The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-08
Taken From State Peniten-
tiary and Put to Work on
the Public Roads
KANGAROO JUDGE
SHUNS TEMPTATION
Visitor to Camp Offered Him Drink.
Most of the Men Are Like
School Boys at Re-
cess Time

Illinois began last week an expert
ment with convicts which is being
| watched with interest all over the
United States. Forty-f1ve mon We're
take from the state prison at Joliet
and placed at work unguarded on the
roads near Dixon. Ill They are on their
honor and have solemnIy promised the
lprison authorities TO obey instructions
of the foreman and not to try to escape.
The Chicago Tribune gives the fol-
lowing interesting account of events
in the camp last Wednesday.
Temptation in a subtle and unex-
lpected form entered Camp Hope at
Dixon today The result was instant
and absolute victory for the convicts
who are there on their word of honor,
The As prisoners from Joliet had just
come in from their work, and were lined
up at a windmill waiting their turns
for drinks of fresh water. Two we'll
dressed strangers stood watching them.
The last and thirstiest convict finally
Preached the pump.
80. Jackw half whispered one of the
strangers. hold your cup over here anG
l will give you a real drink lie pro-
duced a whisky flask.
/ The prisoner. who happened to be
the Judge of the kangaroo court"
organized among the prisoners, looked
up in surprise.
mo Thanks" He Says
mo thanks he replied, and applied
himself vigorously to the pump handle.
What" the stranger demanded,
don't you drink?"
"Drink?" the convict asked I'm as
dry as hot brick and I could drink
enough booze to sink a battleShip but
I'll die before I'll touch a drop cut here.
Now beat 1t. I'm going to call Captain
Keegan.'
Captain Keegan, unseen, had wit
messed the incident. lie promptly ap-
peareG and ordered the two stranger S
off the camp grounds. He followed this
action by issuing orders from head
quarters prohibiting all visitors from
entering the grounds. And to rnaHe the
understanding perfectly clear, he SCI
the men to work putting up fence
about the camp. Signs were ordered,
also instructing visitors not 10 enter
the lines.
/ While the work of building the fence
Vas in progress an automobile loaded
with women and girls and a carriage
containing feminine passengers orew up
beside the road. Before the occupants
could alight, Captain Keegan politely
requested the women to continde their
way, as visitors would not be admitted.
Warden's Wife Praised
| One visitor, however is expected next
Sunday who will find a welcome. Mrs.
/ Allen, wife of Warden Allen, is ex-
pected to arrive with a great Gag which
she is preparing. The flag viii bear
the name Camp Hope
'There is no man in the world better
than Warden Allen" said f. d., who
is doing a 25 year sentence COR man
slaughter, hut it is possible there is
a woman who is just as good, and that
is Mrs. Allen. She is always thinking 3
of some kind attention to the men il.
prison. Saturdays she goes out in the
country with the warden's big auto
mobile and gathers wild flowers with
which to decorate the chapel on Sun
day and to make pleasant bouquets fci
| the cells.
Last Monday she made a monster
had in the prison. She has been look
ing forward to this trip for Us with
almost as great pleasure as We have.
She has worked big flag and we have
i found the tallest tree for miles around
to use as q flag pole. It's all trimmed
and the bark peeled off. 1t looks as
white as boiled shirt
Supervisors Visit Camp
Judge r. s. Farrand of Dixon, with
members of the county supervisory board,
inspected the camp during the day and
| consulted with Captain Keegan and the
| highway commission engineer concerning
| detail of the road work. He was intro
duced to the men and chatted with them
Familiarity.
ANY time you boys have oppor-
tunity to come up to Dixcn shall be
glad to have you call and see me- he
remarked to a GROUP. All the men ex-
cept one thanked him Pardon me,
Judge" said the exception. I'm Just as
| much obliged, but I'm still up from the
| Ia st time | was to see a judge
None of these men will likely ever so
back to Joliet If they make good here.
! said Henry S. Dixon. an attorney and
+; great grandson of the founder of the
! town of Dixon.
No said W. e. wurth. head of a
| cement factory in Dixon. IF any of you
boys have any difficulty in getting any
one to sign your lArole papers after maxi
| ing good here you'd better write to me
and l will see what | can do along that
! line
Doctor Joins Camp
DR.. C. ii. Bokhof of Dixon offered his
professional services to the camp. He
found several cases of severe sunburr
and others slightly affected by change
in water There was no case of actua
Illness. He warned the men to be care
full of the river as they started off fol
their evening swim. He said there were
many deep holes in the river bed and
also treacherous currents.
Several men who did not have fishhoohs
used bent pins. but were not successful
in catching any fish. Rabbits are ir
abundance in the neighborhood and 4
was suggested by some of the men thai
bows and arrows be made with which
| to hunt.
i Play Jokes on Fellows
In twos and threes the men have beer
permitted to wander off alone through
the surrounding woods. The men re
turned shortly before noon today. The,
reported seeing Mississippi steamboa
and pointed in a direction remotely dis