Who Was Inmate Floyd Clymer?

It's not often that I run to an inmate who has their own Wikipedia page. Such is the case with Floyd Clymer (1895-1970), inventor, businessman, automobile innovator, and professional racer. I found Clymer's Federal Leavenworth, Kansas, prison record while perusing historic prison records available at the US National Archives. And I have never seen a mugshot with such a happy face! Clymer was convicted of Mail Fraud, no doubt an early conviction of using the mail in a nefarious manner. I was unable to find out the real issue here-- what lead to the arrest-- until I found a small ad in the back of the American Motorcycle Association Magazine:

I have to assume that this small magazine ad is what sent Clymer to prison: perhaps he had nothing to send the patent seeker or perhaps he provided false information. Either way, this successful businessman, inventor, and professional driver ended up at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas for about a year.

Harley Davidson and Meryle Clymer

Another thing that drew me to the inmate file of Floyd Clymer was the length of his file. There are almost 200 pages of documents and for a prisoner serving only a year that is a lot of paperwork. I concluded that there had to be an interesting story here. Most of the documents in Clymer's file represent telegrams to and from his wife and business partner Meryle Clymer. At the time of his arrest and incarceration, Floyd Clymer owned and ran a successful Harley Davidson shop in Colorado. Even though Meryle lives in Colorado, she travels to Leavenworth, Kansas about twice a month to visit her husband and to consult him about the business. And you can tell Floyd is a proactive businessman when he writes to the Warden of Leavenworth to ask questions about his impending incarceration-- Floyd is a planner and a bit of a name dropper. I think this is also Floyd's way of showing the Warden that he is not your run-of-the-mill criminal-- Floyd is an important businessman with his own letterhead, secretary, and important friends.

Another unique aspect of Floyd Clymer's inmate record is the love and affection expressed in the exchange of telegrams between Floyd and Meryle. Floyd usually signs each telegram with a very sweet and sincere, 'Worlds of Love.' The below telegram from Meryle to Floyd from January 1, 1931, reads in part: "This new year will bring us many good things. Thinking of you all day and loving you with all my heart." Clearly this is a couple that was not destroyed by a prison sentence. The back and forth of telegrams shows a couple united in their business and personal partnership.

Letters of Support

Floyd has a lot of important friends who write letters to the Warden on his behalf. One letter reads in part: "You recently acquired a new addition to your big house in the person of Floyd Clymer. He does not belong in your institution, and would not be there, in my opinion, except for technicalities of law." That fact that the letter is signed by lawyer Kenaz Huffman of the Colorado law firm of Yeaman, Gove and Huffman makes this particularly funny and ironic-- all people have been sent to prison on 'technicalities of law.' Perhaps what Huffman meant to say is that while Clymer broke the law he had no previous record and was not criminally minded.

Other letters in Clymer's file indicate that at one point the Warden of Leavenworth is seeking a personal driver. Clymer is keen to get the job and has several very important people send letters to the Warden on his behalf. One letter from Don Hogan of Fokker Aircraft of Chicago reads:

"Floyd Clymer is the man and I doubt if there is anyone in the United States of his age that has attained more worthy note when it comes to professional racing and supervision of such events, than this fellow. For seventeen years he has raced motorcycles and automobiles and successfully and for many years past has been the one person to make the final choice of the best lady driver in the Rocky Mountain region in contests that are sponsored by the Rocky Mountain News of Denver."

Floyd Clymer is definitely part Paul Newman. Sadly, regulations prohibit inmates from being personal drivers so Clymer is denied the position.

Special Privileges Denied

While Floyd definitely has some things going for him that separate him from other inmates the Warden of Leavenworth at one point grew weary of Meryle Clymer often asking for special visiting privileges to be able to visit her husband and to consult him regarding the business. In February 1931 the Warden hand writes on a request letter from Meryle, "Advise her to handle by letter. No visit permitted." Even special guests in the Big House have their limitations.

Additionally, on August 28, 1930, N. R. Timmons of the Warden's office sends letter to Floyd saying,

"I am approving requests for three special letters received from you today with the understanding that they are not to be used in carrying on outside business from this institution, as it appears that you are trying to do. It is permissible for you to write such letters in closing up your business or to have the same carried on by others through power of attorney, but no requests of this kind will be granted in the future if it appears in any way that you are carrying on a business by this method."

