The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-10-18
MARQUIS BARR is
ELECTED WARDEN
WILL SUCCEED HUNTER AT AN
AMosA PENITENTiARY.
PLUM FOR osKALoosA MAN.
Has Best of Qualifications and is Elk
perienced in Handling Prisoners
Choice of State Board
of Control.

Marquis Barr, of this city, will sue
coed the late W. A. Hunter as warden
Of the state penitentiary at Anamosa.
This announcement was made last
evening by the State Board of Con-
troll, and reporter for the Herald
had the pleasure of breaking the good
news to Mr.. Barr, who was found at
his home on North C street While
Mr.. Barr had had assurances that his
chances of appointment were good,
and while he had measured UP to all
the requirements of the board, he was
not informed of his choice until the
reporter called on him last evening.
There were number of candidates
for the place, but Mr.. Bars splendid
record and long experience in the.
work, coupled with his good judgment
and unassuming ways, won for MN
the place that he will fill with ability
and honor to all concerned.
All Mahaska county,-for his
frineds are legionwil rejoice in the
good fortune that has come to Marc"
Barr. They know his worth and feel
assured that he will fill his post in
such a way that they may point to
him with just pride as their neighbor
and friend. Mr. Barr is native OF
Indiana, but he came to Iowa so soon
that it is almost unjust to accuse him
of being a "Hoosier" He was born
in White, county, Indiana, August Ia,
1874, coming to Iowa when ten years
of age, with his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Alfred Barr. They settled on the
farm north of town, which has ever
since remained in the family.
1t was while living on the farm that
Marq was picked out by the repub-
licans of Mahaska county as likely
candidate for sheriff he was nomi-
mated in the summer of 1877 and
elected that fall with big majority
Sc well did he meet the expectations
of his friends. and so well did he do
his work that he was four times
elected, serving the county eight
years. AS a friend said not long ago,
He might have been sheriff yet, had
not the state sent for him" In the
legislature OF 1856 he was elected
-warraaseHR 81 81 HE kAnamosa- penitentjary.
He took charge of the prison, April /,
1886, and served until April 4, 1892,
the full allotted time by precedent.
Returning TO Oskaloosa he was chos-
en- claim agent for the Iowa Central
railroad, which place he now holds
and has filed with marked ability.
One of the first people to congratu-
late Mr.. Barr on his appointment was
G. w. Sewers, general counsel of the
Iowa Central and allied lines, who
was in town last evening. Mr.. Darr
has been connected directly with Mr..
Sewers department of the railway
work, and the general counsel paid
Mr.. Barr the compliment of saying:
"Marq, sincerely congratulate you.
/ know of no man l would rather see
get good position than you, and at
the same time 1 know of no man in
the service of the entire railway sys-
TEN whom / would regret as much to
see leave us as | do you l know
your worth ana / know how hard it
will be to find man to fill your place"
The Des Moines Register and Lead
er this morning says: "Mr. Barr was
warden of the institution just preced-
ing the election of Mr. Hunter, and
was regarded as an efficient officer.
The Office was then a political plum,
the place being filed by the legisla-
ture, the party in control in that body
holding caucus and the caucus nom
inee being elected SIR. Hunter was
elected in this way, but his services
were so excellent that the Switchboard
of control retained him after it took
control of the institutions in 1898.
Mr.. Barr is go years of age. He
has had wide business experience as
well as being familiar with the best
methods of handling prisoners. He is
in sympathy with the modern educat-
i've method and in his charge there
viii be no backward tendency at the
Anamosa penitentiary, where Warden
Hunter inaugurated the most thor
oughly modern methods.
Mr.. Barr's business experience APP
pealed to the board of control. 1t de-
sired man who is able to conduct
the business of the institution on a
strictly modern business basis, and Sc
cure from the attaches that faithful
loyalty to the discharge OF their du-
ties which marks the employment of
persons in private business. With al
warden with force and tact enough
to organize the business department
Of the penitentiary, the board believ-
ed 1t could do better than with a
purely theoretical man. Many Of the
candidates appealed to the board as
being men Of the kind that was
sought, but Mr.. Barr, on account OIL
his former experience, had an adyan-
tage."