Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-02
WHAT is BACK OF 1T

Warden Fish Of the Maine State
Prison Is speaking right out IN pub
lie. Ona gets the impression there is
need of plain speaking.
He declares the prison is spied
upon and lied about; that anonymous
threats are sent him. The natural
question to arise Is: what Is the
animus back of this campaign OF
poisoned report?
What was back Of the charges
aired before the Governor and coun-
ell and found to be unsupported by
fact and laid away to accumulate
dust? There was then wellground-
ed suspicion 1t all came about
through a desire to get certain ones
placed In control of the prison.
One has 4 right to infer respecting
the probable character Of control
obtained in such fashion; many will
infer that the present campaign of
criticism is motivated by similar de-
sires.
The Portland Sunday Telegram of
the 31st, ult carries an article writ
ten by an editor, who recently visit
ed the institution. To him Warden
Fish described the situation, reveal
ed the probable animus back of at
tacks and criticism, Of the falsehoods
circulated. The correspondents call
was unannounced but he found
everything In applepie order, was
pleased with what he saw In the
work-rooms, and learned Of the con-
ditions where certain of the pris-
oners are employed on the high
ways.
OF this he writes:
"This summer the experiment has
been tried of working some of the
prisoners on the State highways
The men went to work on stretch
of road in the town of Union on May
29, and the contractor has been pay
ing $1.75 a day per man. This all
goes to the institution. AT hrst AZ
prisoners were sent out on this WORK
and this number has now been re-
duced to 81. The road workers were
at first quartered in the Union fair
grounds and have since been given
sleeping quarters in the Grange hall
They have worked well and have
more than earned their pay. There
has been no lack of discipline and no
Sinking.
ITO people passing by nothing is
said and not the slightest disorder
has been reported. One guard has
been employed by day and another
by night and this Notwithstanding
the fact that the workers have been
&x,,1 nf oh
way. There is plenty of opportunity
to escape but only three or four at
tempts of this nature have been
made. The work ends in 10 days.
TT Is good for the men to be kept
at work out of doors, but from an
economic standpoint the plan is not
wholly a success. 1t costs about d
dollar a day for maintenance at
Union to less than SO cents in the
prison. The plan makes the work
of the warden much more difficult
personal supervision visiting them
several times during the day and
night.
warden Fish has greatly increas-
ed the efficiency of the prison and he
has also eliminated every form OF
petty graft that had prevailed be-
fore and is common in most public
institutions. No employees are per-
mitted to buy provisions of any kind
from the prison commissary, except
by paying full retail price"
Unless our recollection is at fault
it has been said there have been
times at the Prison when certain of
the officials got for their own use
the choicest cuts of meat at the
prices which the State paid for the
carcass; times when this was q
custom looked upon as legitimate by
all save the prisoners. who We're
thus deprived of what the State
bought for them. Such practices are
not calculated to make favorable
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