It is common practice even today to deny inmates the right to "do business" from prison. In researching Clymer's records, he was certainly afforded privileges in this area that others might not have been permitted.

Upon his release on parole on June 15, 1931, Floyd Clymer goes on to continue his work in the field of motorcycles, automobiles, and racing. Clymer designs and patents motorcycle helmets. Floyd Clymer was honored as an inductee in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998. It's nice to know that Clymer survives his incarceration and picks up where he left off. As a former felon, Clymer seemed to face few obstacles in achieving success however, it should be noted that Clymer had the infrastructure of his success already built before his stay in prison. Many prisoners are not so lucky nor successful post release.

Appendix

The Clymer Manuals are still in use today. Floyd Clymer also authored many books about automobiles including this one on the Porsche 912:

And finally, I have to include the only photo I could find of Meryle Clymer, faithful wife and partner of Floyd Clymer.

And just for the record, there is no proof in Leavenworth prison records that Clymer was granted leave to ride motorcycle in races. You can view Floyd Clymer's complete prison records at the National Archives here.

Who Was Inmate Dan Tso-Se?

At age 13, Dan Tso-Se (b. abt. 1896-?) was probably one of the youngest inmates in prison during this time period in the United States. So who was inmate Dan Tso-Se?

Dan arrived at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas on June 21, 1909, found guilty of manslaughter for killing four people. Dan’s intake record shows that he is 5 feet, ¾-inches tall, and weighs 98-pounds. He cannot speak or understand English and his ears are pierced. He is also listed, probably mistakenly, as age seven. He lists his parents as dead, making Dan Tso-se an orphan.

A poignant statement is found on Dan’s 1913 Trusty Prisoner’s Agreement that reads:

“It was alleged that in November 1908 in New Mexico I killed four men whose names I do not remember. I was only 13 years old at the time and these men were continually mistreating and whipping me. I had no one to look after me, being an orphan. I plead guilty.”

It is noted on Dan’s intake record that he “cannot speak or understand English” so this Trusty Prisoner Agreement must have been made a few years after his arrival in Federal prison.

A Murder Mystery

At some point in this young man’s incarceration, he must have asked about the whereabouts of his sister and family. A letter from W. T. Shelton, Superintendent of the San Juan School of Shiprock, New Mexico to United States Marshall J. H. Anderson of Salt Lake City, Utah from 1910 reads:

“I am in receipt of your letter dated Dec. 28, 1909, asking for the whereabouts of Dan-Tso-se’s sister and other kinsfolk. In reply, I have to say that unfortunately, Dan killed his sister and two or three of his kinsfolk. He has a brother in this school by the name of Tony Tso-se. I will make further inquiry of his kinfolk.”

This letter is forwarded to Warden R. W. McLaughrey who, in turn, was asked to give the letter to young Dan.

So, did Dan Tso-se kill his sister and other members of his family? Or did he kill “four men whose names I do not remember?” There is a big discrepancy here. It is also interesting to note that Dan writes to Mr. Shelton at least twice during his incarceration. (We don’t know what the correspondence content was but there is a log of all letters in and out of the prison to Dan.)

Youthful Offender

An examination of Dan’s disciplinary record while in prison shows the antics of someone who is still quite childlike. For example:

Nov. 15, 1909: Breaking dishes. This prisoner broke a number of bowls by carelessly running the truck which he was pushing against the table. (Dan broke a lot of dishes and has several disciplinary notes regarding this subject.)

Dec. 27, 1901: Vulgarity. This prisoner was kicking up his heels and blowing with his mouth imitating breaking wind in a loud, boisterous, vulgar way…

Oct. 9, 1911: Skylarking with [inmate] #7656. This prisoner was wrestling and also laughing with [inmate] #7556 around the dining room, taking advantage of the guard's absence…

Oct. 29, 1912: Failing to obey orders. This man has been instructed time again not to put any dirty rags under the dining room tables but is still keeping them there.

