68,937 and Counting - Prologue - Summer 2010

8/9/2019 68,937 and Counting - Prologue - Summer 2010

1/8

68,93768,937 and countingGENEALOGY NOTES

S im cs Fls

fm u.S. Py

Lv, Kss

Aro two-dd word. W t orrd or dt o t o tjt, t my o ovr mor ormto t t

tv o rrr wt to kow.not vry my tor, or xm, trtd

u Jo mor t or ov d r.

ad t kdt t o ? it ro rord, wt

tt m. got my dovr rd d

rtv wo o took rt trt tr rr

ddy vod tm t o d my tr.

u wt t jt jtd, or t

ormto okd ro otty

dro wo d mt dd ry to

vod jr otr.

Tt t wr. hr t rom: to wo ro rord tr o rr w

rwrdd wt ormto oty v

ywr o rt.

By Tim Rives and Steve Spence

Records o inmate 2443, John Morgan (let), and inmate

3656, Charles Smith (right), are among the thousands o

Leavenworth prison case fles held at the National Archives

at Kansas City.

54 Prologue


2/8

nto arv t K cty od 68,937

mt rom t utd stt pttry

lvwort (K). cotd Rord gro 129

(Rord o t br o pro) t rrty r

dt rom 1895 to 1952. addto v-yr ok o

rord r dd to od vry w yr. br-

r rd m tr or t dmtrto

o jt, t rord r w oy ot to row.

s o t door Jy 1895, lvwort

om to om o t mot mo d otoro dr

ror tory. T ror d Rort strod,

ttr kow t brdm o atrz; gor M

g Ky; or xorr Dr. Frdrk cook; or dr

b b hywood; ox mo Jk

Joo; mr nky art;

d ntv amr tvt

lord ptr. lr kow

r t t o tod o

ordry m (d ot

doz wom) rrtd or

rod rom w mot to

w dd.

Wt mt

t ot y o tm,

t mo, t mo,

t , or yor k

tor? T mt

dmort orm.

T domt t o t

brdm o atrz w ry

t m ty to od t

o Jo Do. (T d tr Jo Do, m too

tor or mrrd to v lvwort o tr

tr m.) ato tr r my mor vrto

ott, t ty mt ry

d t oow domt: mt otor

rord t, ro dt t, rrt, dvd

dy work rord, ot rord, y xmto

o ror, orrod o, ro orrod

trty ror rmt, d t o ort.

InmaTe PhoTograPh

ao rrrd to t m ot, t mt otor

trd rot d d vw. i otor rom

t ry yr, mot jt r wr t, w

t tom o t dy. T rord rk w ord to

r-oot mt gor Rv, wo rd

tv o ot o t rzy.

record SheeT

T domt d t mt m, , mt

rtrto mr, oor or r, rm, t, , dt

rvd, ort rvd rom, dt o t, dt t

, mxmm trm dt, mmm trm dt, ood

tm owd, oto, , dt o ro ty, d

t dr dt. imt oto vrd odry.

lk dt, ro o rtr o ro. lv-

wort om to kr, dotor, wyr, o

m, , tor, wrtr, tt, tr ror, id

, ot, wr dtor, K Kx K

dr, odr, joky, oxr, rr drvr, d

owoy. Mor t 60 mt v tr oto

Frank Grigwares record sheet. Within a year o entering Leavenworth to serve a lie sentence, he escaped.

Prologue 5


3/8

yr. imt b Wo d e ek yd

t mjor . imt Omr nwom d lm

hwk o trrd t nro l.

T rord t o dr mt dry

voto. T voto r rom t tty (y, tk

t ow ) to t ro (y, k yor mt).

Mot rord t r o r k mok

or o d rk, rtvy md rto t o

momto m trm o ro d.

pro otro mt y rrr tw t

ror d rdom o to. T rt to mk o

mortt rt o wt d r dvd.

k wy omo rdom o o or to, d yo

t tk wy tr toomo . i x or

ood vor, ro o rtr rt o t to t

ror rmt, y t orm o tty rv

d o o rrto: mok rtt, wt

mov, rd ook, tk wt o-workr, d t k.

pror wo tk t rv rd trt ro

ordr ty r rt tr toomy k r m.

pro ot tort t. ad tt wy yo w

tr o my tty dry voto.

