Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-09
ONLY HARDENED CRIMINALS IN
FORT MADISON ATTEMPT
TO ESCAPE.
NEVER TRY
TO MAKE GETAWAY
Governor Clarke Discusses Conditions
As He Found Them During Recent
Visit to State Prison-Says Warden
Sanders is Doing Wonderful Work
and Treating Wards as Humans.
pecial TO Times Republican.

Special TO Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept. 9.-It is not the
TRUSTEES" at the prison who escape or
try 70 run away. Attic Iowa has made
no provision in the laws for giving
convtcts show for their lives, rcfor-
natory principles are put into use
practically at the state penitentiary.
and with excellent results. Men who
nave ben convicted and are serving
terms Of punishment, are actually
treated as human beings and are made
to feel that there is hope in life. The
governor, who recently visited Fort
Madison, was immensely pleased with
this phase of the work being done for
the Iowa delinquents.
And men suffering punishment for
offenses against the law actually labor
in the fields and with the hammer and
saw, get pay for the same at the same
rates as free labor, send their earn
ingS home 10 needy families, and lay
ny something for the day when they
will need something to aid them in q
start back in life.
Governor Clarke became convinced
more than ever. on his trip to Fort
Madison recently. Of another thing
and that is that punishment Of offend
ers is not very much a deterrant for
others. The warden pointed out the
fact he said. that since the hanging
Gf JunEens fer murder there have
been more murders committed in Iowa
than. before. The terror of even death
by hanging does not put stop to the
commission OF murder.
Warden Sanders has done more than
any other warden in charge OF the one
Iowa prison 10 show the men in his
charge that he. as a representative of
The majesty Of the law, feels a real in
terest in their welfare and seeks their
good.
Truss Men Betrayed.
The warden informed me that new
ct mas one whom he has trusted ran
away or betrayed the trust imposed in
aim. said the governor. He has the
record Of one who contemplated get
ting away but he was prevented by
another. l had the pleasure Of seeing
for myself just how this system is
working practically. We went out to
a farm where some of Sanders men
were at work. There were seven OF
them in group. l saw no guard and
understood they were all alone. They
were going out to gather some toma-
toes. All were working hard. Then we
vent on perhaps two miles further
there q party of men was engaged In
building a barn. They were sent there
by Sanders. l saw man standing
around watching them at work and
asked if it was a guard. No. it was
the farmer for whom they were build
ing the barn. They were getting wages
Just the same as if they we're free
men. In the evening they will take
their dinner pals and back to their
cells.
We saw two men coming down to-
ward the prison in the evening. Both
were carpenters. They had their din
ner pals. One was prisoner. l asked
about them and was told they got the
same wages and were working side by
side at a JOB.
The warden has always insisted
upon every one who thus labors send
ing a part. a considerable part, of what
ne earns. to his family If ne has one,
or of having il kept for his use when
he is released, if ne is without de-
pendent family, Regularly there Is
placed to the personal credit Of very
many of these prisoners a large sum
FOR each month,
These men are not all short time
men. either. Why, l was told Charlie
Thomas was a sort Of foreman Of that
gang Of men at work in the field. Kid
Noble, who killed fellow who SLAM
dered his wife is out in the fields. AL
bert Parnitzka. a lfer. put there
tHenty-one years ago, goes anywhere
on all sorts Of errands. When I went
to the station TO take train to leave
the warden sent me with a convict to
drive the auto and he went back alone.
Form erly there was bitter oppesi-
ton to having these men go outside
the walls. Now they are in demand as
workers and the system is generally
approved. The men are treated as II
they were really worth the saving. I
went into the dining room. The warden
had a bulletin posted with the big
league baseball scores and nearly ev-
cry man scanned the bulletin eagerly.
They have their own baseball games
inside the walls. It is in little matters
Of this kind the men are made to feel
they are a part Of the great world of
activity ali about"