The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-01-13
y. o. coBURN TELLS or THE Ian.
SING PRISON INVESTIGATION
coLoREO REPORTS.
SOME THINGS NOT APPROVED
Even Governor Haskell's Committee
is Satisfied that convIcts' Charges
We're Groundless - Miss Barnard
Bel eyed Prisoners Mistreated.

ID. Cuburn. chairman OF the Kansas
committee which investigated the /
pcnitentiary at lansing the Oklahoma f.
authorities wcor mslod by prcpostor I.
ously culurcd reports regarding the /
Kansas prison which caused IN" new
state 10 send an investigating commit +
tee north. Mr. Coburn with the 9th .
or members Of the committee. return. /
ed to Topeka last night Mr. Coburn f.
was asked as 20 the result Of the /
second session OF the committee be /
ginning last Thursday and ending yes
terday afternoon.
My own opinion, said Mr. Coburn, .
"is that the Oklahoma authorities
have been unwittingly msled and un-
duly disturbed by insufficient iufor
nation and proposterously colorcd re-
ports from cX-convicts Cfor example
their four star Witnesses were Okla
homans sent to Lansing for murdcr)
and other prisoners who on account
of the persistent and fragrant viola
tions of the reasonable prison rules
md consequent punishment may
have been glad Of almost any oppor-
tunity to get even with the officers
whose duty it had been To inflirt
punishment and enforce discipline.
without this discipline chaos would
ii Igat .V.lt .fi tsU
an old saying:
No rogue cer felt the halter draw
with good opinion of the man who
drew II.
''From the outset the Kansas com.
mlttee was inspired by the most ear.
nest desire 70 ascertain the facts and
conditions existing at the pcnitcnti
AIRY, regardless OF whoever they might
involve or by whom the facts We,
supplied To such an end the Okla
homa committc was not only per
mitted but encouraged and assisted
TO probe in every direction and every
proper facility was afforded by "a.
prison board Of directors and Wardcr
Haskell
Il am sure that no member of ",
kansas committee or any of thcotfi
cials asserts or prcteuds that in al
respects things at the peuitcnuary ar,
just as they should be, or that chang
cs for the better cannot and shoul,
not be made Several Of the NOR,
important changes have already beer
recommended 10y the committee In III
report 10 Governor Hoch Rut I'm +;
general way and I'm most respects tn,
management is doing the best II car
with the men, material, equipment an,
laws the legislature have made avail
able.
Forms OF punishment have beer
used in individual instances under al
administrations which none of oithc
committee approved, but I'm the mah
there were exceptions one useful re
suit Of the investigation is that upol
our committees suggestion these I'm
advisable and sometimes harsh pun
ishments such as the socalle,
crib the water cure and the Ajax
zan are already abolished,
AS 10 the dungeons the much ~
plotted water hole and the horrible
dangerous and deadly mine condition,
that have been So prominently ad
yertiscd by certain persons or iutcr
ests the investigation found NO crcdi
hle evidence that such things cNlsto,
now or had ever existed
Kansas, | think ought not 10 be IL
the business OF entertaining the con
vic'S aond unruly characters from
other states. II really has no dcsir,
or even willingness to do SO for AN,
considerable period
However the Investigation nai
becn a good thing and worth man,
times it's cost regardless Of how or
by whom it was instiuatcd and mus
be beneficial i'm many ways
After the adjournment yes,erda,
afternoon twas yident that the MON
hers OF the committee from ONahom,
were disappointed I'm the shown.
made as TO Miss Banards charges
None OF them would authorize an in
teTiew, but # is known that they, or
az least some Of the members wcr,
Al