The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-22
Supt. j. S. Simmons, of Hutch
inson RefOrmatory, Resigns.
VIII Ask to Be Relieved on
October /.
HAS OTHER BUSINESS.
Expects TO Devote His Time 10
Banking.
He Also Owns a Large Cattle
Ranch.

AeanNne
Hutchinson, kas., Aug. 22.-John S.
Simmons, superintendent of the state
reformatory for the last four years, has
announced that he will resign, his res
ignation to take effect on October 1.
His resignation will be presented to the
board of managers at their next meet
ing, which will be held on August %
at the reformatory. He made public his
intention Friday afternoon, because
there Will necessarily be movements in
dicating a, change within the next few
days, and Mr.. Simmons prefers to have
parties interested know his intentions to
suspecting them. He has accordingly
posted this notice where all of the Off
GERS of the institutions could see it:
ITO the offcers:-
AT the next meeting of the board of
managers l intend to present my resis-
nation TO take effect October 1.
4 am assured that my resignation
VIII in no wise affect any other officer"
JOHN S. SIMMONS,
Superintendent"
resignation are business reasons. MI.
Simmons brother died at Dightoh last
year and since then his business there
/ mas demanded more and more of his
attention. Besides being practicing at
| torney, Mr. Simmons is president of the
/ Bank of Dighton, the only one in Lane
county, which this year harvested a mil
lion bushels of wheat. This great crop
throws an immense amount of business
/ 10 this single bank, whose affairs de-
mands his personal attention since the
death of his brother. 1t is known that
/ his salary of 81. 900 a year as superin-
tendent of the reformatory was by far
the smallest part of Mr. Simons' income
last year, and naturally with constantly
growing interests in Lane county he is
anxious to be where he can care for
| them.
Aside from being president of the
bank, Mr.. Simmons is president of the
simmons Cattle company, with a ranch
OF fourteen sections. and besides has d
smaller ranch Of his own This with a
law business that the prosperity of that
section is bound to increase, naturally
calls for about all of his time. All this
Is stated that it may be apparent that
1t is only for business reasons that Mr..
Simmons resigns. indeed, there could
be no other reason. as he and Governor
Bailey are close friends, and his resig-
nation has never been asked for, al
though the governor has known all
along that SuDt. Simmons was ready
to step down if the governor had any
other man for the place. 1t simply be-
came question of serving the state at
a great personal sacrifice. and Mr.. SIM
mons felt that his private interests
should go first in this case.
ITO be frank with YOU" he said in
talking of the matter, Il felt that l was
LOO young ana TOO active man to tie
myself up to this position for life L
felt that l was being shelved In a lit
tie while / would be past the middle of
life. and then l wouldn't feel able to
get out and go into something else.
This feeling, coupled with my private
business. which has greatly increased
and demanded so much more of my per-
sonal attention since my brothers
death. caused me to take the action [
have taken"
Mr.. Simmons resignation does not
mean that he will cease to take az in
terest in public affairs On the con-
trary. he Will represent Lane county in
the legislature next term. He has
fully decided to be a candidate, and this
is considered equivalent to an election,
as he has always had a strong hold on
his home people Mr.. Simmons was n
candidate for the state senate in his
district, which is now represented by
Fred Dumont Smith, in 1896. and ran
tar ahead of his ticket, although he
went down with everybody else in the
Populist landslide in the Big Seventh
that year.
1t was four years ago last March that
Mr.. Simmons came to the Reformatory.
He followed Superintendent Case Gov
ernor Leedy's appointee, and found
things in generally 6isorganized state.
In fact, it might be said that the Re
formatory has been built up under his
control. There is but one book and not
more than two blanks now used in the
organization Of the institution that were
|
, ernment of the prisoners and the man.
agement of the institution have emana-
ted from him. He brought everyone of
the 10 employees to the institution and
six of them came the same night that
he arrived to take charge. So that he
has had free rein in the management
of the institution and is willing that
the record made shall speak for itself
This record could not be better. The
discipline and management is the sub
ject of universal congratulation by visi-
tors, and perhaps can not be more strIIx-
: ingly shown than in the matter of es-
? capes. But two men have left the in
, stitution unwillingly and not to return
since Mr.. Simmons became sHperintend-
ent, while there have been numerous es-
capes and recaptures. Indeed proba bly,
: 40 prisoners have gotten away and been
.. caught again in the last four years. At
one time a party of six escaped and
, every one was caught and brought back.
In view of the fact that there has been
no wall about the grounds, in the
case of most penal institutions, this rec
ord is without parallel in this country.
A search of the reports of the hundreds
of penal institutions fails to reveal an
equally good record in the matter of es-
capes.