Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-06
LIE IS PASSED /;
To WITNESSES
BY WARDEN
Conley Says Guards and
Convicts Testified to
Untruth.
Never Was Waste Of
Prison Supplies, He
Declares on Stand.

Helena, June 5.-That former War
den Frank Conley had a meeting with
,, Governor Joseph NJ Dixon in Helena
a few days before the latter took the
oath of office at which time he ex-
planned conditions at the prison and the
situation as to the proposed salA to the
state of the Walton ranch, thA hogs,
and cows, was testified to by Mr.. Con-
ley Monday, while on the stand in con-
nection with the second cause of action.
1t is thought this line of testimony NAV
lead up to the calling of tie governor
as witness in the proceeding in which
the state is suing Conley for large
amounts.
Testimony was given during the day
by MIR: Conley under two other causes
of action and in connection with one
OF these be declared that convicts and
former guards lied when they told Of
the heavy waste of milk and provisions
which was claimed to have zone into
the swill for feeding to the hogs. Mr..
Conley claimed the guards were pre-
JUDGED against him while, he said. the
convicts had lied to obtain considera-
ton from the present warden
When the hearing was resumed Nom
day morning Mr.. Conley told, in re-
sponse to questions BY Mr.. Rankin.
that logs purchased BY Conley e. Nc
Tague for construction of the build
ings on the Walton ranch were kept
separate from those used for other con-
struction work about the prison.
Under redirect examination By At
torney j. F. OConnor the witness said
he first discussed the matter Of the
states purchase ot the Walton ranch
with Governor Dixon at q meeting had
with the latter before he took office,
the meeting held in a room in the
Placer hotel, in December, 1920. at
which DR.. ]. NJ. Scauland, superintend-
ent of the insane asylum, was present.
He said Norman nolter came into the
room later. He said he and DR.. Scan
land had come over at the request of
the governor and both brought reports
on their institutions, that he, Conley,
told Mr.. Dixon about the ranch deals
and that all three ranches and the
dairy herd could be bought for 10000.
Did Not Claim Land.
Mr.. Rankin then questioned him as
to his appearance before the legisla-
tive appropriation committee during the
last session of the legislature. He said
he made no proposal of $50 per acre
for 500 acres and $10O per acre for
AoV oSicS, put tHdl He gave the COM
mittee lump figure Of $4,000. He
said he did not represent to the COM
mittee that this was his land.
Attorney OCorner. with Conley still
on the stand, then took up the third
cause of action, which relates to the
sale by Conley & McTague to the state
of pork raised at the prison, fed pris-
on swill and in which action Judgment
is asked in the sum of $22,527.25.
Witness said he had been furnishing
pork to the prison ever since he took
the prison over under the contract
system. in 1890, and that when the
state took over the prison in 1905 the
board Of examiners declined to take
over the livestock because it had insult
ficient money and he was told to con-
tinue the sale of pork as before under
Continued on Page Eleven)