The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-15
DOORS SWING OUT
Governor HOch Frees Many Con-
VictS From Prison.
Jacob s. Rodgers, Convicted of
Brutal Murder, One.
CONFINED III YEARS.
Was Sentenced From Allen
County for 81.
Others Get Off With Greatly
Shortened Terms.

Governor Hoch has issued a parole
to Jacob S. Rodgers. of Hum boldt,
Allen county, who was sent to the PEN
itentiary in July, 1896, for the murder
of Della Hutchinson, a 15-year-old girl.
Rodgers was found guilty of murder in
the second degree, and sentenced to
serve q years in prison. His sentence
would have expired in 1913.
The parole of Rodgers was granted
largely on the recommendation and t
the earnest solicitation of Capt. John
Seaton, chairman of the prison board of
directors. Captain SeatOn states that
had the parole board authority to grant
paroles in murder cases. it would grant
one to Rodgers. He says that Rodgers
has for five years been in charge of the
machinery at night at the penitentiary,
and has done faithful service in this
most responsible position. Letters are
also on file from many people recon-
mending Rodgers release, most of these
applications being based on the fact
that Rodgers is of good family.
There is also on file a long petition of
protest against a parole or pardon,
which was sent to Governor Stanley
during his term of office
The crime charged against Rodgers
was of the most brutal and revolving
nature. 1t is claimed that after having
seduced Della Hutchinson, a 15-year-old
girl, he drowned the girl and her new
born babe in a creek. The body of the
girl, weighted down with stones, was
found in the creek, and close beside it
the baby. Rodgers had been accused by
the girl of accomplishing her ruin, and
he was seen going with her to the creek
a few days before her dead body was
discovered. Rodgers claimed that the
girl had died from natural causes, and
had been placed in the creek to cover
up the other crime.
The governor also issued a parole to
VIM Logan of Atchison county, and
John Lucas of Sedgwick county, both of
whom were sent up for burglary and
larceny. Logan was sent up in 1905 for
to 10 years, and Lucas in 1902 for II
years.
Paroled p Good Timer.
On recommendation of the parole
board Governor HOch signed the parole
for Waldo Drisko, of Abilene, who was
sent to the penitentiary for a term of
from one to five years from Dickinson
county on the charge of burglary in the
third degree. Drisko will be released at
once, after having served one year in
prison. He will at once be taken back
into the employ of the firm of Hodge
Bros, hardware merchants and timers,
for whom lie worked 16 years before
getting into trouble.
The story of Drisko's fall is an in
teresting one. letter from Hodge
Bros state that he is one of the most
skillful mechanics the firm has ever
seen, and is a timer and sheet metal
worker of exceptional ability. His only
falling was his tendency to get drunk
Once while drunk he stole from his en-
ployers, but was not prosecuted for the
theft. Another time he got drunk and
stole a lot of cutlery and similar ar
ticles from drummer's stock of sam
pies in one of the hotels. For this Of
Tense he was arrested and convicted.
Drisko has a family of a wife and
seven children, and the application
for his parole is strongly endorsed.
The hardware firm which employed
him before he went to prison offers
him $3.50 per day and a steady job
and says, please send him here soon,
as we are in need of more help
Another interesting case which was