The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-02-04
CONVICTS' CAMP
HAS MANY PETS
Tame Deer Enjoy Life With
Prisoners, as Do Numer-
Gus Dogs and Cats.

Sacramento, Calif.="And I have
walked % miles at times just to get
a shot at one OF those" a visitor at
the Smith river prison road camp,
where California rehabilitates her con-
victs, said recently, as he gently but
firmly persuaded a fOur-pronged deer
to get out Of his bed so he could go
to sleep. The deer, which was tanned
by the prisoners, Is but n Of many
novel and strange pets which have
made friends with them.
The deer wandered into the camp
when It vas young. Besides becOm-
ing as tame as a dog and as mischiev-
Gus as a pet pig, developing a great
taste for cigarettes, chewing tobacco,
or what have you, 1t also developed
q liking for the cOnvicts' cots and
loses few opportunities to curl up in
one Of the beds and catch a few winks
Of sleep.
The visitor was In the camp on an
inspection trip, and to catch some Of
the king salmon that yearly fight their
way up the Smith river to spawn. The
deer, who is no respecter Of persons,
had decided that the visitors bed was
az good as anybOdy's.
Pets Are Plentiful.
Pets at the camp run the gamut
from eats and dogs to deer and
spiders.
In the cook shack a large number
OF spiders have been tamed-mOre OF
less. One group, belonging to the
baker, inhabits a small sack, which
hangs from the wall. More than two
years ago the first spider attracted
the bakers attention, who caught fiei
for him. The baker would swat the
fly, impale It on a straw and hold 4
up to Archibald (Archibald Is thu
spiders name), who would do the rest
Seeing that the climate agreed Will
) him and that 1t was a land Of plenty
he set up housekeeping and now tn,
! sack is heavily populated. Archibald
. however, rules supreme and ha
grown fat and lazy. He refuses t
? catch flies for himself. but graclOusl,
0 accepts flies from the prisoners, VIII
2 let his offspring shift for themselves
Archibald Is very tame and often take
s a ride on the bakers hand, or tn
I hand Of any one who will offer.
S Prison Camp a Success.
: CalifOrnia's prison road camp pla
is considered unique. It offers the 70
j lowing startling innovations, whic
have been tried successfully for moi
than three years.
The prisoners are paid $2.1O q da
for building roads, from which the
must pay for the overhead Of Il
camp and for their food and clOthin
OF this amount they may save a ma,
imum Of IS cents a day, which is g
3 lOtted to dependents or Is kept Il
them until they are parOled.
From so to 200 men are guarded /
s two guards, who do not carry gun
n There are no fences or barrie
Is around the camp. The mel sleep
walled tents and are not chained
Is locked up at night. They are
II lowed to go fishing In the river
tramping in the woods on Sunda,
and holidays.
IT They are not parOled until tn
have secured positions and they a
required to follow strict regulation
e. laid down by the state.
ID Men + selected for the camps fro
IF those who have the best records
prison and who have no more TIL
N two years to serve.
is During the more than three yea
he the Smith river camp has been
ID operation there have been only thr
ut attempts to escape, none Of viii
were successful, and no attempts ha
been made during the last two yea
The average sentence given to cal