The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-03-08
Montana Boasts Model State Penitentiurg;
MISUNDERSTANDING Diversions for Inmates
BY o COOK,

Publicity Director, Milwaukee r. r.
Montana, still "wild and woolly" in
spots, has one of the model state
penitentiaries of America. The state
prison at Deer Lodge is the home
of the nations first prison band, or
chestra and choral organization. 1t is
also the only penal institution of its
kind that boasts an opera house. 1t
was built by a donation from the late
United States Senator w. A. Clark
Jr., who also set up an endowment to
engage an outside director for the
prisons orchestra.
The chorus of 900 voices specializes
in cowboy ballads and songs of the
range.
The state penitentiary is a monument
to the courage and human understand
ing of Frank Conley, one of the great
peace officers of the old West.
In 1886 he was named warden and
he took 46O bad men, of the frontier
and put them to work building the
walls and cell blocks in which they were
later confined.
Conley is recognized as the first
penologist in the United States to in
stitute an honor system, and it worked.
He was the first to remove stripes
from prisoners. His was the first pris-
! on in the United States to have pic
ture shows. And he found that such
activities as bands and choruses did
much to give the inmates a better out
look upon life.
He retired in 1921 after serving his
state for IS years in rounding up and
caring for Montana's early day pub
lie enemies"
They recognized his fairness and
respected him for his fearlessness.
Fully IS percent of my prisoners
made good after they were discharg-
ed" he said. But we never hear of
these, only the few who go wrong"
THE trouble with most honor sys-
tens for prisoners" continued MI.
Conley, sis that they are imperfectly
planned, and carelessly and ignorantly
carried out. When a trusty at Deer
Lodge a given privileges and free
dom, he was not permitted to carelessly
pass in and out of prison at his own
convenience. When out, he was kept
out until he violated his rule. Upon his
reentry his clothes were taken off and
he and his possessions were searched.
In my judgment, Montana State prison
will never have a prison break unless
it is brought about through the work.
ings of civil service. Civil service forces
a warden to take on a lot of incom-
petents that cannot be discharged.
"Given prisoners with money, a corps
of guards and attendants whom the
warden cannot discharge, one has the
makings of all kinds of trouble. Money
and opium are the warden's greatest
! enemies.
There is little within prison walls
an outsider would consider amusing, but
it is the exception that proves the rule,
and I must tell you the story of Tom
Brown and Ben Lydrick.
"Tom was convicted in Helena for
robbing the Montana Central ticket Of
flee and given a tWelve-year sentence.
He was considered harmless, but &C.
centric. Three years after he was re-
ceived at Deer Lodge, Ben Lydrick was
convicted and sent to us for killing a
man over in the lowlands.
"We were crowded for room at the
time" and put Tom Brown and Ben
Lydrick together.
"While crossing the yard n day
the riot bell rang. I, together with the
guards, rushed in and found Brown
standing over an unconscious Lydrick
with a stool in his hand, with which he
had severely beaten and cut his cell
mate. We gave LydricE first aid. threw
water in his face. gave him water to
drink, and finally brought him to con-
seriousness.
II turned to Brown and asked him
to explain why he had attacked a
harmless prisoner.
"Harmless?' snCCrcd Brown. Harm
less hell! I've been in my cell with him
now for three months and have dis
covered only this morning who he is.
He was the foreman of my jury"
ing by these western Indians was IN
o11ioroa wifi, tho Crnu-c