The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-04-17
Is Discharged
AS a Prison Guard

Ia the state penitentiary January 49,
lHl4 has been discharged from the
prison service Failure to make size.
cessful use OF the prison blOodhouuds
IN several recent hunts for escaping
TRUSTEES IL assigned by Warden X "
Dick as the reason for Rilchie's dis
charge.
During the 1914 riot. after three
fugitive convicts had Killed three
prison officials and a visitor nt tho
penitcnhary, Richie intercepted the
conyicts and killed them with his
rifle"
The above article appeared iu the
columns Of an oklahoma city news
paper on April . purportius ~ h
shows, 10 be statement NJ Warden
X W Dick As tu the reason FOR my
discharge from service AS an cmploye
at the state pruItcu'lHN and iu jus
tice 10 the public and myself. | de
sire to reply thereto and give the
true reasons for my dismissal and
at the same time let the people and
taxpayers " oklahoma know NJ some
NJ the abomuahIe conditions prevail.
ing at this institution under the al
recti0u and management or misman
agement ~ X " Dick as warden Of
the state penltentiAry uf Oklahoma
II will be said Of Dick aud his
friends and Tor that matter. many
others that this statement coming
from discharged cmpIoye is madc
I'm malice and with intent 10 injurc
him simply because / lost my job
! viii not deny my summary dis
missal without sufficient reason. as
I shall shortly show. has augrrcd
and grievcd me deeply. but shall
not make statement In the lines
that follow that | cannot prove. nor
one that Warden Dick and his friends
viii dare to attempt 10 disproyr.
imply telling the plain unyarnishrd
truth. knowing that that IS the only
way for righteousness aud Justice to
prevail
NN' am NuHlllfh lN I'll lutN'
truths and expose some Of the false
and misleading statements ~ Warden
Dick and his supporters, as to IN
cidcnts that have occurred al the
penitentiary aud the conditions pre-
yaillng there, | will make the follow
lng statement about myself had
fifteen wears experience working I'm
the state pcnitentIury Of Texas mud
before that service had handled law
'iOlators Of all sorts and conditions
IN the capacity Of deputy sheriff for
six years These years In active ser
vice, dealing with maletuctors NJ a
great commonwealth like Texas.
mluglng with It's peace officers uf
high and low degree aud desire
10 render honest service In my Off
clal capacity surely credits me with
some understanding ~ 10 the proper
management and direction of All In
sttuuon like the Oklahoma pcniten
tlary at McAleSter, and desire to
say that this same institution IL not
state prison I'm any ordinary mean
Ing NJ that term, neither Ms r pro
gresslye institution Of that sort, uu
der the management Of a warden with
high ideals and lofty motives IN the
bettering of the men whom Justice
places there for infractlons of the
law, nor yet one " the older fash
loned kind where discipline and pun
ishment go hand In hand In stern,
mcOmpromlslng way Much more
truthfully can II be called rendez
yous for criminals, where no definite
plan or policy IL used ut any time
10 bring about conditions where tho
time and thought Of the prisoners
could and should be directed along
lines of usefulness TO themselves. tu
the state and to their future. so at.
tentiou Is given to correct policies
10 attempting To raise the level " the
convlct's mind, and attempt to show
him the benefits aud beauties Of cor
rect living ns compared with his pres.
ent condition, It's deprivation Of Nh
erty, ils shame and It's disgrace. ON
The contrary, n slipshod easy going gys.
TEN Of discipline, with the convict
himself us the real guiding hand pre-
walls aud rs Il result, vile aud i'm
moral conduct petty thieyiug uunrrelS.
teuds and even murder are constantly
occurring with but little or no u
tempt 10 correct or discipline un m,
part Of Warden Dick An these de
plurahle conditions could be- ayprtcd
and avoided 10y any competent mnu
who honestly gave his time and nt
tention TO the management " the ina
stltutlon In his charge. These ruudl
lions exist under Warden Dick they
always have existed aud will continue
10 exist ana even grow worse under
his Ideas of management. discipline
and control
My connection with the peniteuuary
nj MrAlrstrr began ON the lgh dny
NJ February 1911, when was AZ
signed duty Ms dog sergeant. being In
charge Of the hounds used to trail
escaping and escaped vuuyicts. and
terminated ON March ~ 1915. when
! was summnrily discharged hy Ward
IN Dick, who gave Ns his reason FOR
such action my failure to capture An
escaped convict which neither I'm trntb
nor yet Ia fact Is the reason for m,
dismissal The real reason WAS AN
Idea on his part that felt and knew
OF his Incompetent management as A
warden and that / meant what | said
when telling HIM aud other official.
mat ! would not be party tu any
deals involving departure from truth
aud right MS | saw 1t. aud would no,
iamely see aud know NJ any direct
wrong-dOlnE without hluntly and
plainly speaking Of II.
The following incident will elpIslu
my meaning aud very plainly show
Warden Dicks real reasons for m,
dismissal
Just after the state primary In Au
gust, 1914 he called me 10 his offlc,
aud In Il general way accused me of
talking too much and asked for res
lgnanon. My reply was that had
been talking n good deal for Bot
Williams for gOvarnnr ha1Iarod u,.i