The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-07
JAIL is A CRIME
Judge Yates Condemns COndi-
tiOns i'm Topeka.
"BulI Pen" Takes Heart and
Soul From Prisoners.

Resolutions, putting the Topeka
Rotary club officially behind the To-
peka municipal farm movement, and
ruling that petitions be circulated by
the club to call a special election for
the purpose of voting bonds to finance
such an institution, were adopted to-
day at the club dinner in the Mills tea
room. A campaign to work hand in
hand with those who are backing the
county welfare settlement movement
and another to abolish the old city
launched by the knights of the wheel.
A City Project.
1t was ruled at today's meeting to
make the municipal farm project of
the city of Topeka and not attempt to
make a. joint city and county affair.
E. w. Rankin, chairman of the public
affairs committee, who investigated
the proposition on behalf of the Ro-
tarians and made a defininte report o.
day, estimated that the farm would
ure is half the original estimated cost.
Prior to the adoption of the resolu-
lions, the Rotarians listened to
scathing denunciation of conditions at
the city Jail and lack of facilities for
handling misdemeanors of police
court by Robert Yates, police judge.
| The city Jail was termed "a crime
against Topeka and those who come
| judge. He said:
There is not the least doubt but
| what there is need of municipal
farm. Lack of facilities prevent me
from even hoping to do good in po-
| lice COURT. The only thing 1 can hope
for is that 1 will not do any more
harm than necessary by throwing men
| into the bull pen.
Bull Pen a Crime.
! 1.-THE men who come into police
| court are men that have been whipped
in the battle of life-not once but a
hundred times. And if there is any
| thing that will take the heart and soul
out of anyone it is a sentence to the
bull pen where the conditions are
! miserable and sordid.
Topeka could have no greater hu-
initiation than to have the truth
about this despicable place circu1at-
| ed over the country. The municipal
farm would not wholly do away with
a city Jail, but it would provide a
place where men and women who
| have been whipped in life could be
worse. Topeka is avoiding civic re-
| spOnsibility by making persons
brought into police court get out of
town as a price of their freedom.
| Every day turn men loose to get out
Of town because 1 have no fit place
to put Them
All Favor Movement.
Following Judge Yates, Hora ce
| Hall ana General "A. "A GOOarQ en-
dorsed the work of the club in getting
behind the movement.
Hugh Driscoll of the Topeka Traf-
fic association, gave the business talk
of the luncheon. He outlined the
work being done by the traffic associ-
alton in handling transportation prob
lens of local shippers. "It is the
policy of the association 10 bring the
carrier and the shipper into closer
personal harmony said Driscoll. He
spoke of the gigantic rate problem
and reminded his audience that il
would take one man 200 years tC
read the 1000 volumes of tariffs
each volume having 1000 pages
Harry Pugh read DriscolIs biog-
raphy wherein was outlined DriscolPs
| eventful and spectacular career in
jumping from delivery boy to tariff
expert.
| Other Talks Made.
Marco Morrow gave the Rotary tall
in the form of verse, THE Rotarian's
Prayer" in which he paid a beauti
full tribute 20 the belief of the knights
of the wheel.
A short talk by Father Murphy fol
lowed. and E. L. Copeland commend
ed the attitude of the Topeka traffic
association toward the railroads. Mr.
Copeland upho1ds the contention o.
the rate expert VINO recently made the
statement that the carriers rate:
I could be doubled and the consumes
= would never know the difference I'm
, lima EoIloUS Advance