The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-01-15
Al Jennings Tells Why He
Wants to Rule Oklahoma.
WOULD REFORM RIM PRISONS.

Al j. Jennings, ex-train rObber and
federal prisoner, who won the Demo-
cratic nomination for county attorney
of Oklahoma county, Okla. in 1912, is
about to announce his candidacy for
the governorship of the state of Okla
hOma.
II am entering the race" said Mr..
Jennings in New York recently, las
Democrat. Many Of my friends have
urged me to seek an independent NOM
ination, but have always been a
Democrat. My object. is to clean up
the party in Oklahoma. l intend to
fight double dealing, political thieves,
with whom no self respecting outlaw
of former years can associate.
"All want is to see absolutely hon.
est men at the head of the government,
and after l have announced my candi-
dacy if some man whose integrity and
uprightness are unquestioned becomes
a candidate shall withdraw and sup
port him with all of my ability.
why cummings n0IOr"o0s
Some people do not seem to be able
to understand how an outlaw, an ex-
train robber and federal prisoner can
become sincerely law abiding and a re-
former in politics, but the explanation
is simple 1 made a mistake and de-
fed the law. was caught and pun
ished-kept five years in prison-and
then saw how I had been wrong to be-
come an enemy of society. decided
to reclaim my place in society and set
about doing it. AS soon as l became
free man, living in a free community,
1 began to appreciate the differences
in lawbreaking and the consequences
thereof. and that made me a political
refOrmer.
II had been a train robber, a crude,
open defer Of society. and l had been
caught and punished. l saw all about
me men who wore the best clothes and
stood high in society robbing the peo-
pie right and left and not getting
caught or being punished. They were
not as primitive as l had been in the
method they chose. They did things
in the dark and only appeared in the
open when they had on their Sunday
clothes: so to speak,"
Mr.. Jennings says he will carry on
the same kind of aggressive, personal
campaign for the gubernatorial NOM
ination as he carried on for the coun-
ty attorneyship. He claims he has
no money behind him and will not be
able to establish headquarters
II will stump the state" he said.
land speak from the street corners
and halls wherever l can
Mr.. Jennings said that if be is elect
ed governor he will make it his chief
object to enforce the law without re-
spect to persons. but that from lessons
derived during his own prison expert
ence he will also apply himself to pris-
on reform in Oklahoma.
Pledges Aid to First Offenders.
81 favor the adoption of reforma-
tory parole SYSTEM" he said, "by which
first offenders can be given a chance
to redeem themselves. think that
young man who is convicted for the
first time should be allowed to stay
at home and work under the watchful
eye of the state instead of being locked
up in prison where, in all probability.
he will be made a confirmed criminal.
There will be no wholesale release of
prisoners if l become governor, but l
will exercise the power of pardon and
parole with the view Of retaining for
society every man l can. AS long as
there is a chance Of making a good
citizen of man we should try to do
So"
Jennings was a train rObber in Ok
lahOma and the southwest for several
years before his final capture in 1897
and subsequent conviction in federal
court. He served a few years in the
prison at Columbus, o., before being
pardoned by President Mckinley. His
citizenship was later restored by Pres
1dent Roosevelt, and he began the prac-
tice of law in Oklahoma City. In 1912
he ran for the Democratic nomination
as county attorney Of Oklahoma coun-
ty against six other candidates. Be-
fore the primaries five of the candi-
dates withdrew to concentrate the vote
against him, but in spite of this he OBJ
tanned the nomination. At the general
election he was defeated by narrow
margin by Republican who was sup
ported by both the Republican and
Democratic organizations. ~. 5.'