Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-01-25

QLlC9E8
judges OF the Court, that they have discharged
ali the duties assigned them with energy and
sion ats members have written opinions IN three
hundred and slKty-tygo cases.
The Court, with the assistance OF the Couunis-
slOnerss has decided nV9 hundred and sixty
four cases during the past year. But the
Dur1ng the year 1889, the new cases HE'D num-
bered three hundred and seventy-nine; IN 1885
four hundred and fifty four; in 1887, i've hundred
anq e1gLLs-seFeui an. curing 1855 SIX nunQred
and ninety-eight. 1t is, therefore, apparent that
the commission must be continued at the expi-
5th, 1850, or some other method Of relief for the
court must be devised.
Three other methods are suggested: to increase
the number of supreme Court Judges TO create
other appellate courts, or TO limit the cases that
may be taken to the supreme court upon appeal
or error. The method first mentioned can be
adopted only by constitutional amendment.
The legislature should give this subject its
cougider8te attention. me vital inb0rfaTCe az
a prompt hearing and adjudication of all causes
Will not be Questioned The fact that three
judges Of the Court of final appeal cannot posi-
bly, hear and determine the large number OF
cases brought before them, is equally apparent
TEE STATE FEEITENTIARY.
The reports OF the Directors, Warden, and
other officers of the PenItentiRry VIII furnish
you a detailed statement Of the expenses re-
ceipts, general condition and requirements of
that institution.
The Kansas Penitentiary deservedly enjoys a
nigh rank among the penal institutions or the
country. Strict discipline is enforced, but harsh
OF cruel puRishments are never inflicted. The
prisoners are supplied with abundant and whole
sive and their health is carefully looked alter
The present Warden has made many valuable inn
prOvements in the prison, has discharged ali Of
ms duties with conspicuous ability, integrity.
and economy, and has won deservedly high pos
ldOn among the prison officials of the United
During the past four years APPROXIMATIONS az
gregating S54, 48I have been made for permanent
improvements including new dollhouse, IN
sane ward Workshop, reservoir, barn, ana other
minor buildings, and putting IN plants for
electric lights and steam heating. The ValOe of
these improvements, as made including cash
aggregates S24S, 92O.
The operation of the coal mine has been very
successful. The output of coal has steadily IN
creased. During the year ended December 81,
1888, the total output was I,2552l2 bushels, val
ued at S86,7O4 04i while for the year ended De-
Se1Der 81 1855 the output aggregated ], s5S S4I
bushels, valued at S127, 24179. For the calendar
lions, for public use, aggregated 393, 1913 bushels,
valued at S27 SOL 81; while for the calendar year
1888 the coal furnished state institutions aggre-
sdIeu Ooo, oSS Dusnelss valued az S4o, lUO.t4.
During the four years ended December 81, 1888,
the total output Of the Penitentiary coal mine
We osSO0,4 bU5nSis' VsIued az PAU SIo.o5: or
TINS amount, Z,O3S,42O bushels, valued at 81 o.
5000, were supplied to State Institutions; l.
12O,67O bushels, valued at S255, OO299, were sold
for cash; and 81 1eS bushels, valued at SIS 500 81
/ were furnished IN payment for royalties on coal
! lands.
The most gratifying fact connected with the
PenltentIary, however, is that the number of
prisoners, when compared with the population
eight years past and that there has been an actu-
al decrease in the number in confinement during
the past two years. On the first of January,
1910. the State prisoners mot including United
! States civil or military numbered 2lS, or one
for every .671 Inhabitants; at the same date in
1875, the State prisoners numbered 4S5, or one to
every ], PA inhabitants; in $780, the number was
63S, to every ,57S Inhabitants; in 1885 the
number was 67S, or one to every 1885 inhabit-
ants; and the first of January, 1889, the State
inhabitaQts. On the first Of January 1857 there
were 695 State prisoners confined In the Peniten-
tlary; on the hrst of January, 1885, there were
1888; and on the first Of January Of the present
Z mn ny 4
more than sixty thousand criminals are serving
out sentences for felOni6B in the prisons of the
United states, or about one prisoner for every
LlousanQ 4nLaDlUanCs Inc same ratio, IN Kan
sas, would give our Penitentiary 651 State pris-
Oners. We have, to-day, total of only 86l, or
not much more than One-half the number Of
CRIMINALS, per capita, reported for the United
THE INDUSTRIAL REFOR1rATORY.
The legislature Of 1885 directed the building of
an Industrial ReformatOry, which was located
at Hutchinson. Appropriations aggregating
$50, 600 were made in 1855, and additional apprO-'
Board Of Commissioners having the building OF
this institution in charge, report that q cell
house, with nifty completed cells therein, has
been inclosed; and tie foundations and ono
story for the Office, guard rOoEl, dining room,
kitchen, bOlIer-house and an additional cell
house, with their connecting corridors, have
been built The biennial report Of the Board
gives full details Of the progress OF work, with
estimates Of the amounts necessary to complete
the buildings commenced, and make the lusti-
tuition ready for the reception and care OF
1The general SCOPE and design OF an Industrial
RefOrmatOry is in harmony with the best
thought and experience Of the age. The Peni-
Tertiary should be a prison where hard ened and
vicious criminals are punished for their crimes,
and kept in confinement in order to protect So
Ciety aga1nsU their depredat!Ons. The Reform a.
tory is place where law breakers OF milder
type. who are not naturally vicious or criminal
may be properly punished for their misdeeds
and, at the same time, reclaimed and reformed
by wholesome instruction. Kansas has wisely
determined to separate the two classes Of law
| breakers by establishing a ReformatOry, and
should carry out the original purpose in view.
strated, or its failure 10 accomplish the results
aimed at is shown.
TIE BOARD OF PARDONs.
The law enacted by the Legislature Of 1885,
proven very satisfactory In its results. The
Board appointed has been diligent in investigat-
comprehensive reports to the Executive, and its
findings and recommendations have been alike
humane and just.
The Constitution vests the pardoning power in
the Governor under regulations and restric-
tons prescribed by law" Section 924, chapter
81, Compiled Laws, provides that Gin all cases
In which the Governor is authorized by law TO
conditions and under such restrictions as he
u1sy think proper" a similar provision Is en-
been enacted, however, providing adequate
remedies in case the conditions on which par
The courts of several States have sustained the
authority CT an Executive to enforce penalties
for the violation Of conditional psTdnns, even in
authority, however ought to be clear and def
nue. Inc AL5E194dlLLE6 bLlUulA GuGcB q law pro
VlclnG LlaG a VloIatlon or any OF the conditions
On which pardon or Communication Of sent ence
is granted shall subject the person guilty of such
violation 70 arrest ana return TO confinement
under the terms of mis- original sentence. and
comforting upon the Executive authority to issue
warrant, directed to any sheriff, for the arrest
and return TO confinement OF the offender. Such
a statute would have wholesome restraining g in
nuence upon laW-ors akeIs who are cOndtuonally
pardoned.
THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
The present uperintendent OF Insurance mas,
preparing his annual reports, eliminated
vast mass Of statements and TepOI Is made to him
BY insurance tOupantes.Gnd has thereby effected
a large REDUCTION in the printing bill8 Of the
State. Bat he truly says that mot one fact of
importance has been omitted" All statistics
ana facts of the least value or in porGauce to ths
public, are given In a clsar, compact, and syste-
patio manner.