Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-04

of the efforts that had been made
to improve conditions.
Asked what he thought Of general
| living conditions in the state dur
ing the past four years he replied
| that from what he knew of them he
thought they were improving.
Asked why if this were so was
crime on the increase he said he
would not attempt to say but that
from his observation in this state rs
percent of the increase in crime was
| conneced with the stealing of auto
mobiles.
The method of handling refracto-
ry prisoners came up, Mr.. Hinckley
endeavoring to show that this meth
cd had made it difficult for the
guards and discouraged them in per-
Torrance of their duty. Differences
of opinion were brought out res
pecting just what this method con-
sisted in. After considerable discus
sion it finally appeared that where
as in the beginning in case Of an
offense by the prisoner one of the
members of the prisoners governing
board came with the prisoner be-
fore the warden and deputy warden,
but that after a time it became the
practice to call in the entire prison.
ers' board of five, and in event that
the prisoner did not admit his guilt
the guard was called in and all talk
ed the matter over and, later on re-
call, Deputy Colgan said that should
a question of We -acity arise the word
of the guard would be taken by the
warden.
Mr. Fish. while not attempting to eX-
plain the exact method followed from
the little observation he had had, said
he considered every member Of the
guard honest and that their word
should be taken If opposed to the pris-
oners. 1t did not appear that such
question had arisen, although Mr..
Hincllley assumed that the idea of the
prisoners being given control would Sc
riously affect the attitude of the
guards.
The governor alluded to previous
evidence from the guards that they
had been reluctance to bring in reports
because of this situation. Mr.. Fish
stated that in his opinion the govern
ing board of prisoners should not be
permitted to dictate respecting the
punishment of an offender. He admit
ted that he had disapproved of some
of the warden's methods.
1t appeared that Mr.. Fish had exam
ined the cells where the prisoners in
solitary had been confined and found
that it was possible for prisoners in
the tier of cells above to look down
and by means of thread to send down
food to prisoners in solitary. He meas
ured the opening between the bars OF
the solitary and found them to be 3 Ia
inches apart, through which it would
l. IL - fNiA n mi n
of considerable size. He was cross
examined at some length as to this.
Testimony of Prison Physician
The prison physician. DR.. Hcald, was
called and Mr.. Pattangall asked him
what he knew as to conditions in the
prison and as to evidence coming un-
der his observation of injuries received
in fights in the prison and whether re
was called upon to treat as mary
broken heads as formerly.
He said he had under the present
system not been called to treat in
juries received in way OF punish
ment.
Question: Were those common be-
fore?
Answer: They were not uncom-
mon.
He was crosse examined at con-
siderable length respecting the pills,
which it had been said the prisoners
had used for a kick" He said
acetanalid was base, but just what
they could do with them he did not
know. They could not be consid-
cred dope" which is an opiate. The
pills would paralyze the nerves while
the opiate would paralyze the brain.
Counsel Hinckley endeavored to
show that they might be considered
dope" by those not acquainted with
the exact action to which the doctor
replied amid laughter that too many
speak of things about which they 90