The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-03
DOESN'T ASK PARDON
Alvin Ballard Making the Best
of Prison Life.
TALKS WITH MRS. WILH0ITE
About His Confession = I'M
provements at Lansing.


Alvin Ballard, who is serving a SEN
tence in the penitentiary for stealing
Harry Hagneys horses, and who created
a sensation by making some sensational
confessions last winter, in which he i'm
plicated the Matthes and Frank Allgood
in numerous depredations and attempted
to clear Mrs. New of Eureka, of the muir
der of her husband, has come to the con-
clusion that he does not want a pardon,
and will serve the rest of his sentence
like a man. Ballard was visited by Mrs.
L. D. WiIhoite of this city last Sunday.
Mrs. Wilhoite is superintendent of prison
work for the Seventh district, W. c. T.
o., and in her official capacity makes an
nual visits to the state penitentiary. To
Mrs. Wilhoite Ballard, in speaking of his
recent confessions, said that he had done
all he could in the way Of explaining the
crimes and depredatons committed by
the alleged gang with which he had been
connected and he would go no further
towards assisting in bringing them to
justice. The rest he expected the officers
to do and he intimated that he would
help prosecute only as he could by way
Of testimony. Mrs. Wilhoite said that
Alvin told her that he would not expect
a pardon, and really does not desire one,
for he has resolved, she says, to make
the best Of what opportunities he has.
He is perfecing himself in a good trade
Nd DC tr-ryi n1Y IL
reads good books averaging one a week,
from the prison library. Mrs. Wilhoite
says she noticed a marked change in
Ballard In the way OF refinement and
morals and she believes his reformation
is complete. He is well thought Of by
the prison officials. He is looking we'll
and enjoying the best of health. Mrs.
Wilhoite has always been greatly inter-
ested in Alvin Ballard ever since he. be-
came a prisoner It was to her that he
is alleged to have made the first con-
fession of his crimes and implicated
Frank Allgood and others. This was in
the county jail in this city, just before
he was taken to the penitentiary and
ever since that time Mrs. Wilhoite has
believed Billiards. statements, although
she admits it is hard for prisoner to
get the confidence Of the public. Mrs
Amelia New and Dobbs, who are in the
penitentiary for the murder of Mrs.
News husband, talk very little of their
trouble and never mention such thing
as pardon.
Mrs Wilhoite addressed the prisoners
at chapel exercises Sunday. She says the
Ill -, toa.% - -
evidence of good treatment. She said
the Sedgwick county prisoners are all
doing well.
Mrs Wilhoite returned Monday from
the state penitentiary at Lansing. She
goes there officially once a year to in
spect the conditions of the penitentiary
and visit the prisoners with view of
helping them along the lines of temper
ance and morality. She says there has
been remarkable Improvement in the
various departments of the penitentiary
since the present administration took
charge The sanitary arrangements have
been improved and the prisoners are en-
joying the best of health. Mrs. Wilhoite
speaks in high terms Of the new warden,
Mr. Tomlinson, and says he is a very
energetic and painstaking man, who is
doing everything in his power to better
the conditions of prison life in the way
of sanitation, diet, employment and edu
cation.
The prison cemetery, which Mrs. VIII
hottie says had been fearfully neglected
for years, has been removed and is now
kept in better shape. It was formerly
4ba zIo nd
refuse from the mines was dumped out
upon the graves and in some cases the
graves were covered over. Mrs. Wilhoite
made an objection to this apparent dis
respect Of the graves of prisoners. and
this year the cemetery was removed
further from the mines and the bodies of
the dead re-interred in nice plot. There
ara about 40 graves