The Topeka state journal., 1922-02-11
PEN NOT so BAD
Interests of Prisoners Safe
guarded at Lansing.
Warden Amrine Holds CIeanIi-
ness Above All Else.
CONSTRUCT new CELL HOUSE
New Wall Lighting System Also
Prevents Escape.
Shawnee County LiberalIy Rep
resented Among Prisoners.
CONSTRUCT NEW CELL HOUSE
BY WALT MARKLEY.

BY w ALI MA L I.
The Kansas state penitentiary has
undergone radical changes since the
days when the striped uniform and
the lock step We're in vogue. More
over, it has undergone changes since
Warden NJ. +. Amrine took up his Of
ficial duties there. No longer a place
OF punishment merely, the states pen
nj institution has become one of edu-
cation calculated to turn the prisoner
free a better man, if possible, than
when lie entered its iron gates.
Shawnee county is literally repre-
scented among the 1925 men in the
prison. One has but to wonder about
for an hour inside the walls to real
ize this fact. However, the board of
control has adopted a no-publicity
policy end snO data relative to the
names and present status of the pris-
oners can be obtained. A request for
such a list was politely but firmly
refused by Warden Amrine.
No Information About Prisoners.
1--WE have two grounds for this"
said he. FIRST. there are certain
criminals who glory in publicity and
like nothing better than to get their
names before the public as safe crack
ers and highway robbers. Unusual
as this may seem, it is true. But the
second and best reason for withhold
ing publicity is the fact that it harms
the convict when he eventually be-
comes free, People often forget and
il there Is no publicity the man has
better chance to start over in the
world and make something Of him
self"
Two outstanding features greatly
impress the visitor. The first is the
absolute cleanliness and sanitation of
the entire institution; the second is
the optimistic manner in which most
of the inmates apparently regard their
lot. One might expect that a mafi
sentenced for life, or even for term
OF ten to twenty-one years, would find
little in the situation to joke about.
But they make the best of it and miss
no opportunity to crack a Joke.
Nevertheless they all want out. and
some Of the long termers want out so
badly that they will take a big risk
to gain their freedom. Examples of
this are Eddie Adams, notorious
bandit who later met death in a pistol
duel with officers at Wichita: Jimmie
Jones, who drew ten to fifty years
for robbing the bank at st. Marys
last spring, and another man who was
shot and killed while attempting 10
scale the wall with him. Jimmie was
hit, too, and recaptured. But after
these breaks for liberty, the board in
stalled a system of electric lights over
the walls that make the territory both
inside and outside as bright as day
during the entire night.
1t is problematical how anyone ex-
cept a human fly, can scale the stone
walls. They are twenty feet high at
intervals are towers where guards,
armed with rifles or shotguns, are
constantly q duty. The new lighting
system greatly reduces the already
slim chances for escape.
Build New Cell House.
One of the great improvements now
in progress is the new cell house
the big building the long rows of cells
face each side, and there are five
decks of them. These cells are en-
tirely open on one side. having neither
bars nor doors to cOnfine the prison
ers They are equipped with run
ming water and in the lobby on the
first fleOr will be a reading room and
tables where the men may pass their
spare time studying, reading or play
ing games. In fact, so much greater
will be the liberty of the men in this
cell house that only those who are
credited with meritorius conduct Will
be permitted to occupy it. Warden
Amrine points out that from 10 to .
per cent of the inmates are usually
eligible TO be regarded in the light of
TRUSTEES and it's these men who will
occupy the new building. Such a
plan Amrine believes, will act as an
inducement for every prisoner to put
forth the best in his character in or
der to be transferred to these new
quarters.
The building is being constructed
entirely by convict la Dor. even the
bricks being made at the prison, and
would cost, if the contract were let to
outside parties, about 100000. I'm
der the circumstances il Will cost the
state about 100000.
The total number of 1,126 men now
i'm the prison is 314 more than when
.T,4r
tion for its maintatnance during the
year January, moreover. was a rec
ord month at the institution. There
We're 720 tons more of coal produced
during that month than during any
previous January during the last fif-
teen years. There were 1900 pounds
more of tw.ne made than during any
previous single month. The installa-
tiOn of a heating system in the brick
plant enabled that institution to open
i'm January this year, two months
earlier than in any previous season
acquisitions for brick this season will
run 100000 brick above what will
be used a the prison itself. where the
construction of the new cell house
and other improvements will require
1000, 600 brick.
Good Place to Sleep.
Were the mines removed from Ian
sing, the lot of the prisoners would
not be half bad. That is the worst
work in the institution. But the men
have good places to sleep. comfortable
beds and plenty Of good, wholesome
food. AlthO the old cell houses are
by no means modern. they are kept
scrupulously clean by constant scrub
bing and securing. Even in the crim1
inaily insane ward where cleanliness
would be the last thing expected.
there is not even an odor and the
floors and cells are as clean as in
dustrious scrubbing will make them.
In the twine mills. the tailor shops,
the barber shop. the shoe shop, the
laundry the bakeries and the kitchens
the lot of the men is apparently no
harder thea that of any others en-
gagged in similar pursuits outside the
walls In most cases the men now
work about eight hours a day. Later,
when the days become longer. nine
hours will constitute the average DAYS