Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-20
STEWART ADDS
HIS TESTIMONY
To AID CONLEY
Says Board Authorized
All Actions Made by
Veteran Pen Official.
Ex-Governor Rel ate S
Warden Bought Ranch
at Request of Board.
(Tribune's Helena Bureau.)

! Helena. June 19.-The state board
of prison commissioners during the
last term of Governor S. V. Stewart
was entirely famihar with the details
of the proposed purchase of the Walton
ranch to be operated in connection
with the state prison and the option
| for its purchase was secured by Frank
Conley and buildings erected upon the
ranch with the consent and under the
authority of the board. testified Gov
ernor Stewart Monday while on the
stand as a witness called by the de-
| fense in the case Of the state against
Conley.
The state has endeavored to show
that the option upon this ranch, which
was taken in the name Of Conley, was
acquired by him for the purpose of
selling it to the state at a large figure
after numerous permanent structures
had been erected with the use of
prison labor and prison made brick.
Governor Stewart had testified that
Conley had suggested the acquisition
of central dairy farm at a point from
which it could serve the three state
institutions, the prison, insane asylum
and tuberculosis sanitariurn. and when
he found that plan could not be worked
out he suggested taking over the Vail
ton ranch. Conley was instructed to
take a lease on the place for one year
When, in 1920, Conley wanted to
take an option on the place the state
was in hard financial status, said
Governor Stewart. and the twoyear
appropriations were sufficient to carry
the institutions but 16 or IS months,
due to increased costs of supplies and
the expense of working the convicts
on buildings and other improvements.
Conley Advanced Money
The state had no money, said the
governor. and when Conley offered to
put up the money necessary to take
the option the board told him to go
ahead but that he would have to take
his own chances on getting it back
Conley went ahead, took the option
and put up the ranch buildings. into
which he put more personal money and
used what ste materials were avail |
able. He told the board, said the wit
ness, he expected to get enough money
out of the Nimrod highway project to
pay for tn ranch.
Cross-examined by Attorney Cen |
eral Wellington d. Rankin, the gov
ernor said that plans for the buildings |
were worked cut by Conley and the |
architect. MacCalman, but that COnley
had talked to him about the buildings.
He said the matter was discussed in a |
option: that he always figured it would |
go before the legislature for an ap-
preparation; that he felt morally bound |
to go ahead and make good on the |
contract, and that if he had ever |
thought the state would not take the |
ranch he would never have approved |
the erection of buildings thereon.
When called to the stand Monday
morning by Attorney J. f. O'Connor
for the defense. Governor Stewart told
of having served as governor from the
first Monday in January, 1913. until
the first Monday in January, 1921; of
having discussed prison matters with
the members of the retiring prison
board; of various inspections and WIS.,
its to the prison; of having ascer-
tanned the needs of the insane asylum
which the state had just acquired and
which the state had just acquired and
ton, and Of having later visited the
asylum, which, he said, were the most
up to date in the United States.
Put Up 10 Buildings
He said the legislature has adjourned
without making any appropriation for
new buildings. He said the state had
no money and that he then went to
Conley and asked him to come to the
states relief. He said Conley at first
demurred because the state had not
treated him fairly and it had no money
with which to erect new buildings. but
ne finally agreed to go ahead and, dur
ng the years 1914 to 1918, inclusive,
erected practically all the buildings
now In general use at Warm Springs,
l0 or IL, which the governor said were
worth a half million dollars, and in
ADDITION he built practically the entire
1lant at the tuberculosis sanitarium.
ASKED by Attorney O'Connor why
le had called upon Conley to do this
work. Governor Stewart replied:
=, There was no other way to do it.
mere was no money or appropriations
md the results Conley had accom-
,nshed at Deer Lodge demonstrated
hat be could do it,"
governor Stewart was then ques-
toned as to the oerations of the state
nd Conley on the Aylesworth ranch,
he use of Conley and McTagues
orses. implements and equipment, the
eeding OF the horses and the replace
ients of horses and equipment. the
furnishing by Conley and McTague of
NIX Tor the prison. and the use of pris-
labor in which testimony he corro-
Grated that previously given along
1ese lines by Conley, Ex-Governor e.
!. Norris, Associate Justice A. J.
allen and d. NJ. Kelly, former attor-
ey generals
Wanted Convicts Worked
AS to prison labor Governor Stew
TT said it was the desire of the board
lat Conley get the cOnvicts outside
le walls whenever possible and that
far as he was concerned Conley could
ork them any place they could be
Orked but he did not think Copley was
ACOntinued on Pare Elexenl