The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-03-03
WARDEN IS
OPPOSED TO
EXECUTION
"Effect OF Capital Punish
ment Brutalizing," Says
Penitentiary Chief
nv RALPH ), BENJAMIN

NiuNVtitfai St'tNf
nv RALPH J. BENJAMIN
wALf.A wALLl>. March S.
What does Henry Drum. for eight
years the warden OF the state peni
Tertiary. think OF hanging muir
dcrersl
And. what Is tho opinion OF the
guards and turnkcysf
Warden Drum says;
Il do not believe In capital pun
ishment
Hanging Of nurdcrcrs does not
deter others from numbering.
'sThe effect OF capital punishment
n brutalizlnE.-
DRUM FAvORS
UNDERGRADUATES SENTENCES
In expressing this opinion, Warden
Drum voices tho sentiments OF prob
ably tho majority OF tho guards and
turnkeys.
Il believe the system OF commit.
ments should be changed" says
Warden Drum Men convicted OF
crime should be given indeterminatc
sentences without date. A compe-
tent prison board should have au.
thority to watch the conduct of these
prisoners. To examine them. to de-
termine when they may safely be
paroled. or released.
-The desperate men. the fmpossi-
blcs. could be kept In prison indefi-
nitely. Tho men who can be rehab-
tlitated and made useful. conStruc-
tive members OF society. could be re-
turned TO society. Thus society
tho impossiblcs. and they are the
ones from whom society most needs
protection
Time and again Warden Drum has
urged the state TO provide more
schooling for the prisoners A small
amount OF night schooling has been
authorized. but this is scarcely a
starter.
Among the turkeys and guards.
Warden Drum IL regarded as n fair.
square man. with a great knowledge
OF his fellow beings.
KNOWN As SQUARE
Bird AMONG PRISONERS
Among the prlsoners-thc vasr
majority OF most intelligent conyicts
bird" That's the term one OF the
prisoners used In describing Drum
TO me.
Drum Il keen TO catch tho dis
turbers and the takers. but he has
= heart AZ big as all outdoors.
In walla Walla- Drum IL regarded
~ the man who brought the peni.
tentiary 10 Its present standard. who
effected improvements and developed
the discipline.
l asked one OF tho turkeys what
be thought Of capital punishment
Its a bad thing" he said Il
don't believe in It IL isn't right,
fundamentally. and the prisoners
here know IL IL demoralizes things
here every time a man is hanged
The main thing Is to prevent muir.
dcrs. and capital punishment doesn',
do II. IL creates n blood lust among
the prisoners. It's a very bad thing
for the state
FAvORS HANGING
IN COUNTIES ONLY
Later. I asked tho same question
OF guard. He frankly declared this
Same sentiments.
Hanging doesn't DO bit OF good
and II makes things bad here II
they are going to hang a man as a
deterrent. they ought to do II in ths
county where he Is convicted WIZ
not LET the sheriff hang him? Thai
would bring the deterring effec'
closer home. wouldn't it,
Drum would like TO sre othcl
prison industries. rather than tn.
manufacture of jute bags. esaab
Is not a paying institution. IL viii
cost the state considerable none,
this year II is impossible to com
pete with the jute bag manufac
turers Of India. for the Indian labo
r. much cheaper than tho oonvic
labor.
Drum has some theories OF prison
management and the handling o
criminals which he Is now preparin,
TO put out in form OF small pam
phiet.
MALCOLM DOUGLAS win tel
'em all about IL tonight The prose
cutor is going to deliver an address
before pre-law students at the univer
sity on LAWS In Public Offices"
49,: