The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-02-15

TdriOuS state WSffWAUS. n IS me SCcOHd dCdlHg
wM conditions in the state rcformoiory at Granite.
The Hrd wW appear pCrt Moudoy)
BY JESSIE W HILTON
"arsr"' ' by %, o-'a'"' r ,,'r, $50. a" 'r .r.''i '"
Imagine group of 223 concentrating their thought
upon one other man-a i'll Of influcnza-and wishing,
willing hoping praying that that man die
That what happened IN the state Rcformatory at
Granite only short time ago when Charles Dcwcse stew
ard of the reformnry fell i'll of the disease which caused l5
900 deaths in Oklahoma.
SO cordially he hated by the convicts according to
the statements of various inmates to when visited the
reformaory few days ago. that they decided upon the
concentration experiment in attempt to cause his death
Previously told certain inmates had attempted his life
by the use Of dynamite taken from the granite quarres in
which they are worked This scheme frustrated by the
discovery of the dynamite
Charges to Stokes
Charges of brutality by the conycs themselves against
Dewesc Warden Boone Williams and others made to
NJ. Stokes representatives from Grady county, who was
one of legislative committee which investigated the place
Typical of the charges signed statement made to
Stokes BY Allen Thompson Convict No. 1894 have the
statement in my possession now 1t reads:
"To Whom II May Concern;
81, Allen Thompson, No. 1894, inmate of the o.
S r. (Oklahoms State Reforma,ory) wish to have the
legislature Of the state of Oklahoma read the following
lines
81 That the warden i, the most brutal and
prlnCipaIed
2. That his subordinates than he is,
namely the deputy warden and the sergeant Mr. Bran
Those three the most uncvzed, unprncipaled
brutal with the utmost disregard for human life
that allowed to hold such positions Governor
Williams must have been crazy.
49, That the warden is not competent enough to
occupy the position he holds because of his business
inability and the inability to hire competent enough
to hold other jobs, such steward the present stew
ard, Mr. Dewese, has been farmer all his life and
not the for the job. First he does not know enough
to cook the food man can eat it, and, second, in
stead Of putting cook in there Tin the kitchen) to work
he gets a farmer blacksmith in the kitchen and the
cooks the quarry farm The food and has been
something awful ever since have been here some six
teen months.
Instead Of feeding what supposed to get
they (the guards) pack il off home and get slop-
stuff you would be ashamed to give your animals To tell
long story short, il is another Hell Hole
"Can you, people who make the laws and punish
people for violating them do something for this placer
"The commissioner of charities and corrections
here once think Gas heard) never him. but the
warden had him by the and he could not get away
from him long enough to find out what anything
"What you have read 10 only part (l.1O) Of what
would like to write down and tell you, and 10 the God
Almshty's truth. Take il leave IT, II 10 immaerial to
me- for l have clear record and making my time
the short way regardless. If you better conditions
know Of 2l6 other convic that would appreciate very
much.
Give my regards to Mr.. Disney. Representative
"(Ssned) ALLEN THOMPSON"
Other convicts whom Stokes says willing testify in
clude Nos 1926, 168-4-S, 1914, 2O50 and 20O1.
Food Complaint Common
Thompsons complaint about food seems to be very com
mon among the convcs Sugar scarcely served used
seems.
At the supper which with the convcts no sugar nor
anything sweet served at the table The prunes which
served had been cooked unsweeened Dewese insisted
Continued a. Column 81