The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-10-28
JEFFERSON CITYPARK
FOR ROYAL FAMILIES
Warden Of Penitentiary Names
Park After HimSelf-COn-
tainS Splendid Dance Hall
-Penitentiary in Debt.

jefferson City, Mo.-While such
peerless statesmen as Vest and Ben
ton go unhonored, d. c. McClung,
present warden Of the Missouri state
penitentiary and formerly chairman
Of the Democratic State Committee,
has erected to himself a permanent
monument at Jefferson City. This
brazen piece Of unmitigated effront-
cry has shocked the sense of proper
ton Of the thinking people of the
whole state, although the park is pop
ular at Jefferson City, especially
among the royal families" who fire.
quently use It for private parties. AL
though the park is erected On state
property belonging to all the people
of Missouri, 1t is understood that per-
mission from McClung is necessary
before the general public may use the
improvements there,
The park includes a splendid bath
ing beach Of concrete approximately
100 by $50 feet. Some of the cement
for this vas paid for by private sub
scriptlon in Jefferson City, Near by
is a stone bathhouse built with con
Wet labor with the words "McClung
Park" across the porch. Across the
stone entrance to the park McClung
has again placed his name permanent
ly, and also on the dance hall. The
dancing pavilion Is the only state
dancing pavilion In the United States.
1t Is of stone and it has been esti-
mated that 1t cost between $780, 900 and
100000. McClung permits the public
to dance there, the music being fur.
nlshed by a convict orchestra. Gov.
Major and his friends participate FIRE
Quently.
Where McClung got his authority to
exercise complete control, or from
whence the money came to build the
Improvements of McClung Park, is not
definitely known. An obsolete sys
TEN of accounting places the manage
ment Of the prison finances solely in
the warden's hands. Reporters have
been refused admission to the public
records time after time, McClung fire.
quently breaking into oaths when per
mission to see the records is asked
Hence, when McClung refuses admis
sion to the records there is no place
the detailed information concerning
penitentiary expenditures a be OBJ
tanned.
While this Is going on the stat,
penitentiary Is thousands Of dollars be
hind in running expenses. In Novem
Der, 1918, $4,000 was borrowed from
the National Bank of Commerce an
in April, 1914. $4,000 was borrowe
from the same bank 1t is understood
too, that the p~enitentiary is heavily 4
debt to jefferson City banks. Warde-
McClung is an active supporter of Co
Gardner, and there is a persistent III
NOR in jefferson City that II Col
Gardner Is elected McClung will con
tinue as warden Of the ~penitentiary
This rumor cannot be confirmed, how
ever, and little credence is given to 1
in jefferson City.
!. !. + :. !. :. !. = + = + = + !. :. !. :
= For never during the entire :
!. period of Democratic misrule in
+ this state, never even during
+ those days when Democratic
+ state officials were stealing from
!. the state treasury; during
= those days when bribe-givers and
+ bribe-takers stalked unwhipped
:. through legislative halls and the
! Governor Of the state was con
+ graduating the people that the
+ bribery was at the expense Of
I. the business interests and not of
+ the state treasury, have we had
+ such a humiliating failure of
= state government as during the
= last four years.-Ex-Gov. Hadley.
!. 1. !. = :. !. = !. !. !. !. + :. = +