The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-18
REPORT
OF BOARD ON
STATE PRISON
Failure of Commission to
Mention Michigan City
ArouSeS Comment.

Despite the failure thus for of
Governor Paul V. McNutt's crime
committee to recommend definite
changes at the Indiana state prison,
reports persisted today at the state
house that removal of Warden Louis
E. Kunkel had been suggested by
the penal experts.
The reports were made by ma
tionally famed criminologists, after
Investigations at all penal and cor
regional institutions and hospitals
and a study of the states parole
system.
The 30,000-word report, which was
expected to make definite and plain
spoken recommendation for changes
in the manner of conducting the
Michigan City institution, has failed
thus far to make any mention of
the much publicized prison.
The "detour" today gave rise to
hints that Governor McNutt &C
tually had been given a supple
mental report which asked removal
of Warden Kunkel among other
drastic changes.
Heat" Is on KunkeI
The heat" has been on Mr.. Kun
kel almost continuously since last
September when ten convicts, sew
eral Of whom turned out to be the
worst bad-men of the John Dill
linger gang, shot their way out of
prison.
Since that time, one major escape
and a score or more of walkawayS
have kept Mr. Kunkel in hot water
and subject to nation wide criticism.
The criticism was one of the rea-
sons prompting the Governor to call
the commission of crime experts to
Indiana for a survey.
With such prominent penal ex-
perts as Sanford Bates, director of
federal prisons; Lewis E. Lawes,
warden of the famous Sing Sing
prison, and Burdette Lewis, director
of the American Public Welfare As
ISOLATION, along with others almost
equally prominent, on the commit
tee, the general opinion was that
Indiana's penal system was ready
for a housekeeping.
Instead, the reports-at least those
so far made public-have made no
mention of the main issue.
Capitalization Is Urged
The committee has dwelled chief
ly on establishment of centralized
public welfare organization; state
sentencing and parole court; county
units of public welfare; enlarge
ment of the state highway police
patrol and creation of interstate
agreements to effect greater CO.
operation in the capture and release
of criminals.
Capitalization of all public well
fare under one head occupied the
major portion of the lengthy re-
port. Under the proposed plan, a
director, named by the Governor,
would control all probation work in
the state. His powers virtually
would be unlimited, and he would
be secondary to the Governor in
administrative strength.
Relief, social adjustment and re-
pardons, paroles and
of all penal and correc-
tional institutions and state hos
pitfalls would be under the welfare
direction.
Wayne Coy, undersecretary to the
Governor, and recently named
acting director" of Indiana emer-
gency relief, is believed to be in
line for the welfare division post
when the department finally is put
into operation.
Coy was named to the position
formerly held by William H. Book.
Coy takes over the work Monday.
Recommendation for central sem
fencing court was another sug-
gestion given the go sign" by the
committee.