Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-01-26
Convictions
By STANLEY cORDELL
9 Associated Newspapers.
WNU Service.

THIS is one of the many stories
told me by Warden Lucius Day.
ton Of the Hawkins state prison.
Folks really haven't much idea
about the duties of a warden" he
said, smiling, cor the extent of their
responsibility. Being in charge of a
prison isn't like it used to be. A
warden has to be something of a
psychologist, has to know and under
stand human nature.
"Oh, we've had our share of diff
cult situations and difficult charac-
tiers. / recall particularly the case
of Rus Julian.
He was only young fellow when
he came here to begin seven to
ten stretch. Young and full of bit
terness and resentment. He'd lost
his job year or so before, and had
difficulty in getting another. In fact,
he didn't get another. He tried a
couple of places and was turned
down, and gave up trying. Instead,
he got in with the wrong crowd.
Within six months Rus was arrested
twice for participating in riots.
"In prison or out it didn't make
any difference to Rus. He was still
pretty sore at the world, arrogant
and contemptuous. In less than
weeks time he had won himself
day in solitary for starting a dis
turbance over in B section.
1.-TWO weeks later he saw the soli-
tary cell second time. After his
third offense I sent for him, having
In mind to talk to the boy, try and
help him if could.
81 learned a few new things about
human nature as a result of that
talk with Rus. Not that what said
or the way I acted helped or
changed him any.
Il sent him away after awhile and
everyone thought my talking to him
had helped matters lot. Six months
passed and we had no more trouble
from Rus. l was congratulated and
complimented for my obvious abili-
ty to reason with and show a man
the folly of his ways. But 1 knew
they were wrong. I knew / had
made no more impression on Rus
than nothing at all. He had merely
become smart. He had realized that
a prison is no place for man to as
sert himself, because his keepers
hold the trump cards.
my suspicious of what was 60
ing on were verified when a guard
came to me on the morning of May
! and said he'd heard rumors of a
break over in section B. No one
had any idea who was behind the
Inconvenience a soul suspected
Rus. He had turned out to be quite
model prisoner.
Il took the usual precautions and
did the only thing that a warden
could do under such circumstances:
resigned myself to watchful wait
ing.
"a certain atmosphere of tense
ness and expectancy existed at the
prison. The guards were nervous
and jittery.
81 had not put my suspicious of
Rus into words, hoping that some
one might volunteer a hazard that
he was behind the rumors and there
by confirming my own ideas. But
no one did and this caused me to
hesitate. Fortunately I didn't hest
tate quite long enough. Two days
before the planned break-I later
learned it had been scheduled for
the twenty-ninth-I called Rus into
my office and had another talk with
him. The results were the same,
but it was because of my own re-
action that l decided to take the
chance. When the interview was
over / stood up and said: Rus, your
mother is i'll. She's asked that you
be allowed to visit her, and I've
granted her request
Rus jaw fell open and he stared.
You mean can 60 down and see
ma-myself?'
eyes. Of course, I'll expect you
to report here. I'm putting you on
your honor to do So
perhaps you can guess how it all
turned out. Rus went home to see
his mother, with whom l had pre-
viously talked, securing her prom
Use to cooperate, and three days lat
er he was back. The point is here:
/ wasn't altogether right. Rus was
due back the next day. He stayed
away two days longer than 1 had
told him he could. I had sense
enough not to get alarmed, to spread
the news of his escape. And in
stead of Furnishing him when he
came back, made him trusty.
''No, there was no break or at
tempted break. Rus had been at
the bottom of it all. Two years lat
er he was pardoned, and his mother,
with my help, had a job waiting for
him when he got out.
"You see, the thing had learned
from Rus was this: He had had con-
yictions, convictions to which he adj
hered even though it meant three
times in solitary. had had convic-
tons, tool was convinced that Rus
was the type who, if placed on his
honor, would not break a trust. But
my convictions were not as strong
as his-I lacked the courage to