The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-10
BRIDGE OF SIGHS
WOULD COMPL It
ReformerS Would Have a
Romantic Prison
IN THE COURT HOUSE
Planned After the Idea of
Medieval Times.
DESIGNED FOR GIRLS
Have Already Begun Work on
Their Scheme.

The board OF county commissioners
must have been reading some of Nick
Carriers novels recently. They have all
at once come TO the conclusion that the
county needs something romantic-a tow
er or something like that to keep prison
ers in. II their ideas prevail, pedestrians
coming down town some fine morning
viii see a moat around the court house
and a draw bridge spanning it. They
may also see a twenty foot stone wall
around the entire works with black
steel spikes and broken glass on top Of
1t and fierce statutes of Deacon" VIII
son and Jim Comfy on either side of the
great and only iron gate
These two reformers who cherish in
their liberty loving. hearts the history Of
the street Safnte Antoine and the Fall
of the bastile are determined TO convert
the beautiful court house into a prison
and after they have don't that they may
probably also re-establish that ancient
custom Of holding "a bed Justice to
throw people into it.
There is a musty, medieval secret to
the entire proposition. a sort of a Tower
of-London flavor that may be pleasant 10
The nose Of the county commissioner
but il IS scarcely possible that the men
who built that noble and handsome pub
lie edifce viii stand for it. 1t is hardly
likely that the people who have pride IN
their court house would relish the sight
IF barred windows within a few feet of
The hlindfolded lady with the sword with
fora Of fFf1ev -rroov old rr5rT- f,o1~s,~~
through them.
The scheme was tried a few nights ago
for the first time and the result came
very near setting half the population Of
the vicinity crazy. It might have result
I'd in a horrible tragedy that would have
left q stain on the reputation of this
county for good sense for years.
Some good friend ought to go TO the
commissioners and tell them that the
court house was not intended for
prison.
leila Blanger was the young woman
locked ND in the contemplated prison
few nights ago and the application of
her parents for her release on habaes
corpus came on for hearing before Judge
Dale at nine o'clock yesterday morning.
County Attorney James r. Ccly was there
20 resist the writ for Mr.. Sutton, the
agent Of the Kansas Children's Home as
ISOLATION ana Adams & Adams to help
leila BIsngers regain her freedom.
The father and mother of leila Blanger
stood outside the railing and the mother
shed bitter tears when she found she
could not take her little girl home with
her celia Blanger was in the county
attorneys Office with Mrs Stratton.
Ia making answer to the application
for the writ the county attorney stated
that celia Blanger had been arrested
on warrant issued by the probate court
last July. George Adams stated that
10 the court that this was the first in
tination they had that the girl was ar
rested on a warrant and he asked for more
time to look the matter up to see If there
was any law Cor the issuirg of such
warrant.
ar Comfy said the Judge Of the dis
trict court was a very proper person 10
decide whether the proceedings were
regular and he asked that the case be
heard now. lie informed the court that
this warrant was issued last July and
that the little girl had been spirited
away outside the jurisdiction of this
court
Judge Dale told The attorneys that they
We're not going to bring him into conflict
with the probate court. He SAID that he
would let this case go over until one
week from next Monday. Adams &
Adams asked to have the girl admitted
to bond pending 1he hearing and Judge
3aie fixed the bond at $4,000 to be an
proved by the clerk of the court, and in
the mean time she must be held 70 the
probate court. He wanted it understood
that this bond applied to this case only
and if he found there was an effort to
evade the probate court he would declare
this bond ut an end.
George Adams asked what they were to
gain by giving bond If the prisoner was
stu held Judge Dale said that was not
his business. and as he saw there would
be no attempt 10 give The bond he would
re-con-mit celia Blanger TO the custody
of officer Stratton with Instructions to
have her in court at the time set for the
shearins. lie also mtimated that the pro-
Ceedings in The probate court might OBJ
Niate the necessity OF hearing this case.
The mother of celia Blanger took hold
Of her hand AFTER the case was over and