The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-17
Mr.. LONE WOLF


ployees?" asked L. J. Pettyjohn of
the commission
+ Each was given the privilege of
appearing before the board Some
did SO and were reirstated-''
Jones Did Not Appeal.
Did Jones ever ask for an investi-
cation of mis- case ?'' asked A M
Jackson of Botkin counsel
He did not
He tried his case in the news
papers and not before the board
He didn't appeal tie u.s.
Did you ever see contract re-
garding the McGinnis patent?" asked
McKeever.
L did not
Ever hear of such a contract"
Yes, 1 heard of one
WAS the warden's name on it?"
Il do not know.
DO you know of a meeting over
Botkin's office one night when John
Schenck was present and was asked
concerning the legality of the con-
tract ?'
4 do not
Entertainment Fund.
Brown was questioned concerning
the wardenS entertainment fGnd
This fund amounts to $1,000 year
and is paid to the warden in monthly
installments. Brown admitted that
from July 1, 1913, to January j, 191 B.
there had oeen no itennized account
ing concerning the use of the fund.
Jones WODbly WlUheSS-
Muddled and uncertain as to details
of many specific instances of alleged
official misconduct on the part of War
den Botkin, B. D. Jones, discharged
employee, relied often on rumor and
hearsay in three hours of testimony
against the state prison head Time
after time Jones insisted he, had been
discharged for political reasons and
produced a flattering letter to prove
it, Under direct examination, though,
Jones admitted he was a party to the
placing of Harry Thomas, an insane
patient in a straight jacket and fore
ing gag in his mouth. Thomas died
in 40 minutes.
Jones, the star witness in the case
against Botkin, was the first person to
take the stand in the hearing before
Governor Capper's investigating COM
mittee. Under xamination by Sen
ator Noah L. Bowman, a member of
the commission, Jones Outlined the
basis of his fifteen charges against the
Democratic warden.
In one instance, Jones based COM
plant the fact that certain prison
officers didn't speak Under cross eX-
animation by Senator /. M. Mahin of
Botkin's counsel. Jones admitted he
did not know about the matter of his
own knowledge and had never re-
ported the matter to the warden.
Another time Jones complained that
certain prisoners were given privileges
as TRUSTEES. Another time employees
had been dismissed from service on
notice asking for their designations
under the Democratic rule. Jones
a lack of prison system and
and declared some pri-
SonerS were employed at work outside
the prison walls.
Jones had heard, he testified, that
Botkin was in some manner interested
in some sort of patent owned by some
prisoner.
A Serious Charge.
on another occasion Jones had
heard that Botkin borrowed some
money from William Lone Wolf, an
Indian convict. This was one, of the
most serious of the Jones charges and
spectators were surprised when A. NJ
Jackson, representing Botkin, virtually
admitted the charge by interposing a
question as to whether this money had
been repaid.
Some of the alleged misconduct of
Botkin concerned the treatment of w
FL. Schumacher and B. j. Clifford. Most
of this information had reached Jones
prison convicts or statements
in newspapers. Another prisoner, S.
S. Lorring, the witness claimed, was
permitted to go to Ieavenworth and
other places in citizens clothing
Efficiency of prison management
was impaired, the witness thought,
through certain newspaper interviews
by Botkin as to the condition of the
prison Irvine plant. That constituted
one of the charges. Another went to
the discharge of employees for politi-
cal reasons. Jones offered himself as
an example and gave names of other
who he said had been
dropped from service in similar
Edwin McKeever, representing
Governor Capper, brought out that b.
J. Clifford, convict, mad been seen rid
ing in some ones automobile Nc
Keever also prompted the statement
that Ike johnson, also a convict, had
performed some operations on injured
prisoners. Another bit of evidence
was to the effect that a registered
was not always employed
in the prison drug store.
Some Prisoners Escaped.
Sometimes, the witness said prison
ers escaped. He gave the names of
several men who had left the prison.
Some of them, Jones thought, had not
returned. But he was not always sure.
He had left the prison in October,
1913-thirty days after the date of
commission date-and his
visits to the prison since then had not
been frequent.
Can you me one person to whom
you made all of these complaints be-
fore your discharge?' asked Senator
Mahin.
Jones quibbled. Finally he said he
had told Deputy Warden F'itzgibbons
that n man named Clark should not
have supervision over other prisoners.
Jones had heard that Fitzgibbons and
Botkin were not friendly.
IF you were not helping Fitzgfb-
bons in creating strife among the pris-
on employees. why did you not go to
Botkin with your complaint %
was asked.
The witness was not certain, but
that at the time he did not
know of the Botkin- Fitzgihbons row.
1t was when Senator Ma hin sought
to wiring from Jones an admission