The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-15
He Relates Some Incidents Of Life IN
the County Jail.

the County JAIL
an my wanderings to and fro" said
the c. o. d. man, as he pocketed the
quarter extended to him and bowed
his thanks, 1T hes happened that
have seen the inside of several county
jalls In each and every case 4 was
sentenced as a tramp, and the tune We
for various periods In some st1eTa
they have given up trying 70 SIC ~
with the tramp problem IN $3.50 -
they are alert to lay hands on MN
and try to cure him with dose OF Jan
Il took in the county Jail as part Of
the programme" continued lhe wan
darer with a smile. and / got II an.
Tho FIRST time / was arrested let
things slide. The constable nl4ltt teu
me. the Justice of the peace abused me-
and the tailor half starved and put me
AT the most mental work The jail
was a little better than pig pen ana
The food hardly "a for hogs
when ] had served my time ana
been kicked out I posted myselI as
TO the law, and my next arrest result
ed In a surprise party. 7 refused to
do any work. and the law upheld me.
7 refused to eat the fare furnished
and the law compelled the Jallor TO bet
ter it, demanded bedding and heat
and the jailor had to comply He was
glad enough to see the last of me, but
/ had scarcely tramped into the next
county before was picked UP again.
This was ia Ohio. just over the Michi-
gan line and although it was five years
ago I have no doubt they are talking
" was plodding along the highway
about shutdown when farmer Jumped
over the fence and pitched into me
He had got in three or four blows be
fore I landed him one that knocked
him down Three other men came to
his rescue and I was handcuffed ana
kept i'm a barn all night. Next morning
I was arraigned before country JUS
tiCe and without even asking me to
plead. and refusing to let me consult
lawyer he sent me up for six months
The charge was Nagrancy, resisting
arrest and felonious assault on an OFF,
Ger. all rolled into one and a happy
combination. Only one Of the men who
aided ia my arrest testified against me
II was bundled off to the county JAN
In a hurry. and upon my arrival was
placed In q dark cell, fed upon bread
and water and it was two weeks be-
fore 7 had the run of the ward. Then
10 so happened that a young lawyer waC
happened to run for the legislature Wis
tied the Jail on business and I got
speech with him. The result was that
he took up my case. and the end
astOnished several people.
I'm the first place, while the man who
assaulted me was constable he did
not seek to arrest me in the regular
way. but only after the assault. Under
the law therefore / had a right to re-
sist The charge against me was Va
Brancy, and yet I had s. in my pocket
I should have been taken before a JUS
tice forthwith, but instead I was locked
up ~ a barn until next dav. We had
that constable so scared within two
days that he fairly begged of me to
take 500 and call it square.
We then went for the Justice Tie
mad not given me the show allowed by
law and on four different points had
rendered himself liable to removal He
came 20 me with tears in his eyes and
$40 IN his hand and ] let up on him.
Then it was the jailors turn to toe
the mark He had no legal right to
shut me up in a dark cell. No law gave
him the privilege of substituting bread
and water for my prison diet. He had
been abusive and tyrannical and had
kicked me. and that was assault. The
law specified what food he should fur
nish his prisoners, but he had substitu-
ted what he pleased. He had tried to
make me saw WOOD and scrub out the
corridors and had nut me in irons be-
cause i refused, and yet I was clearly
within the law 7 had him up on six
different charges, but before the case
came to trial I settled with him for
$3.50
IT had been sent to jail without the
option of fine 7 was taken out on a
writ of habeas CORPUS and admitted to
bail and was. therefore. free to appear
in court.