Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-19
WARDEN CAUSES A BIG STIR
Head Of Penal Institution Makes
Some Radical Recommendations.
WARM CRITICISM OF JUDGES
Says He Has Evidence some of Them
Have Violated the Laws, but
None Have Been Brought
to Board with Him.
WARM CRITICISM OF JUDGES
CFrom a staff correspondentA

N EAdAA tAANHFbAhANANN
DIES MONIES. Ia, Dec. 1S.-(Special)-
Warden Sanders Of the state penitentlary
at Fort Madison created a decided sensa-
tion before the State Board Of Control yes
terday when he recommended that the
present prison garb be abandoned and that
tatlormade suits. ~laundered shirts and
polished shoes be substituted. He also
recommended a better living for the prison.
ers and said 80 long as he is warden no
prisoner shall be beaten and he purposes
to practically abandon the solitary cell.
He says that most of the men in the
Institution ate in hobo clusters like hogs
and dressed in poor clothes on the outside
of the prison and made a failure OF life.
He contends that It is the duty of the
state TO educate them In the right way Of
living, so that when they are again thrown
upon society they will not repeat their
former failure.
He recommended the change Of several
laws He would have the death penalty
abolished and prevent Judges from sending
men to prison for life on circumstantial
evidence. He criticized the laws literally
and also the judges who enforce them. He
said he had evidence In his possession
where Judges had violated the laws in not
making proper commitment and even
AoNN NAN laws IA dOAiAe 9ps V aN eNHNt
he had not as yet Reen any of those Judges
con- ing to his institution in the custody Of
a sheriff.
The entire social condition should be
changed, he said. He criticized the social
organization that grants a man a pension
for going upon the battlefield without pas
sion and shooting down a comrade and
then puts him in prison for life for shoot
ing a fellow man in the heat of natural
paesion.
His extreme views ELECTED hearty APP
plause from the board members and It is
expected the Iowa legislature will be urged
this coming session to pass some radical
legislation along the line of prison reform
Mayor Held Up Big SUM.
A decided sensation was created here to-
day when 1t was disclosed that Mayor
Mathis, formerly police judge, who was
elected under the Des Moines plan OF gov
eminent, has held since February, 1907. a
sum Of $1,000 RENTED to him from the
county in funds that he should have turned
over to the city treasurer before leaving
the office of police Judge. The mayor gives
as explanation, that he had not collected
all the fines and was waiting to make his
report complete. When the account was
discovered the mayor gave his check for the
amount to the city treasurer. He will prob
ably be asked to remit interest for the
money.
Forced Child to Drink.
While trying to make his little 2-year-
old girl drink beer in a West Walnut street
saloon, Charles Petit was arrested today
and brought to the police station. The girl
was placed in the matron's ward for safe
keeping.
Illinois Investigator Here.
State Senator j. c. Mckenzie, 8. C. Penn
berton and Charles z. Hull, Illinois. reached
Des Moines today, commissioned by the
Illinois Legislature to inspect the methods
Of control of the state institutions.
The men came directly from New York
to Des Moines, making their investigation
of two states. The committee called upon
Governor Garst. and then went to the
board of control rooms and the office of
the auditor.