Reporter, published
the reports up to date was frequently
coupled with the fact that the reporter
habitually delays publication of the re-
| ports. The Northeastern Reporter is
commercial enterprise sold on a sab
scription basis.
BLaMES PRESENT
| HOLDER OF OFFICE.
=
in speaking for the bill. said that until
the present administration the reports
always came out on time He declared
there is a public demand for the publ
cation of advance sheets.
Some speakers made mention Of the
fact that Senator Moorhead, author of
the bill. is manager of the Bobbs- Merrill
Company publishers Of law books
The Bobbs-Merrill Company is in no
way interested in this BILL" Senator
MOorhead declared. Referring to publ
cation Of the advance sheets, he declared
the Bobbs Merrill Company would not
take them at any price"
When the vote was taken q number Of
Senators had left the chamber and 9th.
ers hesitated about voting. The door
keeper was instructed to bring in the
absentees.
Senator Moorhead moved that the sA.
sentees be excused.
Its no USE" he said. "The reporters
office has brought political influence to
bear on this question. 1 do not want TO
say that 1 fought against the nomina-
ton of the present reporter, but the
Bobbs Merrill Company had nothing to
DO with It."
The present reporter is Will n. Adj
ans, who, with his deputy. Wilbur Car
penter worked against the bill.
o.