The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-11-18

vars. He is allowed six months. of
for each year of his sentence over
/ that. He gets 10 days month of
for working A 15-year sentence
will be cut to six years and four
months if a prisoner works and be-
HAYES himself. But he can lose his
good time by violating prison rules
That is a mighty strong disciplinary
force over the men.
Il am heartily in favor of sus-
pended sentences for first offenders.
Our records show they work for
good of humanity. To date there
have been 1,606 suspended sentences
pronounced upon offenders. OF this
number only 80 have been sent
here to serve. out their terms"
Mr.. Taxpayer, duly impressed
with the orderly business-like pro-
Icedure of the big institution, then
asked to visit it. Warden Berg
strom responded. A trusty sitting
in the big outside office took the
party across the street and I'M
locked the outside gate, locking
them in the barren little receiving
chamber From above, the armed
guard dropped the big prison inside
gate key down a chute. Warden
Bergstrom unlocked the gate and
the guard drew the key back up to
safety. Inside the walls a wide ex-
panse of green walls, two huge
brick cell-houses and an admins
tration building between, all neatly
whitewashed and Immediately
clean, appeared before Mr.. Taxpay-
er's eyes. He walked with the gen
ial warden over strip of concrete
to the inside prison office. Here
MIR. Taxpayer was introduced to
Deputy Warden Joe Neville, the ex-
ecutive head of the institution in
side the walls.
In wide corridored reception
room Mr.. Taxpayer paused. The air
was fresh, clean, untainted. AT one
side was the receiving room for the
prisoners. Mr.. Taxpayer watched
them fingerprint a new man. we
take Is prints and send them to
the principal Montana cities and to
crime detection centers of the states
and the u. S. Bertillion identified
ton bureau at Washington, .. c.
Deputy Neville explained.
At one side is photo room, where
prison photos are taken. Next to
the receiving room was a wire
screened compartment. This is the
visiting room" Deputy Neville ex-
planned. THE visitors sit out here
and the prisoners inside. A guard
is always present at conversations
between a prisoner and a visitor
Next door was barber shop.
Prison guards and officers were pat
ronizing the clean. two-chaired, full
ly equipped institution. Two in
mates worked diligently and skill
fully on their customers. Give MIR.
Taxpayer shave before he leaves
Warden Bergstrom suggested.
Accompanied by the warden, Mr..
Taxpayer left on tour of the
prison. First they visited the big
heating plant, just outside the walls,
with which is arranged for emer-
gency purposes, fully equipped
generating plant. This entire struc-
ture, with huge boilers, concrete
etc, all was construct
ed by the inmates, the warden ex-
planned. Machine shop, blacksmith
shop, electric shop also were in
spected. An inquiry as to the music
that blared from a small building
brought visit to the music room
where Sam Fl. Treloar of Butte, vet
eran bandmaster of the famous
Butte Miners band. conducts daily
practice for So inmate students. Mr..
Treloar is paid by the state and
drives down from Butte daily. They
do creditable piece of work. Mr..
Treloar said. Il believe they are
next to the Miners Band, the best
and most versatile aggregation in
Montana. Five hours daily they
Adjoining the music room is the
license plate room where a crew of
some twenty men turn out the auto
mobile license plates used on Mon
tana automobiles. The newly de-
signed plate, with Charles M. Rus
sells famous trademark-the buff
falo skull--Was exhibited. Rec
ords of the registrar of vehicles are
kept in the outside office" said the
warden. Then to handsome brick
building at the outer end of the
prison campus" This theatre is
equipped with sound talking pro-
lectors, which were purchased by
receipt of boxing bouts held here
between the prisoners the warden
The tour led to the new and old
cell-houses, the prison infirmary.
then to the prison sewing room
where all overalls and shirts are
naaa by inn "A rse--ar T1l. r., VI =