The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-04
Governor Confined to Bed at
Executive Mansion.
Attended Oflcers Bali with Gen.
Hughes at LeayenwOrth.
THE EVENT.
Stood in Receiving Line as
Distinguished Guests.
Gen. Hughes Gives His I'm
preston Of Event.

Governor Hoch and AdJutant General
Hughes have returned to Topeka from
their Leavenworth trip. where they at
tended the big reception and ball given
to General Bell. Governor Hoch is
sick in bed as a result OF his trip.
and Adjutant General Hughes is burst
ing with enthusiastic praise OF the brave
officers at TT Leavenworth.
Both the Governor and General
Hughes made side trips after the
Leavenworth jaunt The governor went
to Highland. a town i've miles from
any railroad in Doniphan county. and
made a speech. General Hughes went
to Usage county and bought Is car
loads Of coal.
The governor wouldn't dance at the
Leavenworth ball." said General
Hughes. He and Mrs Hoch and Mrs.
Hughes and myself were invited to
stand in the receiving line. It was the
first time Mrs. Hoch ever went to a
ball, and she and the governor stayed
till half past II. but neither of them
would dance. 1t was a mighty fine time
that they showed US all
Everybody had on full military uni
forms except the governor and myself.
We wore evening dress General Ben
wore a full military oress evening s,,tt
ever see one? 1t is dress sIliT sslsf
ike a conventional claw-hammer but
II mas gold epaulets, gold lace on the
arms, ana gold stripes down the trous-
ers.
Then there was that Frenchman
VINO Is attending the officers school at
IL 1eaNenWorth, at the invitation OF
the American government. lie is the
son OF The commander-in- chief OF the
fencn army, ana ranks as a first lieu
tenant He wore the most peculiar un-
norm ever saw in my Ike. His coat
was sky-blue. and looked a good deaI
ike Woman's shirtwaist. It fit him
snug around the waist and hips and
I was covered with silver buttons in
front. His trousers were the reddest
red I ever saw in my life. ana had
green stripes down the sides He wore
zig silver epaulets. that were made
about the size and shape Of shfuzle
ana stnck out oyer his. shoulders IKE
roof- The queerest part was that one
epaulet had silver fringe about six
inches long, and the other didn't have
any fringe at all. When he gets fringe
on both epaulets he will be a captain
We were entertained at the bacnelor
quarters OF one OF the captains. Things
were put up in great style. He had a
Filipino servant who could wait on the
table better than anybody ever saw.
That Filipino was right there on the
watch for things to do all the time. and
him to get anything or do anything
more than once or twice; the Filipino
was always about a length ahead OF
him
They took US over to the federal
everything; there were drills and dress
parades and exhibitions of riding, and
whenever we went any place, we were
hauled in fine u. s. ambulance with
glass sides and four mules to draw It,
They tok us oyer to the federal
prison, and there I saw Bigelow, the
Milwaukee banker. He is an insiguffi-
cant looking man, with fluffy white hair
and red, prosruding eyes. He is a
trusty now, and works in the office
keeping books. They have about 25
bank presidents and bank cashiers over
there now. They Taix them right IN
with the negroes and Injuns and make
them wear prison clothes and east
prison grub For dinner the day we
were there the prisoners had bread a
plate of beans. a little piece of bacon.
and water It looked mighty funny to
see the ex-president of a bank at Elk
hart, Ind, sitting there next to a big
negro, eating that kind of grub. It
looks as though they had things fixed
over there so there would never be an
other attempt to break out. No guard
inside the prison walls carries a gun Of
any kind; the inside guards are merely
armed with clubs. Outside the walls
there are watch towers, which are high
enough to command the interior OF the
prison walls In these watch towers the
armed guards are stationed. They let
us into. the prison through a tunnel
closed at each end by a massive iron
gate The keys to both gates are in
the hands of a guard outside Of the
prison walls. When anybody gets au-
thority to go through the gates, the out
side guard hands the key to the first
gate through the grating to the inside
guard: the first gate IS unlocked and
opened. and the person or persons en-
ter. Then the gate is shut and locked
The guard takes this key back 10 his
watch tower outside the walls. and
brings back the key to the inner gates.
which are opened and locked in the
same way, the key being returned TO
the outside guard. I don't believe any
body win ever get through those gates
without permission Of the authorities.
ssThe only thing that looks dangerous
to me is when those loo ccnvicts get
together in the dining room. with cra.
about dozen guards present. I shousd
think It would be dead easy for them TO
take possession Of the whole prison.
and then possibly overpower the guards
outside and esca1e."