The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-21
REPORT OF CoDDING.
Penitentiary Warden Enters Stubbs-
Curtis Controversy.

Warden Codding of the state peni-
tertiary has entered the Stubbs-CurtiS
controversy through the back door,
ushered in by the governor, and intro
duced by his majesty under the flag
of the square deal. The entrance was
made without warning of any kind
and at the time when the awe strick-
en- public was waiting for the forth
coming reply of the senator.
The warden explains in his report
to Governor Stubs the reason that it
takes 101 employees to look after $50
prisoners now when it only took los
to look after 1900 under Governor
Hoch's administration; also why it
takes 101 employees to look after $50
convicts in the state penitentiary when
it only takes 81 employees to look af-
ter 1850 convicts in the federal
prison.
In explaining this feature of the
controversy Warden Codding made the
following report:
'First-The federal penitentiary
has no coal mines in connection with
it, and we have. To properly conduct
the coal mines requires twenty-one
officers, including the superintendent
and four guards at the top of the mine
and at the sha1e plant, making TWEEN
ty-f1ve more men required by us than
is required by the federal penitentiary.
Building Cottages.
"Second-No women prisoners are
kept at the federal penitentiary. This
institution has thirty-two female pris-
Oners, five of whom are federal wo-
men prisoners. OF a necessity, the
female ward is separate from that of
the main penitentiary and it requires
a matron, an assistant matron and
from one to two men guards to prop
erly handle this department.
''Third-This institution is building
cottages according to an act of the
legislature, to rent to its officers. This
outside work requires from one to
two guards to handle the men.
N"Fourth-The federal penitentiary
does not take care of its insane GRIM
mails. This institution does. and it
requires two officers to take care of
the insane ward.
"Fifth-We have Irvine plant that
requires the services of from two to
three guards. The federal penitentiary
has no such industry.
''Sixth-This institution has it's own
pumping station, located a mile and
a quarter from the main penitentiary,
and under an act of the legislature
three officers are required to fire and
look after this plant
"Seventh-The federal penitentiary
has been constructed recently upon
modern lines, at a great expense to
the government. Its walls are much
higher than ours and because of it's
modern construction it Is much easier
who are confined.
"Eighth-Our legislature provided
for a parole officer. There is none at
the federal penitentiary.
ecapitulation-Mine men, TWEEN
ty-five; woman's ward, four; firemen
at the pump house, three; insane
ward, two; parole officer, one; total,
thirty-five.
Provided Three Firemen.
GAS to the comparison between
July, 1908 and July, 1909, los officers
were used in 1908, and the pump
house was kept up by prisoners. The
1909 legislature provided that three
firemen should be employed at $50 a
month each, to take the place of the
prisoner firemen. This was because of
the damage to the state property and
because the pump house, when left
in the hands of prisoners, became a
rendezvous for bad characters and
the source of many scandals. You will
note that the 101 officers provided
for by the act of 1909 includes these
three f1remen, as well as the Catholic