The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-04
TOO LENIENT.
City COu neil Lets Too Many Bad
Characters
Out of Jail Before Fines Are
Paid
OR TIME is SERVED.
LaWbreakers Who Should Be
Shut Up All the Time
Let Loose To Annoy and Injure
the Community.

The city council is busy emptying the
city prison. The members Of the coun-
Gil have not learned that the word Of a
criminal does not amount to much. AS
soon as one promises to do better the
councilmen appear to fail over them
selves to undo what has been done by
the court.
Those who were ordered released were
Ben Jordan, Min Saunders, Crook Wright
and ''Peg-leg'' McCIafferty, and they
are all persistent law violators. That
no, one else had filed an application is
probably the reason there were no other
releases ordered
Ben Jordan, who has made enough
promises to fill a wagon and has broken
them all with clock-1ike precision, made
another to the committee, or rather re-
newed an old one that he will go to
the Soldiers Home and stay there. His
release was accordingly recommended.
Il would like to know" said City At
torney Bird, whether you want me to
prosecute Mrs. Ben Jordan. She was
arrested during festival week for selling
liquor, and if you are going to turn Ben
out there is no use to prosecute her"
Crook Wright, who operated one
of the most disgraceful resorts ever
maintained in Topeka, promised to go
to LeavenWOrth, and the committee
ordered him released. Crook Wright
thought so much Of his promise that
he came to Topeka to spend festival
week. He also promised to pay $175 to
the city and his release was cOndi-
tional upon the payment of the money.
"Peg-leg'' McClafferty, who has been
in the joint business for a time ante
dating the appointment Of the oldest
police officer, said he would leave To-
peka and never come back and also
pay $50. City Attorney Bird said that
TzTT7 &c ~ on q
joint.
The next person on the list was Min
Saunders, an incorrgible colOred wo-
man. She was fined $40 and given
ninety days in jail and Chairman Mer-
gan Of the committee on judiciary, said
the committee considered the sentence
excessive and recommended that it be
reduced to a fine of $25.
L never heard of any such fine for
a plain drunk" said Mr.. Morgan.
81 would like to know how they are
running things down at the police sta
tion," said Councilman Skinner. What
kind of a system is it by which wo-
man who is drunk is fined $40 and
ninety days in jail, while another wo-
man who is convicted of selling liquor
and keeping disorderly house IS nned
800 and given thirty days in jail?'
Councilman Mergan-I talked to Mrs,
Thorpe and she said Min Saunders had
been good for eighteen months, until
she broke over this time.
A nOClOn dQOpl dll lAiG IGpOA - was
carried without an opposing vote, Coun-
Gilman Drew being in the chair.
This is a regular Jail delivery, SAD
Councilman Drew after the vote was
taken.
Mayor Fellows says that he will re
fuse to issue an order for the release
of these people unless the order for the
payment of money is strictly complied
with. Il don't believe in letting out
every one in JAIL said Mayor Fellows.
IF the police do their duty these people
will be right back in Jail, where they
belong
Sarah Foster, a white woman who
was convicted and fined 800 and sen
fenced to thirty days in Jail for selling
liquor, is tired of jail life, and knoWlns
+ba disnositfon of the city council to
let people out about as fast as the
police put them there, she asked for an
unconditional release. Isaac Renshaw,
father of the woman, was present, ana
said that Mrs. Foster will be good ana
go home if she is released The request
was referred to the committee on judi
ciaTV.