Cañon City record., 1900-02-01

fitted for some other kind Of work,
They mean we'll but will never make
good prison officers. There is another
class Of men employed at the esp.
who are no good there nor at any
other kind Of work, but they have q
political pull from some friends or
relatives, senator, representative or
Governor, and they ars ssnt
here with letters demanding
that they be given emplo, msnt st the
esp, and he cannot very well re-
fuse TO put them on Penitentiary
work is peculiar. and al psople are
not capable Of making good omcers
at the institution, as the majority Of
the outside world thinks.
The warden and his employees are
the proper persons to run the insti-
tuition, and not outsiders or the
prisoners. The men employed at the
esp. as officers should be of good
moral character, sober. industrious
and men of good judgment who will
take interest in the work. They
should not be trying to injurs their
fellow officer by misrepresenting him
to the warden or deputy, and should
bs ct all times working to tho best
interest of the institution He should
not be talking to outsiders about his
fellow officers and the inside work Of
the prison. There are many little
things which occur inside of the
prison walls which should bs kept
secret from the public. There are
matters which do not concsrn the
public at all, and are Of no interest
for them to know in any manner, nor
does it benefit the institution or in
mates to have these small, triHing
things told and exaggerated. Even
changing wardens Of the esp. 30
often a il done in Colorado works an
injury to the institution, the people
and all concerned
The rules regulating penal institu-
tions that have been in practice for
many years and proved successful,
should b lived up to. 1t is . good
policy when you have . good system
to keep is, and If you wish to amend
rules do 40 with caution, but don't do
away with the whole old and tried
system.
In regard to J. K. Stratton's es-
cape from the C.S-P., there is, in my
opinion. no just cause to blame the
present warden. Stratton was con-
victed and sentenced to term Of 81
years and had something les than
three years yet TO serve, and be had
soine chance for parole or /. ,rardes
before the expiration Of his term
He was . man who possessed good
common sense, and was treated nicely
and had good job, light werk-look-
ing after the IRE department Of the
prison. Under these circumstances
| think no man who hss had any ex-
periencs in prison work can or will
find fault with C.P .Hoyt, the present
warden, for permitting Stratton to
sleep at the hose house. which 10 in
side the prison valls-
In regard to the murder Of Night
Captain VIC Roeney, it was . pre-
msditated and cold blooded murder
and all uncalled for on the part Of
the prisoners, Reynolds, Wagner,
Wallace and Woode. Rooney made
a good night captain and filed the
place well for the short experience he
had had in prison work. He was
watchful, active and true to the best
interests of the institution. Captain
Rooney was caught while STOPPING
down to unlock the aide door of the
prisoners dining room when he was
letting the four prisoners out to the
boiler house after he had taken them
into the guards kitchen and had
given them . lunch. They had no
occasion TO murder him 70 accomplish
their escape, - they could have tied
and gagged him, but instsad Of doing
this they plunged . knife. or knives,
into his body several times
A word Of advice to the present
employees Of the esp. Pull together,
boys, and do your duties upright and
manfully, and don't be running one
another down in An underhand and
unmanly way. 1t 10 wrong and it
does no one any good. Take pride
in seeing who can do the best work
for the best interests Of the institu-
tion. As for myself, during what
time have worked for the institution
| will say | never knew what fear was
While doing my duties At the prison
never misrepresented anything to
my superior officers. As to anyone
else, il any man while working nights
during the time l WAS night captain
neglected his duties or did anything
wrong l would tell him 1t must not be
done again, and il he still continued
would then report the facts to the
warden. In doing my duties l have
at all times tried to use good judg-
ment and have done the best knew
how for the best Of the institution. l
made some mistakes, but not inten-
tionally. In handling prisoners at all
times | gave them what they were
entitled to and when they would ask
for things that they were not entitled
to could say no.
Respectfully,
w. =. JONES.
la Riverside Ave-. Canon City. Colo.
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