The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-31
BLAMES THE PEOPLE.
Warden Codding of State Penitentiary
Discusses Cause of Crime.

Society is today making war on
the criminal and coRdoning crimes
that are being committed, was the
statement of Warden ]. K. Codding OF
the state penitentiary IN tne course u
an address at the Novelty theater
Sunday afternoon on "Reformatory
or Deformatory, Which," Society
loses sight of the SIM" he continued,
land sees the sinner. After he gets
into the penitentiary things are re-
versed and it sees the sin ana not the
sinner"
There was another crowded house
for the occasion. Aside from the TACT
that Warden Codding was to speak
the announcement that Attorney
General Jackson would preside prob
ably had a drawing influence, and
then also an attractive musical pro-
gram had been advertised, which in
Guided selections by Albert Shut
mandolin orchestra of seven pieces.
and vocal number by the chorus OF
the Third Presbyterian church.
In his Introductory remarks Attor-
ney General F. S. Jackson said that
recent visitor in Topeka from another
state went home and told his friends
that Topeka was the most remarkable
city he had ever seen. why" said he
IT found the theaters turned into
prayer meetings, with the governor
of the state leading, the mayor of the
city taking part, and the chief of
police leading in prayer.
That is a good thing when the
chief of police leads in prayer" con-
tinued Mr.. Jackson.
After the former warden resigned
there were a number of applicants
for the place as there always are. AT
a meeting of Governor Stubs and
several of his councillors the matter
of who should be appointed was dis
cussed.
zone man said that a man to be
warden of the penitentiary ought to
be a lawyer as he is the legal repre-
on and about $50 outside of it; an
other said he ought to be a minister
who would lead the men in a spirit
ual way; third suggestion was that
he ought to be a thorough business
man as he has so much of the state IS
work. to attend to; and then some
body else added that he ought to be
a leader of men.
"Then the question was asked who
shall it be? And someone said Cod
ding, and it was all over. He agreed
to take the position for six months,
but I said to him, 'Codding you know
it isn't always so easy to get away
from the penitentiary,' and he said,
Yes, but there is a verse in the Scrip
ture which reads: 1 go to prepare a
place for you
"a little more than year ago."
said Warden Codding in introducing
his subject, "as I stood in the halls of
your large penal institution the pale
faces of the men suggested the
thought: is 1t reformatory or a de-
formatory?' AS 1 looked into the con-
ditions that surrounded the men ]
said surely this is not a reformatory.
81 found that 14S out of the SOC
prisoners were afflicted with tuber-
culosis; there were 78 who were men
tally unbalanced, and when 1 found
that one-third of the men were serv-
ing a second term, said in my heart
that this is surely a deformatory. I'm.
der the orders of the governor whc
appointed me 1 set to work to better
conditions. The laws of Kansas pass
ed by the man provide that a Bible
shall be placed in every cell: that e
chaplain should be provided, and also
a good physician to take care of the
health of the men. The men of the
state meant well. We are today chang.
ing the institution from a deforma
tory to a reformatory
"But what use are reforms inside
ofNthe prison when society insists il
sending men there? 1t Is an attemp
to purify stream at its mouth wher
the source of the impurity is higher
up.
Society says to the average younf
man, Have good time. We