The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-11-17
OKLA. CONY|CTS
ON THE ROADS
TEST OF SIDNEY SUGGS' IDEA TO
NORTH OF McALsSTER.

went that as many as one hundred
TRUSTEES will be taken from the state
penitentiary and placed to work on
the old trails road leading north of
McAlester. The board of prison con-
| troll will undertake this work to try
the experiment they will feel of their
way closely and if the experiment
proves to be a success it will mean
that the work will be organized and
extended to every county in the state.
In the meantime Mr.. Suggs is gath
erng statements from other states
which have employed convict labor
on the public roads and IS putting a
great deal of nervous energy into his
work of arranging for the improve
ment of the roads by means of con-
Wet labor. Here is letter from Hi
nois on this subject:
Somonauk, ILL.,, October %, 1918.
Mr.. Sidney Suggs,
Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Dear Mr. Suggs:
am in receipt of a letter from your
son, Velie, stating that you are state
commissioner of highways and that
you are in favor of using the trusty
convicts in road building in your
state and that you would probably
be interested in knowing of the sue
cess of this work in Illinois.
am very glad to learn that you
are interested in this work, Colonel,
and want to congratulate YOU on your
success in receiving the appoint
ment.
The work of employing conyicts on
the road is as yet practically only
in the experimental stage with us, bu'
so far as We have gone it has proven
brilliant success. There is a two
fold object obtained in the system
First, We are making a splendid star
; towards pulling Illinois out of the
mud, and secondly We are making fa'
better men out of the cOnyicts thar
If they We're kept within high wall
and stone cells until we were read,
to turn them loose into society.
We established a camp Of about 4
TRUSTEES overe here in my senatorial
district, which is the only camp W
have established up to this time, an
the plan is certainly working fine
We have only one guard with them
whose principal occupation is to kee
us in touch with all of the details o
the camp during the night The mel
sleep in tents and there is nothin!
to keep them from making their es
cape further than the fact that the.
would violate the faith that we hay'
placed in them. This of course is on,
of the secrets of the entire system
We give them to understand that We
have the utmost faith in their keep
ing the promises that they make to u
when we grant them the privilege o
entering a road camp and should the!
violate this trust they would put u!
in bad with the people of the state
and the other ConviCts as well a:
themselves would have their future
privileges Curtailed This is about
the substance of private interview:
that we have with each convict before
he is sent out. 1t is needless to say
here that every convict in the insti
tuition is very anxious to be made
trusty in a road camp, IS they con
slider it great privilege AS a fur
ther induCement tot keep the trustie:
good natured in the road camps W.
extend special privileges, such a:
smoking which is not permitted IL
the penitentiary. We also give then
larger variety Of food and permit then
to visit in the camp evenings, in fact
they are more like railroad con
. struction gang of free laborers
than a camp Of conyicts. We ais
allow them 10 days per month eXtr
good time in addition to what the
receive at the penitentiary for goo
behavior. We have some men owe
at the penitentiary that We would nc
dare to send out, but man eXper
E enced in prison work and human ni
! ture would soon know about whom h
e can trust. We have not had the sligh
5 est attempt to escape so far, but
y is possible when we get several HUI
e dred men out there may he some e
t capes, but You know that happen
e even from penitentiaries.
Should you desire any special info
o nation along this line that l am abl
e to furnish, ! would be glad to give
i TO YOU. | Would also be glad TO ha'
you come TO Illinois and have yo
: meet nv friend and co-wOrker in tn