Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-11-29
WARDEN MURPHY
TO BE RELIEVED
OF DUTIES DEC. |
Deputy Warden Burns VIII Act
Until Arrival Of Success
sOr, Robert Stevens.
MARKS ANOTHER JOG IN
CROOKED ROAD OF PRISON
Murphy Is Fourth Man In 4
Years To Hold Position
OF Warden.

WdIucl ShdiiSS n 3uutPhy Wlii sup
down and out as head of the state peni-
tentiary tomorrow, as he has requested
Governor Withycombe to be relieved
of his duties there on December /. Dep
uty Warden Burns will act as warden
until the arrival of Robert Il. Stevens,
who will succeed Murphy as warden.
tSevens is expected not later than the
middle of December.
The passing Of Warden Murphy will
mark another jog in the crooked road
which has marked the course of the
state prison since Governor Witty
combe has been in office. Murphy is
the fourth man to hold the position OF
warden in the last -four years and all
ef them, with the exception Of Harry
p. Mimic who was killed while on duty
had stormy exits.
From time immemorial the chief ex-
ecutiye of the state has had charge of
the management Of the p,nitentiary
The constitution confers upon him the
exclusive power of granting paroles
and pardons, and with that power has
gene the management of the prison.
Management Changed a.
When Oswald West was governor he
conceived the idea of placing the man
agement Of the prison in the hands OF
the three members cf the state board
namely, the governor secretary Of
state and state treasurer h. drafted
the board Of control law and incorpo-
rated in it a provision which transfer
rcd the management of the prison from
the governor to the board Of control.
But the governor still retained the
exclusive power to grant paroles and
pardons. AS result the other two
members of the board Of control never
assumed active authority over the
prison, but by common consent contin-
ued to permit the governor to have
free band out there.
This was the situation when Gov
ernor Withycombe took office. b. Il.
Lawson was warden then. Up to that
time Lawson had been given a free
hand as to the employees he had under
him. Governor Withycombe soon chang
ed that condition. He wanted to name
the parole officer. He wanted Joe Kei-
ler appointed. Joe Kellers reputation
,s wni'e nenl'U, H. olouJ and Law.
nee 1orce was uhu'i IiVuu S @ n;m+ 80
Keller to the place.
Lawson Discharged
The result was that the governor de-
manded and obtained Lawson's dis.
cha'so' marry : 1ulAsy mas "Ppgtn l'ge;asr
anu helcr was i".nse paiv'L III eoit
lhe governor neAt % llaae a'. ~ nala rdnn iI,
In cuFping tne llee~vn' ,s " 'ne "alust' ant
10 selecl einPioyes. ne goseangi ~. 49,
~ plEOe VI u ta"bknono.'' LII, '' Kallor Xii ond
WAS hanleu as po0HNsep0,' ho,l - L.. ' ~
pavey hase oin.e an n .;.on NJ W
tne.f fe,aNons ; az tho tho Pn ~a,,nr,or bad a
All the Will '.;un ,me ~ soroin ,',;4on HaNob.
'i"H- - 80 ;o, 81. 4ha fla y
tanned tne apPioP,aas.aIa Paaaaaaa ~ ~ .naud the
experiment anu PiVS. ~ ma; - spll tp.uall,, Il
money as ne sa" ~, unal ,is q 4,
became 50 eViueht sn"S 2 WaHtsAu e.: sJsx
nre VA peins ~ n."us y 'Se st.4a - = oia"tt
crop that 'oeolela,S ~ ~ ~ - ~ an.
TOOK up tne mate, anu ~ 49, ~ ,.r
port OF 9tate iieasGl'. 10" =.
" I9reed q chahse ~ ny mans ~
OF tne iiaA worn i-oao ,,aa..,a tha f,,,
Alter thls ePieou., a,,,Sar; mAsi' :. .ha ~ aor.
board exercised l's auli,V,i y tne 81
ehnof was again anomeu 's - '-n1'o' '
deslihies qi ny I.on p,,'ia A,.oroA
n, a. o ,'"S~or o,'s' al NO, lik. the
but tne go'elhor uiu not INo 80
idea OF haYing ine otnei ~ -, nj.
or tne poarl ~ posi''on ~ a. a. :. .ha
on his management as they uuu IN tho