PerSonal daTa SheeT

T domt rovd ddto ormto o t

Martin roSS

Ross was convicted o assault in 1898. His stay at Leaven-

worth was short. He was ound to be insane and was sent

to the Government Hospital in Washington, D.C.

JoSePh S. Leach

Leach was the frst ederal prisoner sentenced to lie in prison

when he was convicted o murder in 1900. While intoxicated,

he clubbed a man to death who had previously beaten him.

Leach was pardoned by President Coolidge in 1927.

george carr

Carr was convicted o murder in 1902. He claimed he

was jumped by two men and killed one in sel-deense. He

wrote a letter asking or clemency and said, "It was God's

will and or my better that I was sent to prison." He was

released in 1908.

Convicted train

robber Jack

Sheltons personaldata sheet includes

his Bertillon

measurements, an

early identifcation

system developed

beore the

widespread use o

fngerprints.

56 Prologue


4/8

mt my krod d rm ovto. it rord

v or mtry tt; t m o t ommtt jd; t

m o t dtrt ttory; o rrt; t o rtr

j tm; ; tvty; dt o rt; rt ormto;

mrt tt; mr o dr; w ddr; rmt

ddr; xt-o-k otto; d-to; try; ro;

too, oo, d dr ; w v om; d

mo rmrk. Ry prry, o kow W

armtro, dd ot dmt dr ddto o ro

dt t t od t ro mmor, Phiosophy

of the Dusk, v yr tr t lvwort. prry/

armtro d t om d m K ODr.

FIngerPrInTS

T rrt rd tr yy dty

tr rrt, t d wt, r d

y oor, mrk, r, mo, d tttoo. O tttoo, t

dr m ow ot to tm, drd m

rd o d o trm. Odr d

brto mrmt wt t rrt. ao

brto w Fr o or wo dd

r-rrt y dtto ytm

mrmt (troomtr), t t

d wdt o t d d t dr o ord o.

a t o dt tw mt kow t two W

Wt xod t wk o t brto ytm t

lvwort w t drd tm to t m m.

John ShetterS

Shetters was convicted o murder in 1905. He was

tenced to our years and fned 10 dollars or shooting

killing a man in Indian Territory

dan coLbert

Colbert was convicted o manslaughter in 1904. When

about his crime he replied, "The man I killed I mysel was

drunk and while in that condition we got into trouble and

and killed him. I was charged with murder, tried and convi

ed gaineS

Convicted o murder in 1904, Gaines claimed he was

boarding house when the victim came without invita

and threatened him with a knie. According to Gaine

deended himsel with his gun and had no intention o

ing the victim, but only wanted to righten him away.

Sheltons inmate

fle also includeshis fngerprints.

Inmates were

fngerprinted upon

arrival to the

prison.

Prologue 568,937 and Counting


5/8

IndIvIdual daIly Work record

T rord ow t rrr to dovr wt mt

dd vry dy o or r omt. it dt to

m otr rord omrv ro work

rord. Tr wr to 50 drt jo mt od

d to t lvwort. T dd work o

t rr , t t m o, d t m

drtmt. som o t mor mt td

o t t wr t room o d d. Jk Joo

rvd ordry dr rrto. imt

workd vry dy o t wk xt sdy.

hoSPITal record

not vry ot w wt to kow t t domtd

mt md rord. Vr d d oo

d dr ddto r otd r. ato t ory

vd tt ootr d ro ovrrowd t

1920, t w ty t r mr o dr or do

odr tt d t dr orrto ytm yod

t ty. i 1925, or xm, rot odr

otmrd oo odr y 10 to 1. lvwort d

o my dr votor tt ty ormd tr ow

tm. T Mor d t co qrd o

ott to dtrm t t -y

do votor t ttto.

