Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-11-14
KANSAS PRISON REPORT.
vOrs Civil Service for Employees
Profits, OF Irvine Plant.

Lansing is 1,0S9, according to the
biennial report of the board of man
ayers, just submitted to Gov. Stan
ley. Of this number 1,O17 are Amerir
can-born and ~ foreign-born. Kan
sas leads all other states, III of its
native-born being prisoners.
Of the total population 229 were
farmers before their conviction, 179
laborers. All told 104 different oc-
equations are represented. There are
six preachers in prison. At present
there are no bankers or newspaper
men serving time. Two job printers,
however, are in custody.
There are 766 white males, IS white
females, 275 negro men, "a negro
women, 5 Indians and 1 Mexican.
The average age of the prisoners is
90 years. The youngest is IA years
old and the oldest rs. SiXty-eight
are % years old. This is the largest
number for one particular year. The
number of 'hang' men aggregates
SIS, while there are 3S life prisoners,
2 50-year prisoners, 1 40-year, Is 25-
year, II 21-year and II 20-year pris-
oners. The crimes for which they
were convicted follows: Adultery,
3; arson, 6; assault to kill, rob or
rape, rs; attempt to commit suicide,
1; bigamy, 4; burglary, 207; embez-
element, 6; forgery, "a; grand lar
ceny, 900; highway robbery, 8; horse
stealing, 10; larceny, 81; manslaugh-
ter, 90; murder, all degrees, 15s; OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses,
IA; perjury, 3; pickpockets, Z; rape,
SO; robbery, different degrees, 81;
seduction, 2.
Of the habits of the convicts 429
were temperate, 573 were intemper-
ate and 81 moderate. Eighty-nine
have served more than one term in
prison.
Eight counties in the state have
no prisoners in the penitentiary.
They are Cheyenne, Decatur, Finney,
Gray, Kiowa, Rawlins, Sheridan and
Stafford. Wyandotte leads the list
with 81 and Shawnee comes second
with so. Oklahoma has 2S4.
The average cost per day for feed
ing the prisoners was II cents each,
or trifle less than cents a meal.
Warden Jewett believes that the
Kansas penitentiary should be under
civil service rules and will urge the
legislature to pass a Ia wproviding
for the same rules for that institu-
ton that the federal government
uses in the management of the feder-
al prisons.
In addition to keeping down the
price of trust-made binding Irvine to
the Kansas farmers, the prison bind
ing Irvine plant cleaned up $22,713 in
profits this year. 1t paid all of its run
ming expenses, paid back the state
treasurer the revolving fund, and
still has money left. And the indus
try is not run for profit, either. 1t
is run in order to keep the price of
Irvine to the farmers down to a rea-
sonable figure. The plant sold 1926
$40 pounds this year. That is all it
could manufacture. 1t could have
sold twice that amount if it had had
the stock on hand.
Warden Jewett wants the parole
law amended so as to give the warden
and board of managers of the peni-
tertiary a voice in the matter of pa
roles.
The state prison directors are anX-
ious that the next legislature pur-
chase Staiger's island, near Leaven-
worth, in the Missouri river, near
Lansing, for the use Of the state pen
itentiary 1t furnishes large area
of additional coal land and gives the
state a shore line to the Missouri
river, and also the right to place wells
for additional water supply. If it
be the policy of the state to continue
the mining of coal for state institu-
tons, the constant increased demand
in this respect makes it a necessary
requirement. It will also make a val
liable farm; at. least 800 to 400 acres
of it is suitable for cultivation.
The brick plant established at the
penitentiary last year has proven
good thing for the state. Up to date
it has furnished 1922, 900 brick to the
various state charitable and penal
institutions. This saved the state
buying that number from outside
parties All of the brick used by the
state at it's different institutions is
now furnished by the prison. The
new asylum at Parsons, now under
course of erection, will be built ex-
clusively of prison brick.
Chaplain J. D. McBrian has got
the administration interested in
plan to employ a teacher to teach
the convicts at the state peniten-
tiary. The school is now conducted
by the chaplain and convicts serve as
teachers. The prison school has
about 21o pupils on an average
School is held Sunday afternoon
During the past year "a have been
taught to read and write With
regular teacher employed the chap
lain believes that every convict who
hos more than two wears to serve