Indiana daily times., 1921-06-28
b WALTER D. THCKMAN.

deputy sherln-
To be q deputy sheriff you don't
have to run for office nor make any
promises of protectin' the interests of
the taxpayers.
All you have to have to be deputy"
is to stand in well with the sheriff him
SELF
The other mornin' I acted like dep
uty sheriff" from 4 a. N. until a. m.
didn't have star or a "gat' to i'm
press any one with my authority. All
possessed vas the hope that three men,
who had been sentenced to the Indiana
State }arm by Judge James A Collins
--cf the Criminal Court, would not attempt
to do the vanishing stunt from SherlH
George Snider's trusty and speedy nlvVer'
There was a feelin' at the jail, espe-
cIallv with Night Jailer Frank Kemp
that q newspaper man could shake the
sheets at the uncivilized hour of a. m.
ana arrive at the Jail by 3:45 O'Clock,
Some people have the strange idea that a
reporter sleeps until a. m, takes an
hour for breakfast and then gets shaved
by q barber T..
So. Kemp called the hotel and in
formed Night Clerk Boyles to tell me 10
come to the jail at once, cause the sherlH
was waitin' for me-"
~sHERIFF WAITIN'."
CLERK GETS BUSY. 80,
Bovles informed me that "the sheriff
was waitin' for me" and it took me tlve
minutes to persuade him that It was not
necessary for him to figure up my hotel
bill for the week.
told Boyles that I was on such good
terms with the sheriff that l was gong 10
act like a deputy sheriff"
well, the sheriff isn't in the habit Of
getting our guests out Of bed at a. m
Just for pleasure ride" said Boyles
Arriving at the jail, 1 realized for the
first time what liberty means. A negro
by the name of James Anderson was
standing in a big room as Night Jailer
Kemp waited for Harry Middleton 10
complete his arrangements for a little
stay Of six months at the farm" An
derson also had six months to serve.
Kemp slipped the bracelets" the cop
pers term for handouts, on the left
wrist Of Anderson and on the right wrist
Of Middleton.
Then James r. Hoffman Of Tennessee,
e u-dressed chap of. %, n fact he was
too we'll dressed for the company he was
about to keep took his place at the right
OF Anderson and Kemp slipped one end
Of a bracelet over his left wrist
Il am goin for year for nothin'. for
absolutely nothin'," complained Hof-
man.
"They got me right" laughed Ander-
son. ~and I couldn't talk my way out
Of it."
Middleton said nothing.
CHORUS CALLS
FOR CIGARETTES.
Suddenly the three spoke as If in a
chorus TO me, Got any cigarettes,
pardf"
1 knew that prisoners are not allowed
to smoke cigarettes at the jail. or on the
farm and I decided thos 1 would be a
perfect" deputy and say nothin.
Just then Sheriff Snider entered and
said TO his prisoners, Good morning,
boys
Then be looked at the handouts and
asked, Frank. you haven't got them too
tight, have you? I don't want to cut
their wrists as We have some rough
roads"
Kemp assured the sheriff that "they
were all right"
Again the three in bracelets" Cant
we have some cigarettes :"
The sheriff said nothing, but walked
TO his desk and took out a package Of
smokes.
Hand what's left back to me before
we get to the farm because you can't
smoke them there"
prisoner called out, Jimmy. where
you goin'2"
COIN TO
SUMNER HOME.
Down TO my summer farm for six
months yelled back Anderson as the
sherih, the three prisoners and myself
walked to snider's car.
Have you your 32;" asked Kemp Of
j the sheriff
All set" answered Snider as he
touched his pocket.
The three prisoners were loaded into
the back seat. Sheriff Snider took his
place behind the wheel Of the car and 1
sat next to him.
Jimmy Anderson acted as custodian Of
the smokes" and am sure he was over
generous with them. Jimmy and his
companions had to do some clever man
ipulstiOns to handle their smokes" with
handouts on their wrists.
For the first several miles the three in
The back seat smoked and kept silent.
At Plainheld, I decided I would follow
The philanthropic path OF the sheriff and
I handed out three cigars. Middleton
and Hoffman told me thai they could en-
Joy a good cigar" Anderson accepted
his but put it in his pocket. Middleton
was game and smoked it all up, but Hoff-
man switched to pill" before the cigar
was half gone.
As we neared the farm, Anderson said,
'T have been there before"
KNEW WILD BILL
AND HIS CANE.
"Then'>you know Wild Bin?'" asked
snidef.
yes. and his cane too" answered, An
derson. "As long as a feIler does the
right thing with Wild Bill, you and he
are good friends. but If you double cross
him. we'll
That's when you remember his cane,"
said the sheriff
AS long as you are right. he is al
right with you said Anderson.
wild Bill is the name the prisoners
have given TO William GIidewen, assistant
superintendent at the Indiana State
Farm. He is the symbol of authority at
the penal farm. They do not eat at the
farm until wild Bill" takes a heavy
cane from the wall Of his office and
starts to the dining hall.
When I met wild Bill" I saw a man
with red hair and a red mustache he
looked wise" forceful and very power
fuI If he had to exercise discipline. He
was out and out a man. He knows pris-
oners, as he thinks several hours ahead
Of them When he has to tame" a pris-
oner he seldom has failed. His ''medi-
cine" always gets results. To wild
Bill" falls the credit of the really mar
velous discipline at the Indiana State
Farm.