The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-18
WARDEN QUITS FIGHT
rcon.inued from page one.l

COpItS OdpptT II
1912 and went up and down the state
preaching the gospel of Capper's po-
Itical duplicity So when Botkin's
political neck came under the axe, the
governor opened the purse strings OF
his contingent fund and employed
special counsel to see that the execution
was prompt and effective. During the
prompt and effective. During the
hearing every effort was made to sup
press mention of the Codding admin
istration or a comparison of the rec
ord of the two wardens.
Yet evidence that Botkin had fol-
lowed the policies of his predecessors
was so strong that several members OF
the commission protested against the
appointment of Codding.
Comparison of Records.
THE people OF Kansas are more
concerned about conditions existing IN
their penitentiary than they are about
the man who draws The warden'S sal
ary,'' said Botkin in leading up to a
comparison of his record with that of
his predecessor and successor. They
are in favor Of a square deal. They
are opposed to making political foot
balls OF state institutions.
Question of efficiency in public
service is a question of comparison.
Some standard should be established
by which administrations may be
measured Surely some past wardens
must have been efficient servants and
would have furnished an excellent
standard for COM 1riSon in this case.
But the committee sought to prevent
all references to former wardenS on
the ground that they were not on trial.
This left the committee to decide the
question OF my competency from evil
dence adduced and from their own
brief inspection of the prison With
one or two exceptions the men who
testified to the deplorabIe conditions
and the lack of discipline knew moth
ing of the facts, having been dismiss
FrrNrN fho ri10 h.. On fnT
drunkenness or other infractions of
the rules or for general incompetency
ard have been loafing around the viii
1age waiting for $50 job that would
open with a change in the warden
ship.
Men who have been continuously
in the service from 10 to 16 years,
chiefly Republicans, testified to
improvements in the coal mine, Irvine
plant, and other industries, as we'll IS
the change in spirit of prisoners, their
willingness to work and absence of
quarrels and fights. Yet the COM
mittee, without knowledge of prison
management, and after two or three
hours personal inspection, found
lack of discipline.
The Lone Wolf Affair.
Much is made of the Lone Wolf
made it my duty to lend the prisoners
money. L knew of no place to lend
it. After his repeated requests for me
to take the money at four per. cent, 1
finally took it at ten per cent, which
L paid His parole was not delayed
day by the transaction. Evidence at
the hearing showed that $165 taken
from the fund by Mr.. Codding for the
purpose of taking a federal prisoner
to Chicago, was not returned until
last spring, although the money was
taken in 1913.
Take the findings concerning the
McGinnis patents" explained the de-
Il lnN1 hi H.
mony of n convict thoroughly coached
by a lawyer and a prison officer and
ne had his piece we'll learned. To make
its findings, the committee accepted
his testimony against my own state
ment and statements of reputable Of
ficers.
LAS for Stalnaker and Clifford, I !
want to say to the people and before |
God, at whose bar saal stand, that |
I had none but the purest motives in |
these cases Shorn of political color |
ing my Vindication, if needed, would /
be complete.
They charge that 1 discharged en-
ployecs for political purposes. 1 wish |
the committee might have quoted my |
testimony in full. 1 am accused of |
having discharged Jones TO make |
room for q. Democrat. Yet Republic |
was put in his place. At the time |
of my suspension there were forty !
Democrats, thirty-five Republicans |
and fourteen men of unknown pOliti- |
cal f3IitE on the payroll At the time |
of my appointment in January, 1913, |
l know of two Democrats working at !
the prison
The committee quotes the law of
1909 making unlawful the perform
ance of duties for private citizens out |
sside the prison walls. During my adj
m;niStra ton, woman convict nursed |
a, sick woman in need of assistance |
Another time u prisoner performed a /
service for the prison physician. 1c:-
timory by john Blown, chief clerk
under Wardens Jewell, Haskell and |
COdding, was to the effect that MANY
convicts worked outsice the prison
walls for private citizens under these
administrations.
Burned Buildings.
When l took charge OF the prison.
I found n district so by zoe feet
burned in the fire of 1913. The Irvine
plant and shops We're among the
buildings destroyed. Months of time
and much 1noney were REQUIRED to re-
move the debris and rebuild the twine
mill Money was taken from tiie re-
volying fund. My maintenance furd
had been heavily taxed to pay S20,741
for provisions bought by Mr.. Codding
and about 5 5000 VIC nth of these pro-
visions had been consumed. Nearly
$4,000 was nee0Cc to replace shops |
and equipment outside the Irvine mill
REPAIRS TO the Worn out power plant,
purchase of new boilers, installation
of new filtration station. and pur-
chase of teams for the farm.
1t is charged" Botkin recitcd,
THAT officers drank liquor in the pris-
on. 1t is in evidence that discharged |
them for these :nfIacIioEs OF rules. /
The prosecution used these same eX-
officers, discharged for drinking, in |
making a Sc against me.
Seven officers WHO served during |
the Codding administration made af-
fidavit as to the frequent use Of the /
straiGht-iacket and iron gag under /
that administration as a method of |
punishment. 3. d. Jones stated on
cross examination that he applied /
these instruments of torture to Harry