The Topeka state journal., 1919-08-04
Governor Orders a State Wide
Investigation To-Day.
Delinquent County Officials to
Face Custer Proceedings.
RELICS OF THE DARK AGES
Scores of Complaints Have
Been Received by Allen.
Shawnee County One of Most
Lax, 1t Is Believed.

Kansas county attorneys and dis
trict judges will face custer proceed
ings if county jails of this state are
not improved, cleaned and made sani-
tary. That was the edict of Governor
Allen today when he directed DIR. S.
J. Crumbine, secretary of the state
board of health, to Immediately con-
duct statewide investigation.
In announcing a plan for better To-
cal prison conditions in this state.
Governor Allen declared that reports
from some counties recalled stories of
the dark ages. He said officials in
charge of Jail inspections would be
held accountable for conditions If
improvements were not made, and
jails placed in sanitary condition, he
would direct the attorney general to
bring custer proceedings under the
state law.
Scores of Complaints.
Since he entered office Governor
Allen has received scores of com
plants regarding Jail conditions in
various counties. He took action to-
day when he held a conference with
Doctor Crumbine and directed an i'm
mediate investigation. The probe of
conditions will take Doctor Crumbine
and members of his staff into every
county in the state.
Some of the largest counties in the
state are reported to be the greatest
offenders under the law. While these
counties care for the largest number
of prisoners, their Jail conditions are
the most deplorable. 1t is probable
that Doctor Crumbine will make early
Investigations in the big counties of
shawnee, Sedgwick, Wyandotte, Reno,
Crawford, Leayenwcrth and other
counties. Scores of complaints have
reached the governor regarding the
Shawnee county Jail.
1T is inconceivable that some of the
Ja1ls of Kansas are in such bad con-
d1tton," Governor Allen said today
Conditions in many cases bark back
to the dark ages. This is not the re-
Jails. 1t is indifference and callous-
ness which comes from ignorance.
- County Officials to Blame.
1.-The laws of Kansas say persons in
county Jail shall be given humane
treatment under such conditions as
make possible reformation. Associat-
ing reformation with present condi-
tions in many counties is impossible.
1T is the duty of county attorneys
and district judges to hold frequent in
spections. That law has become a
dead letter, so far as many counties
are concerned. There is no other way
to explain this situation. Because of
these conditions 1 have directed the
secretary of the state board of health
to inspect the jails in every county in
Kansas and to report conditions. If
Jails are not made sanitary and clean,
will direct the attorney general to
bring custer proceedings against the
officials who neglect their duty"
Several months ago the federal gov
ernment removed several alleged l. w.
w. members and agents from the
Shawnee county Jail. This action was
taken following hunger strike by the
prisoners. Investigation by federal au-
thorities is said to have convinced
these men that local Jail conditions
would not warrant the keeping of gov
ernment prisoners here. Many COM
plants have also been made as to
Wyandotte and Sedgwick county, Gov
ernor Aliens home.
Some counties have built modern
iails," said the governor, but the in
spection Of jails and recommendations
which were made years ago when
was a member of the old state board
of charities. seem to have produced
only one result-worse jaNS. Now We
will see if we can't clean things up a
bit-even by the use of the custer