The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-04-29
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1 Tells Hot0 He's Building
\ State Penfentidry


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Ardmore, Okla, April 20. "olslaho.
ma has the hardest proposition Of any
STATE IN ne Union a. regards her pen.
litentiary ana the CARR OF tonWcts
The speaker was former mayor r. w.
Dick. now warden Of the state prison.
and who was here few days ago
Mr, Dick Was talking 10 0 small crowd
| OF friends AZ the city hall concerning
his work al McAlester where he Is
engaged IN building for Oklahoma the
best penitenliary Of any Of the states
IN the Union, and incidentally looMhg
after about 1000 desperate men.
Continuing Mr. Dick said. There
Is Just one man IN the entire number
that | am afraid Of and that man Is
Cole, the fellow who some Time ago
walked into hardware store IN Okla.
homa City. asked TO look at 4 revolver,
and deliberately placing the cart
ridges IN the gun. turned It on Pro-
prletor Crouch and killed him Tha
coolest blo0ded and perhaps the most
lunwarranled murder that has ever oc.
CURED In the state Of Oklahoma"
An account Or the difficulties uf a
lprlson warden and the work when MI
Dick Is trying to accomplish Is bes.
tuli perhaps In the wardens own
words.
Cole, since he has been with ua has
been The craziest fellow Imaginable
and does an kinds Of fool things. Just
the other day he jumped head first
through glass window but was un'
ihurt he is o long way from being
crazy though. aud "a the shrewdeat fel
low YOU ever saw and one Of the most
desperate men with whom have
ever come in contact.
Il visited him some time ag0 and
told him that ! wanted him to behave
lhmeell, that expected TO treat him
we'll and would see that no harm came
10 him, but that he must behave him
SELF. 10 formerly had not been will
lnB to work but he promised me that
ne would 80 TO work and be good.
put him with one Of the gangs work
ing on the farm digging dltchea and
otner things The gang was being
guarded by two good men, one Las
ley the ether a nephew Of T. X, Pen.
nington Lasley Is dead shot and
fearless, / told him to keep an eye
open for Cole, and 10 watch him
closely.
"a day or two after l happened so
be passing. and as usu0l stopped 70
speak an encouraging word to the
men. when Cole said TO me that Lasley
came noer shooting him a short time
before. lie said that bis shoe had
become tight aud thinking to loosen
Il started TO Lasley 70 borrow his knife
with which to cut It open when Lasley
pulled down with his Winchester on
him and told him that II he came an
other foot he would KIN him.
Cole was trying to get the guards
confidence and would have doubtless
repeated the performance several
times, had he been successful al
nrst. and would have eventually per
haps killed the guard aud gotten away
7 allow the men 70 play cards, some
thing that Is not allowed IN other
PENAL institutions aud would not be
allowed, perhaps with Us were we III
Ia building where other pastlmes
might be indulged IN. but believe
that anything that Keeps their minds
occupied is good for them and keeps
them from plotting mutiny or some
thing else miscellaneous We have good
discipline and have not had much tr0u
bic SO lar
The greatest thing TO guard against
is assistance from the outside The
biggest part OF these criminals arr
thoroughly organized and the minute
some fellows time has expired and ht
IS free, lte more than likely that q
plot has been c0neOgted to furnish halp
for sonic long tlmer to make his gel
away. A few weeks ago we were ad
ylsed that mutiny had been planned
and that certain supply Of Wlnehas'
ters would be put at certain place
during the night, The spot being known,
OF course, only 10 the ones who were
Ia on the thing We put guards on
that night but the expected did MOI
happen
Before every gang goes TO work IN |
the morning we have guards 30 In |
advance and examine thoroughly every |
bit Of gsound and spot where Il might
be possible to conceal arms Of other
weapons. but even then Il would BEL
possible 10 overlook something
We have about 900 men m the
stoekade now and most Of them are
at work ON the new penltentiary build. |
ings and grounds We have several
hundred acres which we are farming, |
twf anN tItla tetae a t,fts fnrna .F ssa4.st I
We will soon have 500 acres and / |
win put every bit Of Il In cultivation
la addition to establishing several
manufacturing plants that win be OPP
Grated by prisoners,
"The men work In gangs. some In
the fields. others clearing and break
Ing ground some IN the plumbing |
shop, more building walls and on the /