The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-08-22

state eight dollars a month-whileo out at the prison
we are paying out between thirty-fve and forty
dollars a month for another team to replace them
Arrangements were soon completed. Anderson
was provided with a ticket to go as fay as he could
by train. Then he was given money to buy gro
ceries, for he was starting on a weeks journey out
across the lonely desert and up into the wild, rough
foothills at the edge of the timbered mountains
1t was not long before the newspapers got hold
of this scare-head story-this most rash act of the
governor in releasing s%cot-free, a convicted muir
derer who hadn't been outside of prison walls or
beyond the fire of a dozen riaemen for years. The
governors closest advisers deplored what he had
done, and the opposition newspapers limited that
the chief executive must be either insane or secret
ly conniving. At the very best, the opposition
boldly declared, the governor was sorely tempting
the convict-donating him money, provisions, and
the use of two of the states horses, and, thus
equipped, sending him off alone into the wilder
ness. &
The week wore around-and Anderson came
back with the team to his lifetime prison cell.
Arizona, which has a larger proportionate prison
population than any other state in the Union, had
learned it's first lesson in the application of the
radical and bold honor system" among convlcts.
Lesson number two was not long in following,
Another Arizona state prison inmate, a convicted
forger, was released "on his honor" for a months
| time. and given enough money to carry him to
Washington, d. c., that he might file patents Tor
several of his inventions. The governor assumed
responsibility-but before the month came 10 an
end Roy ]. Meyers had voluntarily returned to his
| prison cell. A banker friend of the governor
was still critical of the new prison honor sys-
tenn" so when a certain convicted forger was dis
charged after his prison term, the banker sent
him a bill for a formerly forged check. The next
mail brought back currency to the amount.
One might add instances from other reform
state prisons that have adopted the honor sys-
tenn" In Oregon, Governor West learned that the
shoe shops in the state prison at Salem had out
of-date equipment. So the governor called up the
prison one day and requested that q certain life
termer be sent down to his office, without guard.
The warden at first protested, but the convict
came. The governor merely talked with him for a
few minutes. then sent the convict out to see the
town for an hour. At the third visit the governor
explained why he wanted to get acquainted. The
prisoner was given money to go to Portland and
buy new shoe-shop machinery in the name of the
state. It was Rose Festival week in the Oregon
metropolis and the city was crowded with visitors.
But mo. 3615" completed the business and re-
turned to his lifetime prison cell.
The honor system has probably never had a
more thorough and satisfactory test than at the
Colorado state prison, in Canon City, under War
den Thomas j. lyman. During the past three
years this prison has had over 1000 individual
prisoners In the convict camps. These men, with
out guards-some so. 100 and even 400 miles away
from the prison-have created a national reputa-
tion for loyalty. Less than one per cent have VIC
lated their pledges by successful escape.
Just outside OF Canon City, where one would