The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-10-12

MISS hdtc Ddfihid' StdNS SoAhihiS
sioner Of charities, has submitted to
the governor her report on the investi
cation of the charges made by the
Oklahoma City Times, concerning the
treatment of the state prisoners while
they were confined in the Jail at this
place The report which was made
public today is complete exonera-
tion of Sheriff Ridenhour and his
guards. The following is the report
in full
Guthrie, Okla. Oct. A, 1909.
Hon c. N Haskell, Governor:
Dear Sir: On September 2Sth,
there appeared in The Times of Ok
lahoma City. the following statement;
Shocking Story of Prison immoral
ity-Martha McGee, former convict.
brings shameful and narrowing recital
to Oklahoma City law Office. Guards
Charged With Grave Offense- Briefly
stated it is charged that guards whose
names have not been made public,
have made a practice for several
months of subjecting women prisoners
10 gross ihdignities and that the morals
of the institution have reached a
shockingly low ebb.'
Carrying copy of the above state
ment hurried to the McAlester pen
itentiary to secure evidence upon
which to base prosecution. Arriving
there ! first located Martha McGee,
the exconvict quoted. showed her the
paper, told her to read carefully, and
swear out a statement affirming or
denying same. cautioned her to
state nothing but the absolute truth,
as she would probably be called as a.
witness later and must not perjure her
self. In the presence of three wit
nesses she swore out the following
statement:
State Of Oklahoma. Pittsburg County,
SIS.
Martha MCGEE being shown the
article appearing in the Oklahoma City
Times under date Of September rs,
1909, regarding affairs Of the Vinita
prison, says;
Il never gave out an interview or
statement to any reporter in Oklaho-
ma City, or elsewhere, and, in fact,
was not in the city on the date re-
ierred to- / did, however, say in the
aw office of Aessrs. Bessey e Gray
one day that we were we'll treated
while in the prison there at Vinita and
hat Sheriff Ridenhour, who was in
,harge of the prison there took us out
Walking in body, under guard, for
exercise on several different occasions.
Il did not charge that We as pris-
,ners were subjected to gross indig-
lities and that the morals of the in |
had reached shoclingly |
ow ebb, and l made no remarks that
would cause any one TO believe that
here was a shameful, or narrowing
etails' connected with the said pris-
N. On the other hand I do say that +
sheriff Ridenhour was at all times
ind to us girls and that he took us
ut for walks to relieve us from the
xcesive heat in the prison during
he hot summer months and the wear
ng effects of close confinement.
Signed) MRS. MARTHA E. MCGEE"
Subscribed and sworn to before me
his the 29th day Of September. A. D.
9O9.
signed) Nv. A. WALKER.
sEAL) Notary Public"
As the charges in The Times re-
ected a criminal condition. which if
rue would be of the gravest possible
1 requested DR.. Love. the
physician. and DR.. Troy.
ne of the leading physicians Of Nc
lester. to ascertain the physical con
ition of the women prisoners. Their
fidavit follows:
state of Oklahoma Pitttsburg County.
S.
II, 2. H. Troy, a practicing physic-
IN Of the city of McAlester. and chief
irgeon Of the Mercy hospital. located
ere. at the request of Warden Dick
I'd Miss Kate Barnard. commissioner