It is interesting to note that Dan receives no disciplinary write-ups from October 30, 1912, until his release on March 7, 1916. Perhaps Dan matures a bit in these four years.

Feral Child Myth

Contrary to articles written about Dan Tso-Se, he was not raised in the wild and he was able to speak. However, he was unable to speak English when he was sent to Leavenworth. A memo shows that Dan sent a letter to his brother in New Mexico using the Navajo language.

At Dan’s trial in Salt Lake City, there is a brief report from June 18, 1909, in The Standard of Ogden Utah that reads in part: “The boy came into the courtroom dressed in an old pair of overalls, and an old khaki colored canvas coat. His long straight hair fell around his ears and well into his neck, and as he took his seat in the courtroom and looked toward the judge he seemed to be absolutely free from any realization of the heinousness of his crime.”

And… “He was to all intents and purposes a wild boy of the hills, and as such, he excited sympathy from all present. The boy stated to the district attorney that he had never received any kindness from anyone excepting a brother and a sister. The hand of everyone else, he intimated, had been against him. If he did not do as he was told he was beaten and ill-treated. As he told his story he shed tears, which showed some susceptibility.

The myth of Dan Tso-Se as a feral, nature boy seems to come in part from a sensationalized article from the Deseret Evening News, December 28, 1909, that is deemed important enough to be tucked into his prison records online. In part, the article reads,

“Under the influence of discipline and surroundings at Leavenworth prison, to which he was sent last summer for shooting four relatives in the extreme southeastern part of Utah, an Indian boy, Dan Tsose, has undergone a remarkable change. When he was in Salt Lake City, and appeared before the United States district court for the sentence he was clad in worn and old overalls, and a shirt that appeared as if it had never been washed, and his long and unkempt hair and apparent nonchalance of the seriousness of the crime, evoked feelings of sympathy for the child of nature, whose angry passion lead him, childlike, to take summary vengeance on those whom he thought unkind to him.”

The End of Dan

Dan is released in 1916 and seems to disappear. A letter from the warden to Charles E. Dagenett in February says that Dan wants to go to the Arapahoe Indian Agency in Wyoming. A letter to the Warden of Leavenworth from C. H. Asbury, Special Agent in Charge, in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, says that Dan went to New Mexico after prison but was not welcomed there. Does this add credence to the notion that Dan had committed a horrible crime? Searches in subsequent census reports from 1920 and 1930 reveal no more mentions of young Dan Tso-se, perhaps one of the youngest people ever sent to Leavenworth Federal Prison.

You may read the inmate file of Dan Tso-Se at the US National Archives here.

Who Was Prisoner Hyman Polski?

“The war on alcohol in the 1920s and the war on drugs of the ’70s and ’80s are symbiotic campaigns. The initial edifice of the war on drugs was built with similar logic, the same cast of characters, and some of the initial infrastructure that came out of the war on alcohol.”

~ Lisa McGirr

This is the story of Hyman Polski (1885-1939), merchant, husband, father, and resident of Minnesota, USA. Mr. Polski was born Chaim Krasnopolski about 1885, a Russian Jew who immigrated to the United States around 1905. In 1927, Mr. Polski is sentenced to two years at the Federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, for Conspiracy to Violate the Prohibition Act-- Mr. Polski is a moonshiner who was caught with storage tanks of alcohol and a still operation in a barn in Minnesota. According to the record in the district court:

“...did feloniously have in their possession and under their control, a certain still and distilling apparatus set up, used and intended for use in the manufacture of distilled spirits, to-wit, whiskey, which said still and distilling apparatus was not and had not been registered with the Collector of Internal Revenue for the District of Minnesota…”

The Appeal

While Hyman Polski was sentenced on December 30, 1927, he does not begin his sentence until almost two years later. A letter from 1928 in his inmate file shows that a judge granted Polski and his co-defendants more time to appeal their conviction. Polski’s co-defendants include Charles Geller, Harry Skar, Maurice Ruben, Jacob M. Fredgant, Louis B. Wiggins, Charles J. Stock, Lawrence Jenson, William Ledgerding, Henry Lotfog (aka Isaac L. Rabinovitz), Louis Wittles, and Clarence F. Bradfield.

