The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-29
"We Amt TelIin' How, but
Wen Get Him!" Prisoners Say.
Criminals Too Proud to Have
Murderer in Their Midst.
talk TO STATE JOURNAL man
"He's Not One of U.s." the Con-
victs Openly Declare!
Warden Says He'll Make Every
Effort to Protect Him.

1t is common talk around the state
penitentiary not only among the pris-
oners. but among guards as well. that
Bissell will not live to be sentenced for
the atrocity he committed in Topeka.
No guard is going to kill him and they
will use due diligence to protect him
from the prisoners but he cannot be
protected in the seclusion of the Of
ficial residence indefinitely. The time
must come when he will go into cell
and take up his task like other pris-
oners.
"I wouldn't give a nickel for that
fellows chance If they put him out
here" said a Topeka convict out in
the prison yard last night. He
wouldn't last longer than SNOWFALL
How would they get him?" was
Il amt tellin' how they'd get him
but they'll get him. was the laconic
reply.
Never in the history of the Kansas
penitentiary. officials say, has there
been as much feeling against a fellow
prisoner as there is against Bissell.
Glasses in Prison.
Most of these fellows know they
are criminals" said Warden Codding,
but they know they are too good to
associate with a fellow like this. There
are classes in prison just as there are
outside, but there is no class into
which this man fits
Bissell has not been inside the
prison walls to date. sHe has been
kept in the big building used as a
residence by Warden Codding and in
which the offices are located. He is
handcuffed and shackled. He is
guarded constantly. He is moved from
room to room. Warden Codding ad-
mitted last night that this method of
handling Bissell could not be kept up
indefinitely He admittd he had a
serious problem on his hands.
When He Goes to Work.
Eventually" said another officer,
"Bissell is going to have to go to
work and take his chances. OF course
we will try to protect him.
The writer walked through the
tUine plant the morning after Bissell
was taken to the prison. He did not
know any of the prisoners working
there but during the trip through six
different convicts stepped up and
asked some question about BisseIl.
They knew what his crime was and
they knew he had been brought to the
penitentiary Just ahead of mob.
Their sentiments were with the mob.
Man With Daughters.
Let them put him out here in the
twine plant declared one old prison.
err VINO. II developed later, is the faith
er of four daughters, ''and see what
will happen to him"
why didn't you let the mob hang
the -?" asked another convict
This is no place for MIN over here.
He's not one of us"
Bissell is known all through the
prison. He has the record of a de-
generate there. although it is not
down in black and white. Half a
dozen prisoners who knew him when
he was at Lansing last told of his
1ewd and degenerate conduct Some
of the things told coincided with in
formation the Bertillon man already
had.
Known as DIRTY Face"
At the prison BisseT was known as
DIRTY Face" He served time under
the name of Frank Davis. No one in
the penitentiary knew him as Fred
Bissell vet there was talk among the
convicts before Bissell was definitely
connected up with the crime that it
looked like the work of Dirty Face -
Prisoners and officials at the state
penitentiary will be surprised if Bis
sell lives any great length of time
after he is required to take up his
daily task and go to and fro in the
prison yard.
Blow to Parole System.
THE parole system could not have
possibly suffered a greater setback
than was the case when it became
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