Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-07
CON[EY PAID
500 MONTHLY
FOR GROCERIES
Store Bills and Checks
Shown to Prove Not
All Came From Pen.
Defendant Relates Fox
Hounds Potter Told
of Traced Fugitives.

(TrIbune's Helena Bureau)
Helena, June 6.-Supporting former
Warden Frank Conley's claims that he
did not depend entirely upon prison
supplies for the table maintained in
his residence but that he personally
purchased and paid for a large portion
of such provisions documentary evi-
dence was introduced Tuesday in the
case of the state against Conley, now
on trial in the district court here. The
defense introduced grocery store bills
and sales slips for fancy groceries and
table delicacies bought in q Deer Lodge
store aggregating practically 500 per
month.
Cancelled checks issued for q later
period as monthly allowances for pro-
visions for the Conley household were
brought into evidence to prove the
falsity of testimony given previously
the use of ConIey's own automobiles.
1t was brought out that the state had
previously introduced and charged up
to Conley store slips for goods used
in the prison during period of about
six weeks following Conley's removal
as warden and while he had nothing to
do with the prison.
Paid for Stock Salt
Mr.. Conley told that all the dairy
and stock salt and bran used for feed
ing the dairy cattle was bought in car
load lots and paid for by Conley &
McTague. He said it was put into the
prison warehouse: that wheat and
chopped feed was also bought and paid
for By Conley & McTague, as was
also Wyandotte soda, which was kept
at the prison store but was used only
in the creamery Through the witness
the defense introduced and identified
about Is Conley & McTague bank
checks. accompanied by bills covered
by them, which showed they were is.
supplies used to feed the dairy cattle
and in the creamery. He said that de-
spite the fact that these goods were
bought and paid for by Conley & Nc
Tague and were not checked into the
prison supplies. still store slips were
issued when the goods was taken OUT
merely for the purpose of showing to
where they were distributed.
Chief Of Defense Counsel
This led Col c. b. Nolan. to re.
mark that the state had charged Con-
ley with all of these goods belonging to
him self and his partner because of the
fact that they were covered by store
slips.
The witness said that the prison
bought some bran. probably $50 to 200
sacks of 100 pounds each, which was
used by mixing it with flour for the
making of rye bread.
He testified that considerable meat
that was not fit for feeding the pri-
soners was put into the cold storage
rta nf This taI hA so.I of
number of cows both out of his herd
and also out of the insane asylum herd.
that had been condemned as tubercular
and killed under direction of the state.
He said this meat was used in feeding
the prison dogs, and while it was never
charged in il was accounted for by tho
prison butcher when it was sent out.
ExpiaIa "Fox Hounds"
From 1891 until he left in 1921 he
Kept at the prison an average Of IL
blood hounds which were used in
racking escaped prisoners. He said
hese were fed a great amount Of meat.
Usually the necks Of beet, other waste
neat and bones. which was cooked
With corn meal. These were the dogs
hat Potter called fox hounds" he
said. Some of them were sold at times
md the money paid to the state. The
witness was shown a large number OF
he monthly reports of the prison
butcher. showing distribution OF meat,
md said that many of the charges Of
neat to the dogs. hogs, chickens and
turkeys really referred to condemned
neat.
Had Agreement for Coal
The coal question was then taken up
by the defense and the witness said
under his contracts or agreements with
the board of prison commissioners.
made in 1909. 1918 and 1917, he was
10 be furnished with coal for his resi-
ience. laundry and garage. and at
whatever other places he had convicts
He said that he used about
4 carload each year for the residence,
laundry and garage and that no coal
was used at the outside ranches, there
being plenty of wood at those places.
Conley said that all the coal ever
,btained from the prison supply for
ase In the downtown building of tbs
Deer lodge Realty block was paid for
,y the company. Questioning along
his line brought out from Attorney
General W. D. Rankin and Attorney
L. II. Mcdonald that the state makes
10 charge that Conley took any of the
states coal for the Realty block.
The former warden's attention was
allied to the testimony of a formeYi
convict, Stanich, who said he had acted
IL weighmaster and had kept track OF
he distribution Of coal. He said Stan-j
ch did not kpow what he was talkaa :
tCs.s,auA On rase Ta,Essspa