The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-13
fists Serving Terms il
County Jail.
Sheriff Uses Them as "Trus-
ties'' and They Roam at Will.
PROSECUTORS NOT PLEASED
Second and Third Offense
Prisoners Given Preference.
They Have Wide Acquaintance
in "BOttOms'' District.

A war cloud is hanging over the Shaw
nee county court house. The cloud Is
black and threatening and is coming
nm against a strong political wind
sbarn lightning is streaking the CLOUDS
and the thunder is shaking the Aouilu"
tions of county politics
The cloud is lowering over J. ID. NOT
ton sheriff. 1t is composed of county
officials, citizens and politicians wne
believe firmly and are not afraid &c
s+a+e their .enefs, that the ShaWncS
sheriff is too lenient with the nquoI
interests in Topeka. In the first place
+bey are looking with doubt and sus
Dicion on the recent liquor raluS anu
the surprising shortage OF oeLehuan1s
cantured in the Joints. In the secohE
~,Iaoo thev are complaining because all
of the old time dyed-in-the-wool no.
1orious jointists that have been pros,
ecuted by the county attorney anu
sentenced by the court are now ROAM am,
ing the Topeka streets nearly at WI
as TRUSTEES.
sheriff Norton at this time concerns
tbe .strl1sties" second storm Is
climbing the horizon. Political weather
prognosticators predict still more
Threatening weather with. -proeahe
showers
Inc
The trusty trouble is this:
II is claimed that today three of To-
peka's court SCARED jointists are sit
ting in the shade of the court yaro-
trees with not railing between them
and the freedom of the town, with two
fat meals a day and with comfortable
be0 for them at night. Their duties are
inviting to anyone this hot sultry
weather.
Sometimes a prisoner wishes plug
of tobacco. Mr.. Trusty is given a n1ckel
and he begins a trip to Kansas avenue
for the purchase. Up and down the
street he sails, greeting here and there
his various and cosmopolitan friends
and these liquor dealers are strong on
friends. They return to the Jail with
the tobacco and possibly another pris-
oner decides he wants sack of smok-
ing Another pleasure jaunt to KAN
sas avenue.
Then it has been recorded in faded
ink that there have been times when
trusty was seen furnishing power to Il
lawn mower. Other perfectly polite
duties are furnished the truSty.
Here is what the criticisers of the
system are kicking on. They say that
the county Jail handles from thirty to
sixty prisoners at all times. Very few
OF these are jointists. Most of them are
there for petty robberies, misdemean-
ors and the like. 1t is argued Tlat #
anyone is to act as trusty it should be
the first offense prisoners and not the
jcintists who can recite every clause in
the prohibitory law. -......
Getting down to facts-three noto-
rious Topeka iointists are. enjoying he
countys hospitality at this time-Ed
Wright, Porter Patterson and Ne1s
Robinson Wright was convicted on
three counts, sentenced to 80 days and
fined $780, Patterson convicted on four
counts, given six months and $780,
County Attorney Simon found that
Patterson had violated a court injunc-
ton and Judge Dana gave Patterson
another dose similar to the first Roo
and was sentenced to 80 days with
$500 fine.
Prosecutors Not Pleased.
These three men are acting as trus-
ties. The work of the county attorney
and the judge in convicting and SEN
fencing the jOintists has been partial
~ without reward. The state laws
do not provide that the court can
Overrule the action of the sheriff in
allowing these men to run out doors
and nothing has been done. If it was
possible for the convictors to provide
for the full punishment of the three
booze sellers it would be but a few
minutes before they were handling
the bars. This condition of affairs is
not agreeable either to the district
judge or county attorney.
Why are jointists made TRUSTEES?
The August primaries are only a
few weeks away. The, sheriff is a
candidate for third term. The trus-
ties have ample time to spread the
good word among their friends. And
they are doing it.