The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-08-10

aaV1SaDll1ty OF taxing ScOtt TO
Eugene for confinement. The
court up there were men that
considered the welfare and safety
Of their citizens as paramount to
the right and freedom of crim-
inals and had caused jail to be
built of substantial materials
that would not permit the. escape
of its inmates. This the county
court of Benton county were
cosnizant of, and fearing that
Scott might be unable to gain
his liberty if placed within its
walls, the request of Mr.. Osburn
was not complied with. After
Scott's first escape the request to
take him to Eugene was repeated
but the court again declined to
consider the proposition, know
ing that the people up there
would have no better sense than
to keep him.
Several prominent taxpayers
have expressed themselves as be-
ing favorable to the erection of a
new Jail, with all the modern
improvements such as ventila-
ton, sewerage, waterpipes, sink,
closet and other home comforts.
These conveniehces together
with an abundance Of fresh air
might, however, cause a desire
on the part of the prisoner to for
sake his liberty in order to enjoy
the pleasures and comforts of his
quarters, and therefore should
not be thought of for a moment.
The desire for freedom which
seems characteristic of Benton
county prisoners should not be
discouraged. While all these
thoughts regarding the rights
and liberties Of criminals should
be carefully considered and re-
ne1nbered, the safety Of the Jail
should not be lost sight of.
Because of the many fond 1neln-
ories which cluster around the
old moss-covered building, and
its value as a relic of ode days
jis arter de wah," no good citi-
zen of Benton county should
permit it to be 1nutilated by care
less tenants in their leave-taking,
who have no thought for its value
as relic or appreciation of the
antiuqe- in art. The majority Of
these tenants seem totally devoid
of tender sentiments for the old
structure and its picturesqueness;
they show no regard for its weak
and infr1n condition.; they have
never been taught to revere the
memory of the time honored
structure although numerous Of
their friends and associates;have
spent many joyous hours. within
It's whitewashed walls. They
have abused, mutilated, and dis
figured this friend that has har-
bored them in, their hours of
tribu1ation and sheltered them in
the time of storm. For the
benefit of those citizens who do
reverence the old structure for
what it has done and who have a
tender regard for it on account of
its ails and frailties of old age,
the building should be preserved.
: Out of respect for the courts
kind and solicitous regard for the
liberty of the prisoners, they
should not be deferred from
efecting exit, although the struc-
ture . is somewhat mutilated
thereby; but since there exists in
the bosoms of the pioneer a
tender sentiment for the preser-
vation of the old building on
account of its gallant attempts
and herculean efforts to discharge
its duties as public servant,
something should be done.
There is but one way by which
the feelings of the court may be
respected and the building pre-
served. That is to place a bull
letin board within the jail asking
as a special favor to; those to
whom the building thus become
endeared, that the tenants refrain
from 1narring the interior Of the
building and informing them
that upon application, the court
will permit them to effect an exit
through the main entrance.
This will also save them the
unnecessary labor and incon-
venience of cutting their way
out A telephone line should
also connect the Jail with the
sheriffs residence SO that in case
a sudden departure was antici-
pated that officer could be COM
municated with without any u11-
necessary delay. In the event
the officer was out of town the
keys could be left in a conven-
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