Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-07-25
WALTER DARLINGTON, Plalntla's A
From the Kansas City Times
Congregation Of Crooks.


Within the last two weeks Leaven-
worth, Kan, has become the greatest
rendezvous for crooks in the United
States. More gentlemen of q de-
cidedly shady, not to say dark, char
acter have their faces turned toward
the Queen City Of Sunny Kansas than
we're attracted to Chicago during the
Worlds fair or to Jacksonville when
Corbett and Mitchell held financial
debate on Florida's classic soil.
Since the opening of the new Fed
eral prison at Fort Leavenworth, in
fact, there has been a general process
sion Of United States prisoners from
every corner Of the country in that
direction. Kansas has again become
the promised land, so to speak, but
not as when the followers Of John
Brown and sturdy sons Of the South
we're rushing there to contend over
the establishment OF slavery within
it's borders. Amore unpromlsing and
thoroughly disreputable lot than these
same United States convicts it would
be impossible to find in trip around
the world. Lowering in looks, sullen
in speech, recruited from the worst
mixture of Indian. white aud negro
blood in the Indian Territory and
from the foulest slums Of great cities,
they are displeasIDg to the sight and
dreadful to contemplate in their COM
bined depravity.
Since last week these parties have
been passing through Kansas City at
frequent intervals. Two shipments
for they have to be forwarded almost
like cattle-were at the Union depot
yesterday. One party of thirty-fve,
in charge Of W. d. Lawson, travelling
passenger agent of the Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas, arrived from Paris,
Tex, over that road in the morning
aud went out at 10:40 over the Bur-
lington. Everyone of the number
was horse thief. They were heavily
manacled while en- route and accom-
panied by deputy marshals with Win
chesters to the number of one officer
for every three prisoners. Anothe
party of about the same number CAM
in from Fort Smith, Ark, over tn
Memphis route and was taken t,
Leavenworth by the Missouri Pacific
The Missouri Pacific also took two
carloads Of the same sort Of crimlnall
who were being transferred from thu
prison at Columbus, o., to that a
Fort Leavenworth. 1t is calculate,
that the movement will continue fol
several months longer, as it is thu
policy of the government to mass it
prisoners where they can be mos
cheaply kept. The opening Of tn
Fort Leavenworth prison will no
only relieve the overcrowded condi
ton of the other prisons, but will ais
enable the government to mass at the
point many of its prisoners who hay
been kept in State penitentiaries 6
considerable cost
When the last SESSION OF CongreI
passed law transferring the prise
at Leavenworth from the Departmel
of War to the Department of JustiC
it was claimed by the people of tn
city that a very Objectionable class
persons would thereby be broug
into their midst. This did not detC
Congress from making the chang
OUT IL liz pIo5uLleu UnnI Uno poOPlo
Leavenworth, having foreseen Il
present conditions, are not disappear
ed in them. As matter Of fact q
possession of the old military prisC
will be a great convenience to the D
partment of Justice. 1t is estimate
that TOO prisoners can be accomn
dated there, and so long as the Indi
Territory remains in its present &C
dition, and while the United Stat
courts at Fort Smith, Ark, and Par
Tex, continue to grind there is lit
danger of it's having vacant cells.
course the movement Of the prisonl
is a great plum for the railroads, a
as usual when Uncle Sam has to Il
the bills there will beno under char
-, kI,;a olouo NJ hyiainaau