The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-19
FEW PRISONERS IN
THE COUNTY JAIL
ONLY ELEVEN PEOPLE ARE THE
ENROLLING GUESTS OF SHER-
IFF AkERS.

contrast to COndltlOnS that eAlSJeu
in this respect a few years ago.
The law has become thing to
be respected and while, of course
there are more or less infractions
yet considering the country and its
recent transformation from one OF
lawlessness to a section of tran
guilty. it is remarkable that there
are not more who find themselves
inmates of the structure whose solid
walls and barred windows give a
sinister ard forbid ling aspect to
those who chance to be in its Vi
cinity
Eleven people constitute the little
band under the charge of Sheriff
Akers and his deputies and some Of
these are here not as inmates from
Carter county, but placed here from
other sections for safe keeping, or
under federal court charges for Of
fenses committed in other sections
OF the state.
Two of the inmates were charged
with murder, one from Idabel, Nc
Curtain county and one from Nor
man in Cleveland county.
Three are accused of horse steal
ing, a crime akin to murder in this
country and in former years pun
ished with much greater severity.
Two are charged with the unlaW-
full sale of whisky two for violating
the federal law against the opium
traffic; and one, negro preacher
who is serving six months on
plea of guilty, for kidnapping.
Leon Fries is one of the two
charged with the crime of murder.
His crime was a most revolving
example of a degenerate with no APP
parent conception of the Nervousness
of such an offense. To look at the
boy and converse with him one
would not suppose him capable OF
such crime.
He talks intelligently, has the ap-
pearance of a good natured youth
who might perhaps be given to some
of the incidental habits Of thought
less boy, but of such an offense as
murder it is hard to imagine as you
look at him, as you hear him talk,
as you study the lines of character
in his face and features, he could
be guilty.
Leon escaped the other day. He
says, che was not particular about
going away, but he saw hole in
the wall and just couldn't resist
the temptation TO take little jaunt
outside"
He sauntered down to the Santa
Fe freight yards caught a south
bound train and went as far as
Marietta, where he hung around, evi.
IDENTIFY anxious to get back to the
comfortable quarters in the Jail at
Ardmore. The officers came am
caught him, but it is quite probable
that he would have returned of his
own accord, after enjoying a few
days of freedom, a sort of variation
of the monotony of life in the
county jail
Icons cell is large and airy, he
is well supplied with reading mat
ter and seems to be taking life quite
as easy as most boys who are not
charged with the awful crime of
which this young man is accused
The officials at the Jail are a
friendly lot, Mr.. w. F. Bishop, the
guard, is a genial gentleman who
is extremely courteous to visitors
and is evidently to and well liked
by the prisoners.
The surroundings of any institu-
tion of this kind are naturally aus
tere and gloomy, but conditions are
greatly amelorated, when the men
in charge are possessed of humane
instincts and are of a kindly dispo
sition.
The cook at the Jail is the negro
preacher who is serving six months
for kidnapping.
It is stated by the official that he
is just as handy dispensing the eat
ables that appeal to the physical
part of man as he was in dispensing
the spiritual aid and comfort to the
members OF his dusky congregation
when in the robes of a clergyman
he expounded the doctrines of the
gospel.
Everything is kept in excellent
| condition at the Jail, clean and san
| itary and it is quite as comfortable
place to sojourn for awhile as
most of the public institutions and
/ many of tho nrivata dwalIingc