The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-14
CHARGES ABSURD.
Warden Haskell of State Prison
Invites Investigation.
Declares Statements of Miss
Barnard Are False.
MAKES EXPLANATION,
Thinks Oklahoma'sAgent Didn't
Treat Him Fairly.
She "SnOOped" Around Trying
to Talk to Prisoners.

Leavenworth, Kan, Dec. 14.-War-
den Haskell OF the Kansas state peni-
Tertiary, when asked regarding the
charges made against himself and the
Kansas prison by Kate Barnard, said
There is nothing new to say on the
subject. I invite and urge a rigid in
vestigation. Miss Barnard came here
purporting to represent the state of
Oklahoma. She did not come to me
when she reached the prison, but
adopted rather underhand method of
procedure.
LAS understand it, she came in with
a lot of visitors and was being taken
through the prison by a guard, when
suddenly the guard missed her and
found her off at one side talking with
prisoner This is strictly against the
rules, as in this manner relatives of
prisoners could hand them weapons or
notes.
''The guard politely informed her of
the rules and she announced that she
represented the state of Oklahoma
The guard then escorted her to the
main building and had her send me
her card. I showed her every court
esq and offered her every opportunity
for investigation, but I did refuse to
allow her to go into a cell house with
no guard in hearing, to sit down in a.
cell and talk with each prisoner This
Is something 1 would not allow any
woman to do.
Il told her she could have anv
prisoner she named brought into the
deputy warden's office, where she
could interview him out of hearing of
the guards. She did talk to some of
the prisoners this way. But she seem
ed to think that the only way to find
what she was looking for was to see
the prisoners slyly and talk to them
There are a class of prisoners in every
prison who would tell an inuuisitjve
person all kinds of cock and bull
stories under such conditions How
ever, L would not object to her hear
ing these stories, but 1 would not take
the responsibility of allowing, any
woman the freedom Of the prison ward
unattended. 1t would be highly in6is
Greet to do go
oklahoma IS still sending us pris-
oners. Several arrived from there
saturday AS to the contractors who
use prisoners, I will saw that no coD-
tractor is allowed to set the tasks for
the prisoners. We do that. Further
more, no prisoner is allowed to he
punished without a written reDort Of
such punishment being made to me.
The deputy warden is the discin-
Hnarian. but all discipline comes IL
rectly under my control. The stories
about water holes is absurd In fact
the whole story is SO false and absurd
as to be hardly worthy of reft1tatfon
1t is of such a nature. however. tbat
I want an investigation,
ST maintain that our prisoners arc
as well fed and cared for and as kind
" treated as those in any of the SINH
lar institutions of the country and
much better than in many prisons I
know of.
Miss Barnard refused to make anv
complaint before our board and gave
the impression that she was well salts
fled with the conditions in the prison
She lost no time, however in giving
out sensational stories to the newspa-
pers- don't know what credence the