The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-10-19
P0PULIST AT PENITENTIARY.
Pardoned From His job Because
He Wouldn't Be Democrat

For ten years Governor John r. Rogers
and 7 have been chasing ralnbows together,
but we are now wide apart in our political
views. He is now a democrat, and have
gone back to my first love, the republican
party. Because | would not forsake the pop
ulist party as he did, Rogers ordered me dls-
charged at the state penitentiary, along with
fourteen other populists.
d. C.. Mendenhail, of Puyallup, for
three years superintendent OF the brick
yard at the state penitentlary, Voluntar-
ilv made the above statement to a Ia
coma Ledger reporter. Mr.. Mendenhail
was one of the governors most staunch
supporters when he entered his political
career. When the present admlnlstra
ton assumed control of the penite1tiary
at Walla Walla Mr.. Mendenha!l was
made superintendent OF the brlckyard
on the salary of guard, $40 month.
He wrote to the governor protesting
against this discrimination, as the posi-
ton of superintendent was among the
most responsible in that institution.
Discharged by Telegraph.
Elm reply the governor wrote that II he
would continue performing his duties IN
the satisfactory manner that ne had the
governor would promote him. At the
end OF three years the governor kept his
word by ordering his discharge by tele-
graph because he had yielded to the
solicitation of c L Cline, Rogers bitter
enemy, and donated 81 toward a fund
for organizing direct legislation clubs.
That the state penitentiary, like the
other institutions under the manage
ment of the board Of audit and control,
has been conducted with an eye single to
the furtherance of the governors pOliti-
cal welfare, is clearly proven by the facts
which are in the possession OF Mr.. Men
denhall. That tribute has been levied
and collected by coercion Is emphatically
asserted. About a year ago, Mr.. Men
denhall says, the employees OF the peni-
tertiary prepared a petition setting
forth the fact that if they were expected
to contribute anything toward a cam
paign fund raise of salary should be
ordered. The employees represented that
at the then existing schedule OF wages,
they could not afford TO pay the assess
ments that we're constantly being made
for various purposes, among them being
the Tacoma city election.
Wages Raised for the Campaign.
1.-The plain purpOrt of the petition was
that whatever increase was made in
their salaries would be reverted to the
campaign fund" said Mr.. Mendenhall
81 signed the petition because all the
Others did, and as knew that the gov
ernOr was only waiting for an excuse to
fire me. few days afterward Deputy
Warden Young called me into his Office
and said that he had letter from the
governor and asked me if | wanted to
read it. / replied that | did not; that
| had seen all of the governors letters
that | wanted to. He then told me that
the governor had ordered a 10 per cent
increase in our wages. The news did
not cause any feeling of qualification
among the employees, for they all knew
that the amount of the increase would
be collected as revenue to run the R0g-
ers machine. | did not receive any of
the benefits of the increase All of the
populists who were remaining firm to
their principles were being forced to re-
sign and | knew that it would be my
turn soon.
No Breakfast for MendenhaII.
81 had remarked in the presence of
the deputy warden that no one could
make democrat out of me, and it was
quickly reported to the governor. After
the brickyard was shut down was given
the worst assignment on the wall. 1t
is known among the guards as the sol
ltary, where man has to stand duty
fourteen hours straight and turn a KEY
every fifteen minutes. Whenever a man
is given that place it is only another
way OF informing him that his services
ale not wanted. | refused to resign,
however, and few weeks later C. Z.
Cline visited the penitentiary soliciting
subscriptions to organize direct legisla-
ton clubs. The populists contributed.
The democrats were not asked, but they
made remarks TO the effect that they did
not think it was right. Well said |,
loud enough for all of them to hear, 4
gave him dollar and am glad of it,
few days after that was ordered dis
charged by telegraph. But that wasn't
the worst of it. | received the notice
inst before supper, and Warden Catron,
70 show his luminosity for me, gave or
m fhn