The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-30
Problem Will Be Placed in
Hands of Civic Clubs.
Present Quarters a Disgrace
to City of Topeka.
ACTION is TAKEN BY TABOR.
Secretary of Merchants Assn
Will Present New Plan.
Special Election May Be Called
to Vote Bonds.

Prospects for a new city Jail in To-
peka loomed bright today with the an
nouncement that the problem will be
placed in the hands of the civic clubs
for action.
Milton Tabor, secretary of the To-
peka Merchants association, and who
was chairman of the joint civic water
committee which solved Topeka's wa
ter problem, is to go before the civic
clubs again in the interest of the new
jai!. 1t is expected that each club will
appoint a committee, which will in
turn resolve itself into a joint commit
tee to investigate the present disgrace
size CT a building needed to meet the
demands.
Present jail a Disgrace.
The city Jail at Fifth and jackson
streets has long been a disgrace to To-
neka. The narrow, cramped quarters.
the rickety floors, the Scared ana
battered furniture and the filthy cells
have long been common gossip. Tales
that have never done good Tor Iopeka
faye been carried over the country
bv officers who have stopped here
with their prisoners on their way
home. In some instances Officers
have flatly refused to allow their pris-
oners to be placed in the local Dull
pen"
Under the present Indefinite plans
it is proposed to tear down the rickety,
ANTIQUE structure now in use and build
a new Jail. There is plenty of ground
available at Fifth and Jackson street
now belonging to the city, for this pur-
pose. The new building will probably
be set back little from the sidewalk
, similar to the court house, but on
smaller scale. There will be couri
room of sufficient size to accommo-
date witnesses and spectators ano
/ furniture is to lie provided that is not
splintered so badly as to tear thf
clothes of those who come in contact
with it. There will be cells so ar
ranged that prisoners can be isolated
in case of necessity.
Isolation Is Necessary.
Isolation is an important element II
the investigation of criminals. Under
the present system, where two or more
men are arrested charged with z
crime, they must be put in together
where they have ample opportunity Il
frame" any kind of a story they
please This often handicaps the of
ficers seriously. There will also be ar
apartment where men and women oi
refinement who are unfortunate
W DS PidCSo iCSl' ma
be placed without coming in contac
with the dregs of humanity and th'
filth and vermin that are in evidence
in the present jail.
The deplorable conditions now ex
listing cannot be fully realized by on'
| who has not inspected the place
/ There is no escape from the horror o
the "bull pen" for those unfortunate;
who cannot furnish bond immediatel,
| upon their arrest. While the toe
/ often expressed opinion that suci
conditions are good enough for then
may be true in some cases, it fire
! quently happens that innocent and sci
| respecting men and women are forced
| to undergo these horrors pending in
Hestigations. and thru no fault on th'
part of police officers.
! 1t is probable that a special election
1 will be called some time this summe
I to vote bonds for the proposed new
+ structure. Altho a definite estimate
, of the. cost cannot be arrived at unit
/ after the report of the civic commit
| tees, it is not believed that a yer.
large amount of money will be re
ouired to carry out the plans.