Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-21
MEANS SS0UGHT
T0PUT CONVICT
upon JOB AGAIN
State Prison Board Aim
to Make Respectable
Men Who Served Time
Leave Prison With but
$15, Drift to Butte; Of
ten Hounded by olice.
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
Helena, Sept. 20.-Disposition of pa
rolled convicts was a subject which was
discussed at considerable length by
members of the board Of prison COM
missioners, held Tuesday afternoon in
the office of Governor Joseph NJ. Dix
on with the other members, Attorney
General w. d. Rankin and Secretary Of
State G. T. Stewart. in attendance.
The troubles which present them
selves to the paroled prisoner were put
before the board by NJ. w. Potter.
warden of the penitentiary, and Ludwig
Rose, parole commissioner, who i'm
pressed upon the board the necessity of
doing more to enable the convicts to
obtain employment and to prevent their
being bounded by over energetic peace
officers.
Hasn't Any Chance on Release.
1t was explained that on being re-
leased the convict was given a new suit
of clothes and $15 in cash, the latter
barely sufficient to carry him to some
other city in the state but not suffic
lent to maintain him for any length Of
time while seeking employment.
Governor Dixon asked if the amount
could not be increased to at least S25,
but was informed that the S15 was fix
ed by statute. He than asked if some
sort of employment could not be pro-
vided by the warden by which these
men could be enabled to earn some
money to augment the SIS given them
by the state, but no solution of the
problem was presented at this meeting.
Winter Bad Time to Set Free.
Parole Commissioner Rose asked if
some steps could not be taken so that
paroles ordinarily effective during the
lead of winter could not be anticipated.
so the men could be discharged before
winter, otherwise they would not be
able to obtain employment and would
,e thrown upon the public or perhaps
forced to commit some act which would
result IN their return to the prison.
Warden Potter said that, in this con-
lection. he had been asked by two con-
7icts, whose time would expire in De-
.ember, if they could not remain in the
prison until the grass began to turn
green in the spring
1t was shown that the amount given
he men was so small most of them
merely went as far as Butte where the
10 was soon expended and where there
S no employment for them. The mat
er of obtaining work for n certain
period after their release upon the
'oads under the direction of the high
way commission also was discussed,
tut no decision was reached.
lanstrum viii Try to Aid.
State Highway Commissioner G. W.
.anstrum was called into the confer
nee and said he would do anything
possible to give these men employment
N some of the road work. although the
eports from all of the district engin-
ers was that there was surplus OF
abor.
Upon his own suggestion. support
d by Commissioner Rose. Major |
'wartout. clerk of the board. was au-
horized to write to the probation Of
lcers i'll various counties and ask them |
o assist the parole commissioner in |
boxing afterfparoles in their sections, |
ssisting them In obtaining employment |
nd in giving them advice and help.
viii Be Directed to Probatloners.
1t was stated that due to the limited |
and under which the commissioner is |
perating. he is unable to cover the |
tate as he should and to give the pa
oles the assistance they require 1t |
lso was suggested that the warden, or
arole commissioner, should give to |
ach of these paroles list of the pro-
alton officers over the state, to en-
bic them to call on any of them for
ssistance.
The general attitude of the board
and expressed strongly by the
Dvernor, was one of sympathy for the
onvict and a desire to assist him to
ct upon his feet after his release.