Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-10-28
Nebraska
WARDEN TELLS OF
HONOR SYSTEM
Believes Results in Nebraska War
rant Risks Run in Letting
Men Have Freedom.
PAPER READ AT CONFERENCE
tFrom a SOD Correspondentl

(From staff Correspondent
LINCOLN. oct. 27.-(Special.)-The con-
ference of heads Of state institutions at
the offices Of the State Board OF Control
today was we'll attended all heads OF
state institutions being present
Warden Fenton's subject was the Re
forms and Honor system at the Nebraska
Penitentiary."
The warden gave a short history OF the
beginning OF the present system and its
progress to the present time. the first
move being to eradicate the dope traffic,
one of the greatest curses the institution
had hsd to contend with I'm past years.
That the cutting out of the habit has
been successful he showed by saving that
where formerly reports OF bad conduct
were made five TO ten times a day, now
about twice a month would cover these
deficiencies.
The anti-swearing society among the
guards and employees. he said, had added
much to the better atmosphere of the in
stitution and the results had been very
beneficial. one great help in handling the
men had resulted from gaining their con-
fidence. Good treatment and good food
had assisted greatly in bringing about a
better feeling between prisoners and those
placed over them.
In closing, he spoke OF the honor sys-
TEN used in the employment OF the men
on the roads and outside OF the walls Of
the prison. He said;
There is no doubt that the road build
ing, now in progress, will prove an en-
tire buccess. ms will enable our next
negislature to cope with thus problem to
a greater extent. They can devise ways
ana means of getting material for per-
manent road building at lower cost
to the state, and use this labor in this
way instead OF giving it away at an
expense TO the state. The fifty men EN-
ployed at this work are under the SUI
pervision of one unarmed guard. They
are strictly on their honor in this camp.
We figure the cost of feeding and hous-
ing those men at about So cents per day.
of which is credited to each man, the
institution received 81 per day and we
board and house them. have only
words of praise and commentator for
the boys at camp for their good work and
strict adherence to the rules and regu-
lations.
During the last two years we have
worked a number of our boys at raising
vegetables, grain and stock. This year,
under the honor system by their labors,
they have raised over 1900 bushels of
potatoes, 1000 bushels of onions, 70l
bushels of table beets, 5000 bushels of
corn and quite large amount OF oats
small vegetables that we have used at
the institution.
we have also raised 500 head of hogs
this year, besides great many chickens,
! This work has all been done by honor
men and will make a great saving in the
maintainence of the institution.
/ have sent many of our men on their
honor to help farmers in haying and har-
vesting and other work and rejoice to
say that in the last tire years l have
! not had an honor man leave the prison
warm. We have permitted number OF
our boys to visit sick or dying rela'
| tive some of them going outside of III,
state, not one has betrayed the trust.
! True, we have met with few dis
! appointments, but they are so few com
| PACED with the many who have made
| good that i am still a strong advocate
of the honor system. In many states thu
! advocates of the honor system have beer
/ handicapped by the severe criticism o.
the press, but in this state the pres
| has been very considerable, while we hav'
been trying out our new system of hand
ling the unfortunate.