The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-02-17
GRANITE WARDEN IS
T0LD STATE REPORT
WILL BE FAVORABLE

After having eaten with the con
.rls can testify ,ruthiully thai
there is no danger OF the prisoners
ever eating themselves 10 dcaih--cven
though many OF them are compelled 10
labor IN the granite QLarries. ] am
prepared TO state that both the quality
and amount Of food served the prs
unrfs at Granite is not sufficient TO
keep men a, hard work IN good health
must turn back again TO my con
vcrsa,lon with Warden W,lliamS on
the ,ublco, Of the conyic,S' diet
Don't you know that with such a
restricted i ct and because Of the lack
Of vegetables m your menus you are
running the risk Of causing seufvy
among the conyiets" I asked him
# consult our physician In regard to
the amoun, OF protein he should have
daily." he SAID II am careful about,
,h,r foods also have consulted MI
DcweSc. CDcwese is the man who said
he wa, only a farmer and was doing
the best he could) have said this 70
INN You have been hard-workins
man. and you know how much II take,
90 feed such man
Warden Williams then led me
through a labyrinth OF ideas on sub
lc,t, ranging from psychology to
,rlmnology and penology. Because
thi, conversation may disclose some
thing Of the warden'S type OF mind. !
will give an outline oi II:
"Conyicts should be segregated and
Classified according TO their crimes,
| he said.
Then he discussed other facts and
STATISTICS regarding the conyicts un-
der his care.
I'VE have 81 boys u years ot age
| s. boys y years old, IA boys ilS wears
old and u Young men OF 10. The young
offender is the problem OF the. -d
yorced home. In fact" said he. rs
percent Of our conyic,s are under q
years OF age We need might schools
as ~ percent Of our conViois are un'
able 10 read or write and only W men
are dObNr lU' nun Rldl's
lie added later as an afterthought
as percent are mentally or physically
defective"
asked him whether he had any di.
version for the young boys, whether h,
had "a reading room or ANYTHING fo'
their upliit He drii,ed into the sub
cc,s OF convict liberty and citeC
Thomas Mott Osborne rs an exampl,
where the pendulum swung too far
We were then discussing abuses sale
TO exist in his institution. ! asked hin
whether /, was true that convicts wer'
being abused.
His reply was: 81 always ins,ruc
guard TO protect himself, first las
and all time We are dealing will
Grim mails. Never forget that"
| ask him whether he has not los
many hogs from starvation,
He replied "Yes. yes, just like an,
farmer around here. Well. the
wcren', hogs, YOU know just li,tl
pigs. They piled up under sheds an
Smo,hered themselves They orowde
into shed, you understand. and pile
up on top OF one another. | thin
about thirty died in this way"
Liver Story Denied.
Before we closed our conyersatio
J asked about shipment of liver fror
Oklahoma City which II had been re
ported were lef, a, the depot durin
, the hot weather until flies and hea
had spoiled it, ! asked him whe,he
this was true His explanation wa
that all shipments for the reiorma
tory were Immediately removed fror
the irelgh, station and that i, woul
be impossible for any such thing ,
happen
He said "You have asked me re
"arding' the same line OF things III
: legislative committee asked
, Before closing this article | wis
to give credit for things deservin,