People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-10-27
The Jail Proposition.

senting the needs for a new Jail in
such convincing manner that many
votes in favor of the proposition Will
uDQuestionably be gained thereby.
Mr.. Rogers is one Of the most en.
thusiastic supporters Of the Jail prop
OSitiOn in the county. His intimate
acquaintance with the dilapidated
structure which now serves as u Jail,
has made him an ardent advocate of
the Jail proposition from a humani-
tartan standpoint. Besides, a new
Jail is a necessity from an economical
point Of view, as shown in the circu-
lar. Mr.. Rogers considers that every
voter is entitled 10 a full acQuaint-
anceship with the true facts IN the
proposition, hence he has caused the
circulars TO be printed aud distributed
TO correct a misstatement Of facts
deliberately made by an evening pub
LEGATION in Wellington and widely
copied by county papers.
The circular to the voters is as fol-.
lows:
DEAR SIR: The county commits
siOners have decided TO submit the
following proposition to the voters of
the county, TO be voted upon % Nov.
ember Sth:
"On motion the board decided TO
submit a proposition to the voters OF
Sumner county at the next general
election, TO erect county jail and
jailer's residence at cost not exceed.
ing $4,000, to be appropriated from
the current expense fund now on hand,
and the sheriff Of Sumner county is
hereby directed to give legal notice
thereof"
The above is the proposition, word
for word, aud is taken from the record
Of their proceedings found in Journal
E, page POI.
In order to avoid any possible mis-.
understanding, | ask you to consider
the following statement Of facts:
NJ bonds are to be issued, and no
Indebtedness against the county is 10
be created. Plenty Of cash is in the
county treasury, not needed for any
other purpose, with which to pay for
a good, substantial Jail. About three
years ago two banks failed, tying up
some $500 Of the county money.
| Levies were made 10 meet the current
expenses without this money. Since
then every dollar of this money has
been paid to the county treasurer,
which, together with The fact that
the current expenses OF The county
have been reduced from $4,000 to
$50 900 per year leaves, good surplus
10 the current expense fund. The
levy for current expenses was reduced
one mill last year and has been re.
duCed two more mills this year, and
still there is plenty Of money in the
treasury to build and pay for a Jail
when completed, and 10 meet every
demand against the county.
The proposition is not to issue
bonds, or borrow money, and the
county commissioners would have no
power or authority to issue bonds or
borrow money 10 build jail.
Now as to the demand for pew
Jail. The building now used as jail
is low, One.stOry brick structure,
built Of Sumner county brick in 1874.
The outside measurements are
twenty two feet wide and thirty feet
long. The apartment where the pris-
oners are confined is eighteen feet
square, and in this room is the steel
cage. The cage is thirteen feet square,
leaving about two and a half foot
space between the sides OF the cage
and the walls of the room, The cage
is made of steel bars for the sides,
and sheet stell fer the floor and top
! About seven feet OF the south side of
the cage is arranged for sleeping pur
poses. In the east end Of the remain
ing space, being six by thirteen leet,
is placed washing basin and vault.
Since | have been county attorney it
mas been necessary to cOnane from ten
TO tweive men for weeks Ia this cage.
| have been in the jail when as many
as twenty men were confined 10 The
cage. The outside walls are entirely
inadequate 10 restrain anyone who
desires TO get out, A few months ago
two thirteen ear.old boys 10 a very
few minutes picked a hole in the wall
and got away. The walls show that
over twenty holes have been made in
them by prisoners.
The law provides that female and
juvenile prisoners shall he kept separ-
ate from the other prisoners, but it is
impossible 10 do so in this jail. Boys
have been put 10 the Jail for some
petty misdemeanor with old aud hard
ened criminals, and came out much
worse than they went 10.
There is little room 10 the south
west corner. about six by eight feet,
in which female prisoners have been
confined, but persons 10 the different
rooms can converse together, and are
simply separated by thin wall.
IG is often OF great Importance to
keep parties implicated in the same
crime separated, aud keep them from
fixing up defense, but this cannot
be done in the present Jail. They
must all 90 in together and have every
opportunity to plan their defense, and
under these circumstances scarcely
ever does prisoner turn states evi
dence, and causes the county great
additional expense in securing con-
victien.