February 28, 1977 (Letter from Dave and Lyn)

 From the "Stone Age".  Seen at the Amherst Cinema.


Well we have had an extremely mild winter, so mild that it looks like a drought in the upcoming summer due to lack of snow.  We had a week of 50 weather just two weeks ago.

The new prison is ready except the facility is now too small  It was built to accommodate (imprison) 300 inmates, but the current population is over 400.  The sate is not sure what to do with the lever overs, parole?  Shades of Gary Gilmore, Montana has sentenced one to do soon.

This winter Lyn and I have been learning cross-country skiing.  We spent four days outside of Glacier Park during Christmas vacation gliding along the North Forks or bombing down hills.  The west side of the Park has some wondrous mountains that I could look upon all day.  Skiing in this manner is easy to learn.  This is my first time ever on skis.

We haven't been to a movie in ages, the last one I saw was Taxi Driver.  The film was intense, suspenseful, but violent.  I guess it was an accurate portrayal of a psychotic as well as an interesting study of life in the city of New York.  The film did have novel camera angles and interesting fade in and out shots.  I'm not sure why Americans enjoy violence but after seeing this film the most realistic ever I'm sure I will be cured for a time.

Rocky is playing in Butte, but I'm skeptical of a film that everyone likes, still I will probably go see the flick.

We have seen some dandy's on PBS television.  The original King Kong had some excellent animated footage of prehistoric animals.  Last week we watched a silent film about Ivan the Terrible made by a Russian in the early 1900s.  I'm sure you know who I am talking about.

This winter I have read Jane Eyre, This Hallowed Ground, and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues quite variety of subject matter there.

Levin is three now and is becoming more enjoyable due to his ability to communicate.  He presently enjoys learning nursery rhymes and simple songs.

We have been busy remodeling our house, especially the kitchen and bathroom.  New paint, sinks, counters, flooring, tile, tables, and work carts.

See you later.

May 12, 1976 (Letter from David)

Nice to hear from you.  We have been changing in many ways since you left.

First off we sold the trailer and bought a house.  It is a 1900 model with a lot of work and a big green yard.  The place also came with an old log barn.  The location is nice also, we are just a block and a half from J. C. Park.  Lyn has worked diligently restoring a long unkempt flower garden, we have tulips and poppys in bloom right now.

After eight years without we finally bought a car.  Wow!  More and more middle class each day. We still do not use it in town, just for trips to Missoula and neighboring communities.

Thoroughly enjoyed "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".  Although it had been six years since I read the book, the story and film seemed to appear the same.

The name Raymond Chandler stuck in my mind, I recalled that you had a couple of his books when you left.  I picked up "Farewell My Lovely" and the "Big Sleep".  I like Marlowe's sarcasm and ideals, he never sells out even to the broads.  Ha! it must be fiction.

Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, or Gerald Ford.  I guess I'd better start becoming familiar with their positions, although I'm sure that will be difficult.

I ran in the seven mile race in Missoula in May 1.  I ran well and had a pleasant time, the day was beautiful.  I covered the 7 miles in 46:13 seconds.  Played some tennis today, and started to get the kinks out of my game.  I'm looking forward towards this summer's play.

Levin is 2 1/2 years old now and keeping Lyn and I real busy.  He is forming sentences, trying to count, working at toilet training and imitating all his parents do.  I have to watch what I say.  For one week he was going around saying Oh God! after every mishap.

Home our cat ran away, guess he just tired of us.  Anyhow we now have two 8 week old male kittens.  One is yellow and white, the other is yellow and striped.  Sonja is doing fine at the new house, she is always ready for a walk or bike ride.

The Bretz and Clive trial started last week, it's too early to tell anything.  Since cons are the major witnesses, I can't imagine the trial lasting long or a guilty verdict.

If you head west for a breather, drop in for a stay.

July 7, 1975 (Note from Dave and Lyn)

Sonja

We hope all is going fine with you.  Enclosed is $5.00 to pay for our part of the phone bill.  Maybe you have paid this bill already.  Anyway it was sent to my folks address.

Say hello to Sonja and Homer.

Homer

March 4, 1975 (Letter from Gordon)

Just a note on a few things:

You've never mentioned it, but I will assume you have read the long manual Dick asked me and the others to write about our institutional positions.  All aspects of your job are covered, including life in the community, area contacts, etc.  Again, if for any reason you do not have access to it, I will be pleased to send you a copy of my copy.  It amounted to a total debriefing and is strictly for internal use by state library staff.  A.J. has a copy too, as well as Dick.  It is 26 pages long, mostly single-spaced.

Glad to see the papers are still circulated, so I will continue sending them.  One incident I had with the Black Panther might be worth citing.  There was one article I posted (at the time I wasn't regularly bringing in the Panther papers) that mentioned by name a man (black) who snitched on fellow inmates in a California case.  The reason I posted it was because the case also involved another California inmate transfer who was at MSP for awhile and who, when he went out to the coast to testify for the defense (Ron Jones -- long gone), was set up by MSP staff for reprisal on his return.  The rumor spread was that he had testified for the State.  I phoned one of the defense attorneys in Oakland from home and confirmed that Ron was telling the truth.  Thus a rumor was quashed, and the MSP staff member who had started it was discredited. This sort of thing is common practice.

