The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-05-17
REPORTS .'1l'E
Ts. DENIED
Started From an Item
Printed In WelIsville.
CHARGES ARE ABSURD
So Says Warden Derby Of the
Ohio Penitentiary--PrIs
ers Not Allowed to
Have Liquor.

From Star Correspondent.
Columbus, May 14.-Warden S. ".
Darby, Of the Ohio state penitentiary.
denies that there is any truth in the
reports in circulation in the south
eastern part of the state to the effect
that prisoners can get all the, liquor
they want to drink without serious
difficulty. The reports probably ema-
mated from an item printed in the
Wellsville Union recently which al
legged liquor was being smuggled into
the penitentiary promiscuously and dis
tributed among the convicts and that
Jesse McGregor, a life man from Wells.
vile, had been supplied daily with an
Intoxicating beverage. Warden Darby
admitted that liquor is carried into the
penitentiary at times, but It is an
lNFREQUENT OCCURRENCE.
This has always existed more or
less I'm all penitentiaries and always
will exist" said the warden. "It is an
impossibility to prevent the practice
entirely-no man under the sun could
do this--and without wishing to mp.
pear boastful, 1t is under better con-
troll now than ever before. Once in
while we find an empty whisky flask
but not often. We use every endeavor
to prevent liquor from going into the
penitentiary and punish convicts found
with 1t in their possession severely.
These charges are absurd. II they
were true, think of what would follow.
There are some desperate men within
l1s, Al
with liquor as intimated what wouldn't
they do? Think of the panic that
could be created in the big dining room
guards to watch hundreds of prisoners.
1T WOULD BE SUICIDAL
for us If liquor was brought within
the walls indiscriminately. There are
300 teams which pass in and out the
gates daily, and small army of free
men are employed within. We keep a
close watch on these men and IL they
are detected in violating the prison
rules they are barred from entering
the institution. The other day VIC held
up and searched foreman In ono of
the stockades. He raised howl, but
we told him that II he did not wish
to submit he would have to stay out.
Nothing contraband was: found on his
person. The man s-emnloysrs Yte in
dignant over the affair." EbgE @e x1re
nothing about that. We had Suspcctcd
him. The incident was talked about
very much and will probably have an
influence for good do not think any
Of the guards furnish the prisoners
with liquor because this would give the
convict an advantage over his guard
pt thav lot 10 1t q, =
ding. These things soon become known,
too.
VISITORS GIVE LIQUOR.
Liquor has been handed to prisoners
by visitors. when there are fifteen or
twenty of them lis difficult 10 keep all
under surveillance. The Official Ut The
gate admits only those whom he be-
lieves to be all right, and on holidays
when there Is rush all who enter are
searched. II any liquor is found the
person having 1t is excluded. Last
week We punished two prisoners who
had secured. liquor from an ex-conyict.
He passed through as visitor and
was not recognized. The prisoners
were padded and given the water
treatment and then put on bread. and
water in the dungeon. They will also
get hard labor. So from this you see
we do not encourage the bringing in
of intoxicants." Warden Darby said
he knew nothing about the charge that
Jesse McGregor secured liquor regu-
larly. as this is alleged to have taken
place under the administration of other
wardens. Colonel Bond, an old, news
paper man who has covered" the pen.
itentiary for Columbus paper for
many years, asserts that Jesse got no
whisky but that he diluted alcohol fur
nished for medical purposes and drank
this as substitute. Tho item in the
'Wellsville Union, he stated. grossly gex-
nm <,<t