The Topeka state journal., 1913-05-17
| TRIP TO LANSING PRISON
WITH SHERIFF |. |. KIENE

from the big fire. But the routine in
the big plant has been resumed and
only the ruins remain to bring II to the
notice of the visitor or guard or in
mate. Warden Coddings prison dis
cipline is near perfect as 1t can be
brought in such a place. The war
den'S plan of sentiment and sense In
even doses has brought its fruits. And
he has had a worthy assistant to his
plan in the person of Charles Lindsey,
deputy warden. Lindsey is a former
prison seven years. He is judge of
men and mixes kindliness and stern
justice in matchless proportions in
dealing with the prisoners
1t is hard to convey an idea of that
prison yard and the methods that pre-
vail there. During the afternoon
there was a ball game, eighteen play
ers and a half hundred spectators had
won merit marks enough to entltle
them to that sport for an hour. 1t was
a great game and the players yelled
and caVorted over the ball lot like a
lot of SchoOlbOyS and the byStanderS
rooted like fanatics. But behind this
hour there stood in grim and monoto-
nous array a great many hours OF un-
ceasing toll, of patience like unto that
of Job, of restraint within the narrow
walls of breathless darkness.
That Baseball Game.
Never did the newspaper man see
such a ball game. 1t marked with
big white mark the passing of the old
methods of handling a state prison.
Charlie Lindsey, who stood near, look
ed with satisfaction on the game. He
told of the crime that stood against
each player. "If a man had come to
me five years ago. he said, land told
me that 1 would lay out a diamond in
this prison yard and watch the con-
victs play ball game on a summers
day I would have thrown him in the
bat ward without moment of hesita-
ton. 1t is wonderful strange thing
is a good thing to see. | know the
good it has done. These men will
work harder and behave better for an
hour on the ball lot than they will for
whip or scourge or gun or promise of
salvation in the next world.
1t was a different ball game from
any other in the world for the reason
that there was no kicking on the UNI
pire. Lindsey won't stand for that.
The player who quarrels or loses his
temper or questions the umpire's de-
cision must leave the game and go
back to his cell or his work. The
players elect their own umpire and
they abide by his decisions.
Where They Don't Kick on the Unp.
There were plenty of close de-
cisionS in this game and the players
on each side were tearing their wool
en- prison shirts to win. But the UNI
pire's voice when it called the play or
the strike was as supreme as the strlk-
ing of the clock of destiny. Not
murmur or a grunt by the player who
suffered. The umpire was negro. He
knew the game and called his decisions
like a professional.
Some one knocked a high fly to
center field Two men on bases. The
ten more years for that" groWled
Lindsey, who was interested in the
game.
A negro came to the plate Rub
hot 11o lad
ber of his team. The batter hit it
mile. "Shut the gates" yelled a root
er in glee. The runner rounded sec
ond and the ball came in from the
outfeld like a bullet. 1t struck the
negro on the head and he grinned and
run to third. Then he rubbed his an
kle-not his head.
1t looks like jeering in the face of
justice to encourage that baseball game
in that prison yard. Convicts playing
and yelling and having a good time in
stead of expiating their sins and
iniquities. But it is not so. The Cod
ding plan of handling prisoners is too
big and simple and common-senSe to
be misunderstood for minute. These
prisoners are state charges and must
be cared for. This ball game makes
them healthy. They must be let out
of prison some day upon society. This
game makes them happy for a minute
and keeps them from brooding and be-
coming wild beasts in confinement
The chance given them to earn fair
treatment and little concessions by
good conduct makes them think they
have another chance. They will be in
better shape to enter the world again.
That's the way Codding argues Cod
ding is a man of sentiment and he
spells humanity with capital letters.
But there is no mush about him. He's
not easy to impose upon.
Codding's Plan Like Magic.
He regards the ball game a good
investment for the state in bad ma
terial- Just like man drains
swamp. Anyway the Codding plan has
worked like a magic charm at Lansing
prison. The old time prison men who
condemned it at first know it, too.
They say so with hearty enthusiasm.
Codding merely argued from the
standpoint that a convict was a hu-
man being. He installed system of
merit marks. If a convict wanted
them he could earn them by good be-
havior. If he didn't want them that
was his own business. If he didn't
want tobacco. books chance to talk
play ball or toot a horn in the prison
band, why he could make brick or dig
coal and stay in his cell. About 90
per cent. of the Lansing convicts work
for merit marks. They also make
brick and dig coal. But the night of
the big fire 400 of them were turned
loose in the yard and not a man tried
to escape or shirk his work of fight
ing the fire.
''NOne of My TRUSTEES Fail Me-"
Codding is a wonder. One of his life
timers had word not long ago that his
wife in a distant town was sick and
about to die The warden gave the
man suit of plain clothes and ten
days leave of absence to attend upon
that death bed. The man went aWay
alone and came back on time to the
minute. Why not?" asks the warden
simply. He went away on honor. None
of my TRUSTEES ever failed me- Not a