The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-13
HE GATHERS DATA
SHERIFF CONE GETS SOME CURIOUS
FIGURES AT THE PEN.

He Thinks That the Colored Race Are
Either Given TO Crime or Else They do
Not Get the Same Consideration In
Court-He Says That White the Race is
Less Than Four Per Cent of the States
Population, Yet it Furnishes Thirty
Three Per Cent of the Conviets-Colered
Females Seventy Five Per Cent
Sheriff Cone returned yesterday from
Lansing where he had betn 40 take
Harry Bacon and William Burke VINO
were sentenced during the present term
of the district court 10 the pen.tentiary
for a term Of years.
In speaking of his visit 10 the pen he
said that he had gathered some peculiar
office which started him 10 thinking n
a new vein. In speaking Of this he
said:
Il noticed on the books that there are
SIS convicts in the pen. OF this number
65S are white males and I'll are colered
males. In looking at the state census
1 see that Of the Kansas male popula-
ton that the colored population is only
$50 per cent OF the entire population.
while the colored representatives have
80 per cent OF the incarcreated pOpula-
ton. Now this proves 10 my mind one
Of two things, either the colored popula-
ton produces most of the criminals. or
else that colored people do not receive
the same consideration in the courts
that their white brethren do.
In the female department there are
six white females and eleven colored fe-
males, which gives the colored people
20 per cent OF the imprisoned population.
There are forty-nine prisoners in the
penitentiary who have been sentenced
to be hung. There are twentythree
sentenced for life. There are seven In
dams and three MeXicans in the pen, and
one of the Mexicans is from Sedgwick
county, and / am one who will sign
petition TO have that man pardoned. l
made special inquiry about Wichita
not tomala man. Camelio lopez, and he
has not a single black mark against him.
] know something about his case and I
want to say i don't think that Mex
lean should ever have been sent 10 the
penitentiary in the first place. / have
taken considerable pains TO inquire into
the case and am convinced that ne was
a hard working man who saved his
money ana DelleVe the negroes went
TO his room for the purpose Of robbing
him. 1 never had a better prisoner
about me during the time he was in jail
and according TO his story, the negroes
came to his room and threw a blanket
over his head and the Mexican hauled
out his knife and began cutting right
and left. He was defending himself and
his property. / have spoken of the case
to County Commissioner Harmon and
he has promised to take the matter in
hand and if on an examination of the
facts the story Of the Mexican is found
to be correct petition will be cirulated
asking that he will be pardOned.
The report about Barney Gibbons
being dead was false. but IL would be
a blessing If il were so. The poor man
is sad sight. and still has that same
vacant stare. He moves and acts like a
machine and continually talks to his
wife about his children. He should be
in an asylum where he could be treated.
THE rest Of the Sedgwick county boys
appear to be getting a'1ng ell right sro
I notice that the boys who rob ned OLD
nan McG'nty have all been assigned II
the coal hole.
John Kelley has got hack and has
charge OF the scales and be'weea loads
talks and thinks of state politics"