Anyway, the named snitch (in the issue of Black Panther) was transferred to MSP while I was still there (his name is Johnson, I believe)!  Crist confronted me with this, saying it was an irresponsible and dangerous error on my part, as if I had any control over what was printed in a national weekly of 150,000 subscriptions, let alone the dissemination of such information.  I said that it was an error on Crist's part to place Johnson out at Rothe Hall, since he was a nationally advertised snitch!  I feel he should have been in isolation until appropriate staff were warned, at the very least.)  This was sort of a "last straw" between Crist and me, and he asked me to leave the prison forthwith.  This was two weeks after I had resigned, and waiting for a replacement!  If I had it to do over again, I would have been not so outspoken, and asked to consult with Dick first.  That is the cool thing to do:  let him have his say, take it as he puts it to you, saying you will have to consult with Dick.

I can justify taking in the Panther paper on these grounds:  It is intercommunal, and has news of events in the various "minority" communities (including native peoples, of which is comprised from 25-30% of the MSP population -- a dramatic statement in itself).  It tires to break down interracial and (now intersexual discrimination and exploitation, and promotes cooperation.  It has been more or less Marxist socialist, and the new editor (David DuBois) now runs a series on China, so it leans that way, with a stronger third world view.  Crist more or less despises it, but then his criterion of objective journalism is exemplified by Deer Lodge's Silver State Post!!

The point I want to make is:  When confronted by something like that, be cool -- let him make his point -- and say you'll see Peel about it.

I justify papers like Panther, Barb, Militant, etc. not only on constitutional grounds, but on rehabilitative grounds.  If a lot of these minority, low economic and otherwise oppressed and alienated guys see that their "misfortunes" are shared, and have a socio-political basis that is defensible, their self-respect, self-esteem and self-confidence (hence motivation overall) will strengthen.  What is the use of shoving utterly straight Christian and majority establishment (WASP, or liberal white) stuff at them?!  They KNOW that point of view (and its dominance is in large measure what got them in prison in the first place.)

Also, the prison lets the North American Indian League bring in hundred of copies of Akwesasne Notes, which present all the views of militant AIM people, etc.  I asked the editor of The Hunter to send me back copies, by the way, but haven't received any.  Could you ask Editor Al Charlot or whoever it is to do this?

Please do send me a copy of my letter to the editor of the Missoulian.  Haven't seen it.

Montana and Deer Lodge in the spring and summer are great, so you have a lot of improvement to look forward to.  I'm a westerner by adoption, myself, so maybe you're new to the west.  And to the rural scene.  After several months it slowly begins to grow on you.  But there are those who, for a variety of understandable reasons, don't like the country, period.  In places like Montana it's individuals precisely who count, in one's social relations.  Not groups or organizations.  UM in Missoula and MSU in Bozeman can provide university-type contacts.  In Montana you can also get to know legislators, state officials, supreme court justices, biggies generally, relatively easily. Cultivate contacts like these.  One sure way to make a lot of friends in Deer Lodge is to work with youth.  (Scouts, the high school, sports teams.)  Unless you want to join the Elks!!  Also, the little book store just off Main on Milwaukee is a contact for Powell County cultural life.  Life in Montana is very different, Paul, but it definitely has its good side -- for us city-bred types it takes time to appreciate it.  Have you visited KDRG studios just outside of town?  (Marisa Mappes and I got very close, by the way -- almost considered getting married.)

Also, getting to know a ranching family or two this spring can get you into horse-riding.  I put an ad in the paper and contacted a rancher for learning horseback riding from his 3 daughters!!  (Wasn't there long enough to follow through.)

Dick or other Helena folk will have other ideas.  How do you like working with them?

For my part, I also carried on a heavy correspondence, inside and outside of the state.  Do you have any kind of tape recorder?  I could send you or loan you various taped programs off Seattle AM and FM radio stations.  I have a Sony 800-B reel-to-reel (5") tape recorder, and can record at any speed.  If you could compensate me for the tape cost, I'd send you all tapes you want (line-recorded).  Just let me know the kind of things you want to hear -- I can also record on cassette.

P.S.  Here are a few good personal friends to contact (mention that I referred you to them): Sandy and Howard Heffelfinger -- Howard is a city guy, came here recently to be Powell County Planning person, hence a controversial figure.  Both are in their early 30's.  They have an adopted baby and a huge dog named Aristotle ("Ari") who eventually will be a friend.  See him in the county courthouse; I think he's in the assessor's office.  Just ask for him by name.  They are also in the phone book.

Dave and Lynn Pugsley -- a young couple with a baby, and ardent bicyclists.  No phone.  He works at the high school as a science teacher, I think.  They may have split up (one never knows these days).  Ask whoever you know where they are -- they were living in a trailer a stone's throw across the river from you.  Marisa and the Heffelfingers know them.  They are enthusiastic and hip (if straight) young marrieds.

The bookstore I mentioned is:  Books and Records, 306 Milwaukee.  The proprietor is Dean Tavenner (wife -- Trish) who has money and is a wheeler-dealer in real estate, stamp collections, etc.  He is a heavy-set, mustachioed guy with a direct, blunt gaze.  A local cultural pillar worth knowing.

One last note:  Do you visit the State Law Library?  To get legal materials for the men?  By the time I left I was spending an hour there, borrowing law books for copying at SML (returned before returning to D.L.)  Learned a lot about various legal reference tools.

Enough for now!