Wt t tt, lvwort dotor d o

o t to or t trtmt o rot ddt.

Ty jtd ror wt t kod yo to tk

t d o wtdrw . T w or ot

ddt, t tt ro o o r, wo r

o y wtdrw. a owr dr, yo w

d y sovt t t trt rm.

PhySIcIanS ex amInaTIon oF PrISoner

T t tt t y ormto

o ror t t tm o rrv. T xm otd t

t d wt o ror d wtr ty d

too, qor, or dr. T ro y xmd

mt or vd o rvo or rt d

d kd to t ror d rdtry rk or

tro, ty, r, or y.

correSPondence log

T domt rordd t ror om d

oto ttr. it rv k, work, , d rd

twork. it t , or t, tt idtr Workr

o t Word rd R c d t o d

f o R ot o to w

StePhen hardin

Hardin, a private in the 13th Cavalry, was sentenced to

15 years or assault to kill in 1916. He shot two ellow

soldiers with his service rie.

Young grahaM

Graham was sentenced to 30 months or illicit distilling (mak-

ing whiskey without a license) in 1899. The doctor who ex-

amined Graham on his arrival assessed his temperament as

nervous." He was 52 years old, a armer, and married with

eight children.

dan tSo-Se

A Navajo boy convicted o manslaughter in 1909 or

shooting our relatives. "I killed our men whose names I

don't remember. I was only 13 at the time and these men

were continually mistreating and whipping me. I had no

one to look ater me, being an orphan. I plead guilty."

The physicians

examination report

or convicted

murderer Robert

Gilland showed

him to be in good

health at the time

o his arrival at

Leavenworth.

58 Prologue Summer 2010


6/8

rdom. bood tkr t wtr d ot.

PerSonal correSPondence

T w odrd ror rvt rorty

oowd ttto r, iF t ro

word. imt Todor hdy dovrd t mt

o t oy w dvod r o Wom

crt mr uo votr. s tdd to

r hdy to orty y d m t too

trt Te life of John gouh. s td rd

rt d to ft o romt y. i t m

, omd to t ro ,

ttr xd. i rto, ty r

t. hdy ot d ttr.

TruSTy PrISonerS agreemenT

Ovrworkd ro o otd trtworty

mt to oto o tty torty d

roty, d work rw t omto o

ttto mt jo. s om o t m

workd otd t ro w wtot rvo,

ty wr rqrd to otrt, or trty

ror rmt. T rmt v to

rrr t kd t mt to tt

o ow word. it o rqrd t mt to

w.P. McLeSter

McLester was sentenced to a pair o six-year concurrent

tences or conspiracy in 1918. He worked six days a week o

"Crusher gang" or an entire year with only Sundays o.

harrY L. JarreLL

Jarrell was sentenced to one year at hard labor and a

fne or countereiting a s ilver dollar "or gain" in 190

was paroled or good conduct approximately six mo

beore his sentence expired. He was a carriage painte

23 years o age.

waShington curtiS

Curtis was sentenced to one year and six months at

labor and a $100 fne (nearly $2,500 today) or cou

eiting in 1902. He claimed he received the counterei

as payment or a horse he sold. He was a armer an

years o age.

Sometimes urther details about an inmates lie can be ound in

correspondence kept in his case fle.

Prologue 5968,937 and Counting


7/8

t two rtr rr, otty v d

or rtr rr dvd .

SenTence oF courT

Mor mortt or t t rovd t t t

ott, t t o t ort t t rrr

wr t ror ovto orrd. T dokt

mr d to d t ort , w w

rovd mor ormto o t mt rm

tory d o w rr d.

| | | | | | | | |

lvwort mt ott vry ord

to t r w ty wr rtd. ery mt ,

to rtd tw 1895 d 1905, r t wt w

xto. Ty y ot t otor, rord

t, t o ort, d orrod o oy. a

t 20t try rord d ttto rw rr

d mor rrt, mt xdd ordy.

