The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-13
In Steel Cars 125 Desperate Men
Get Long Trip.
Pass Through Topeka En- Route
to Alcatraz Island.
GOODRICH IN CHARGE
Bob Tasker's "Bunkie" Does
Good Prison Work.
Gives Each Man Letter When
His Term Expires.

On his way to Alcatraz Island with
125 military prisoners, Lieutenant p.
NJ. Goodrich, spent a half hour last
night in Topeka. Under a detail OF
25 guards, the men are being conveyed
from the government military prison
at Leavenworth.
Two iron barred prison ears were
used to transport the prisoners 20
their new home. While Lieutenant
Goodrich spent few minutes in con-
versation with Robert Taslxer, regis
ter of deeds. the % guards stayed
right on the job. They mingled with
the prisoners and kept an observant
eye on every action of the men under
guard.
The men in the prison cars were the
pick and prize offerings of the most
hardened criminals in the Leaven-
worth military prison They were
weeded out from among the men un-
der sentence in an effort to place the
Kansas military prison on the basis OF
a reformatory. In the cars were mdn
whose daring and criminal reform en-
titled them to every attention that tho
military guards could give. But no
chances were taken. They we're as
safe and secure inside the steel
coaches as though they were within
the prison walls. They looked at To-
peka's great white way from behind
iron bars which constituted the win
dows of their coaches. Some Of the
men appeared to appreciate the op-
portunity of a trip across the CONT
nent and strains of melody came from
within the steel coaches
He Has Done Good Work.
Goodrich who is in charge OF the re-
moval, is a personal friend and former
conrade of Robert Tasker. With TaslSer
he served through the Boxer uprising
in China. Then he was called home.
promoted to the rank of first lieuten-
ant. Later when the military authori-
ties wanted man for four years
service at the LeavenWOrth military
prison, Goodrich was given the assign
ment. It is said that he has practically
revolutionized the prison. He calls the
men by their first name and the in
mates are not known as prisoner No.
999 or No. ia, but as Jim and John and
Charley.
After a creditable record in the prison
Goodrich gives each man a letter. He
does not say Jim Jones served four
years in the military prison Instead
Goodrich recites that Jim Jones has
been four years in my employ and no
is a man you can tie TO. It is Just the
way Goodrich does things.
They're All My Boys"
They are all my boys" said the
lieutenant, as he edged closer to tho
steam pipes in the waiting room land
there is lot of good timber among
them, too. Sure. some Of them have
made mistakes. but only occasionally
do you find one who is really bad at
heart. Those fellows out there" said
Goodrich, pointing to the waiting train,
those are the pick of the herd Say,
but few of the boys in those cars are
real live genuine dare devils. They
will bear immediate and constant
watching. So there won't be much cat
mapping on this trip"
Then Goodrich hurried to the teIe-
phone to have a few words with Tasker
before the train left Topeka.
The men in the prison cars will he
taken direct to San Francisco. After
their arrival in CALIFORNIA; big town.
they viii be transported to Alcatras
Island, where they Will complete their
prison terms.