Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-04-08
ALvA BALLARD TAKEN OUT OF
KANSAS PENITENTIARY.
AGREES TO LOCATE PLUMBER
PROMISES ALSO TO DIG UP EVIL
DENCE AGAINST ALLGOOD GANG.
Release of Ballard Not Warranted by
Law, but Seemed to BE Justified
Gov. LeyvellinE's Experi-
cnce With q Convict's
'.COnfession."

TOPEKA. April 7-(Special.) With de-
sire to assist the local authorities in sift-
ing to the bottom the story that the mem
bers of the Allsood gang. now under ar
rest. are the murderers of Joseph New. Of
Greenwood county. Governor Stanley and
Warden Lands to-day took the law in their
own hands. 1t will be remembered that
Alva Ballard. a convict in the penitentiary.
made a confession in which he charged
that New was not murdered by the per-
sons now serving life sentences in prison,
but was killed by the Allgood gang. In
that confession. Ballard claimed that he
could take the authorities to a place where
the plunder of the gang was hidden. and
that he could dig up a lot of evidence 10
show the guilt of the gang and the inno-
cence of those now in prison. Upon the
strength of his confession. several mem
bers of the gang were arrested. including
Allsood. the alleged leader.
For the purpose of giving the officers ev-
cry opportunity to sift the story. Warden
Lands. with the consent of Governor Stan
ley. to-day brought Ballard over from the
penitentiary and turned him over to Sheriff
Simmons. of Sedgwick county. to be used
in locating the booty of the gang and in
digging up evidence against its members.
The warden took receipt from the sheriff
for the prisoner. and the sheriff is held re-
sponsible for his safe keeping until re-
turned to the penitentiary. The sheriff and
the convict left this afternoon for Wichita
and the search will be prosecuted with all
possible haste.
This is an unusual proceeding. Neither
the warden nor the governor has any right
to take convict out Of the penitentiary
for any purpose whatever, unless he is
no rInr cd riphf Due to- I'll,
the question as to the innocence of life
prisoners is at stake. the warden and the
governor believe they are justified in TAX
ing such action. If the story of Ballard
proves to be correct, then the public will
applaud the stand taken by Lands and
Stanley. If it proves hoax and the con-
vict is safely returned, there will still be
no kick coming. But If the story should
prove false and the convict should escape,
then there would be opportunity for severe
criticism of the governor and warden.
The nearest that such action was ever
approached before in Kansas was under
the Lewelling administration. A convict
who had become tired of prison life evolved
clever scheme to secure his liberty. He
put up plausible story to Dick Chase, the
warden, that he knew where several thou
sand dollars in gold had been hidden in
the mountains Of Arkansas by a gang OF
thieves. of which he was member Chase
tried hard to get him to tell of its loca-
tion, but he refused. He got Chase and
Lewelling all worked up over the matter.
They saw visions Of vast wealth before
their eyes. The convict said that If he
was pardoned he would take them to the
spot and get the money; then the three
would divide up. Lewelling pardoned him.
The convict. together with the governor
and warden. started to Arkansas on the
hunt for gold. When they got down to
Little Rock, the convict informed them
that there was nothing in the story; that
he wanted to get out of prison and Matched
up the scheme to see If he could "work''
couple of "Populist guys" He thanked
them for releasing him from prison and
said the next time he got into prison he
hoped they would be in charge. Governor
Lewelling and Warden Chase returned
home much wiser men, but with less money
than when they started.