F rtd t md-20t try mot to

drd o . O rtr trt t tr

t o trvw, w t br o pro

odt wt ror wo trd t ytm

t 1930. T o trvw rd t tm o

od t ty o oooy to ot

or t root o rm vor. evry o

vromt f w dy otd d wd

t o workr vto o t jt. T o

trvw or wt o ro ormto, om o

w my rtrtd.

Fdr ro rord t 72 yr od r

xmt rom t Frdom o iormto at dr

to ()(6). o qot rom nto arv

d, t ty o rord mt d md

ormto, ro dt, so srty

mr, tmt dt o dvd ro or

my , or mr dt.

i rt rr trm, t m rrr

t ot t orto o tt r

t 72 yr od t mt w or mor t

100 yr o or dd d oy o t dt

rtt rovdd wt t rqt. T md,

, or tmt ro ormto o otr

dvdrtry drw dtd

rom o md o rord t 72 yr od. Tt

d, otr ro r t r ttd to

ormto ot tmv d my ot rvt

orto o to rord.

bob crawFord

Craword was a convicted horse thie sent to Leavenworth

in 1902. He was married and the ather o fve children.

JaSPer brown

Brown was sentenced to three years or larceny in 1903

by the Central District o the Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

He served until his "Good Time" sentence expired, ap-

proximately two years and fve months.

FranciSco SaLinaS

Salinas was sentenced to one year and one day or con-

cealing smuggled property in 1900"orty gallons o

oreign distilled spirits commonly called mescal; our gal-

lons o brandy; one hundred and sixty two pounds o lea

tobacco; three horses and saddles; and two Winchester

carbines."

A portion o William

Mathewss Trusty

Prisoners Agreement

shows the multiple

60 Prologue Summer 2010


8/8

ato t rt rd o t m

roo, tr wr w wom td to

lvwort. bt t md to tm

lvwort mt ty vrd oy two dy

o omt t t dr ty or movd

w m ot to t K stt pttry t

l, K. uk t dr ttry, t

tt ro d wom w. (s 1927 dr

m mt v t to adro, Wt

Vr.) a doz m mt t rvv

lvwort od, d tt o bky cook.

s w t to lvwort or v r toddr

dtr r ty rm tro mox ot to

rmov t tt dd ot o to r.

Rqt or t o cook d otr mt

v md t imt c F r t mot or

rord r t od o t ctr p

Ro. K cty rvt rv rqt dy

rom tor, jort, d ot ook to

domt t tory o amr jt, oow t

rr o mo otw, or ov my mytry.

T rrr v od mt

d or tt tro t tkt o t t to

rv t ot mt d dort.

For ormto o lvwort mt, or to ordr

oy o , wrt to t nto arv t

K cty, 400 Wt pr Rod, K cty, MO,

64108, or d -m to [email protected].

Author

Tim Rives t dty drtor o t

eowr prdt lrry d Mm

a, K. h w wt t nto

arv t K cty rom 1998 to 2008,

wr zd ro rord. h t tor o vr Proouert.

Steve Spence rv t t t

nto arv t K cty. h work

xtvy t lvwort ro rord

d 2007 w t rtor o t lvwort pttry oto

xt Md.

becKY cooK

Cook was sentenced to two years or robbing a pos

fce and was transerred to the Kansas State Peniten

two days ater arriving at Leavenworth.

ezra owen

Sentenced one year and one day or larceny in

Owen had various violations, including being caught

onions in his possession, laughing and talking, and hav

hacksaw in his cell.

John g. dauLton

Dalton was sentenced fve years or violating the 62n

ticles o War in 1903. Daulton was constantly quarr

with other inmates, and he received three days in so

or fghting with another inmate and threatening to h

with a wash pan.

For more information about

genealogy research go to

www.archives.gov/genealogy

68,937 and Counting

endorsements necessary

or a trustworthy

prisoner to work without

close supervision.

Prologue 6

Documents

68,937 and Counting - Prologue - Summer 2010