Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-21
KIRKLAND TIRES OF JAIL
Willing to Go to ~Penitentiary to Get
Out Of It.
JUDGE
ACCOMMODATES
HIM
Afterward Takes UD Condition of the
jail with the County Board, but
Little Encouragement for
q New Structure.

- =
In order. as he stated TO the court. to
avoid remaining any longer in the county
Jail. the condition Of which was declared
by the grand jury to be dangerous to the
health Of the inmates, John Kirkland, in
dictsd on a charge of bigamy. pleaded
guilty before Judge Green. who committed
him to the penitentiary at Fort Madison
for an indetermfnate sentence, the maxi
mum Of his imprisonment being fixed at
three years.
At his own request kirkland was brought
into court yesterday morning. To Judge
Green he said he had been III for several
days, part OF the time being confined 10
bis bed, and he attributed his sickness to
the unsanitsry condition OF the jail. Kirk
land said he wanted relief from that situa-
ton. II possible. and was willing to enter
3 plea of guilty in order TO get away from
the county Jail.
Judge Green, not being acquainted with
Kirkland's case and supposing tina the
man was merely guilty Of some minor
offente, suggested that he be given the
relief asked for by removing him to the
jail at Avoca. This suggestion, however,
met with objection on account OF the in
convenience Of consultation with his at
torney.
Turning to Assistant County Attorney
! Ross, Judge Green said: II should think
you would make some effort to get this
case Disposed Of so that the defendant
would get out OF Jail sooner. What is he
charged With"
When informed that kirkland was
charged with bIgamy the court appeared
surprised. but when Kirkland again stated
/ IL - - -N.AA -.lNA T. @-an A. 49,
his case disposed Of Judge Green imposed
sentence. .A
Kirkland. under the name of Kirkmond,
was married to Helen Leseson an this city
August 3 OF this year. the m being
performed by Rev. w. l.. Giersddrf at the
Union City mission. 1t developed that he
had another wife, Hattie Kirkhnd. to
whom he was married June % In Lincoln.
Neb. kirkland was arrested in lincoln,
where he was found living with HIS first
wife. and was brought back to Council
Bluffs on requisition papers. At the time
OF his arrest Kirkland denied all knowledge
Of the marriage in this city.
Judge Takes Up Jail Question:.
After disposing of the kirkland case,
Judge Green consulted with the members
of the Board Of Supervisors with reference
to the condition Of the jail. He called the
attention of the board to the report Of the
grand jury and the need OF the unsanitary
conditions being remedied. Sheriff Canning
and the former went into detail in describ-
ing the deficiencies of the county Jail.
mot only is the plumbing bad said
Sheriff Canning, but the whole interior OF
the building Is wrongly arranged and con.
structed.
II will admit that the prisoners do moi
have much daylight, for the main considera.
ton has been TO fix the Jail so they coull
not get out. These men are turned owe.
to me for safe keeping and am going tC
{ keep them in there IL l can. The bars Of
the cage as It was originally constructed
| are of metal so hard that it cannot be fileC
or bored into, but 1t is so brittle that it will
! break, and the prisoners have discovered
! that. The word has been passed along sine,
that discovery was made and now they al
= know It, and 1t has been necessary t
reinforce practically the entire cage. Ever.
8 sheriff since the cage was built has los
men out of It. I have not lost as many a
t some others. but that is not their fault
nor mine. We were lucky in getting then
= before they got out.
r II had a talk with some OF the member
n of the board about a new jail when 1 frs
"NhA W. INV oAu was lilNu lld
for such an expenditure it would be nece,
sary TO get a vote OF the people. and
= decided that some education might be necei
sary before we came to that point, and ha
concluded to make the recommendation t
k the board when I went out Of office, an
that is what l intend to do. l believe
can get the endorsement of such a propos
tion from every sheriff who has held tn
office since the present jail was built. The
are all alive and here In the county"
d Supervisor Sets expressed the opinion thu
; the proposition TO erect a new county ia
would not carry, at least in the countr
precincts. The board indicated it's Willing
I ness to make arrangements for ever
temporary relief that could be given. b'
the MEMBERS evinced a decided lack
enthusiasm over the project of a new BULL
rs ing. After the conference the board as
is starter authorized John Gilbert. a loo
In plumber, to put in flushing tanks in u
liz Jail, but this is as far as It went.