Ultimately, Mr. Polski’s appeal is denied and he is received in Leavenworth Prison in Kansas on December 29, 1929. Hyman Polski appeals his conviction but loses. An order from May 1929 directs Polski and his co-defendants to surrender themselves to prison within 30 days. Instead, Mr. Polski et al filed a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States. The writ asks for an appeal or review of the case that leads to the conviction of Polski and others. On October 21, 1929, the US Supreme Court denies the petition of certiorari, and Hyman Polski et al must surrender themselves to the proper authorities to serve their sentences in prison. (This same court case from 1929, Polski v. the United States, is sometimes cited in other legal cases due to the nature of Mr. Polski’s arrest.) On January 3, just five days later, Polski sends a worried telegraph to his wife Tillie in St. Paul, Minnesota, concerned that he has not heard back from her. Three days later on January 6, Ms. Polski telegraphs back to say that all is well and that she had sent a letter out just recently.

One interesting historic aspect of Hyman Polski’s file is a memo from J. Edgar Hoover (dated January 24, 1930) addressed to the Superintendent of Prisons at the Department of Justice in Washington DC, with a copy going to Leavenworth, Kansas, that states that Mr. Hyman’s fingerprints reveal that he has no federal record of previous convictions. The translation: Mr. Polski has no prior convictions.

J. Edgar Hoover & the FBI

There is another memo from April 10, 1937, that is personally signed by J. Edgar Hoover at the Federal Bureau of Investigation that shows Mr. Polski’s criminal record and felony registration. Presumably, the detail-oriented J. Edgar Hoover created a felony registry with Hyman Polski having registered on March 6, 1937.

A sad aspect of imprisonment during the Great Depression is that Mr. Polski’s wife and three children lost their house due to foreclosure. Mr. Louis Hertz writes, “Mr. Polski until convicted and imprisoned had a good reputation, and had never been involved in any trouble before that time.”

With no breadwinner in the household, Mrs. Polski was unable to pay the mortgage. Where did they go? What did they do? Only history knows. Friends of Mr. Polski, Mr. Hertz, and Mr. Gordon write poignant letters to the parole board on behalf of Mr. Polski and his family. There is also a letter in support of Mr. Polski from J. Clair Stone, the president of the Elk Laundry Company in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Polski Released

The good news is that Mr. Polski is released on parole after a little over a year in Leavenworth, Kansas. Presumably, Hyman Polski leads a law-abiding and productive life after prison.

Luckily for Mr. Polski, there is a job waiting for him with the Milton Rosen Tire Company of Saint Paul, Minnesota when he is finally released in December 1930.

It is somewhat sad that Polski only has less than a decade on the outside before he dies in 1939, but his wife Tillie (1889-1989) lives to be 100 years old. They are both buried at the Sons of Jacob Cemetery in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

A book by Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State (2016), talks about how the penal system in the United States grew and developed during Prohibition at both state and federal levels. This dry, dark time in American history also lead to the rise of organized crime and the Ku Klux Klan. From 1920-1933, the National Prohibition Act made illegal the production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States. Can we call this the War on Alcohol? Yes, we can. Many who tried to illegally provide this demanded product ended up in state or Federal prison. During the years of the Great Depression, it only seems natural that many would try to supplement their income with the illegal manufacturing and distribution of alcohol. Many who were locked up on charges of making and selling alcohol were first-time offenders, minorities, or recent immigrants, just like Hyman Polski.

For more context, watch this video on Reason TV featuring Lisa McGirr, author of The War on Alcohol: Prohibition and the Rise of the American State. You can read the inmate file of Hyman Polski at the National Archives online catalog here.

Who Was William Holly Griffith (1892-1971) of West Virginia?

Who was William Holly Griffith (1892-1971), a convicted murderer and prisoner from Wirt County, West Virginia? Sometimes called the Bestial Murderer (because of the heinous nature of his crimes), Griffith was probably responsible for the deaths of four men including Constable Jeff Goff, police officer G. Ord Thompson, boat owner Ira Roush, and inmate Henry Lewis. This cop killer, murderer, and chronic prison escapee is probably one of the most dangerous criminals in recorded West Virginia history.

Griffith in the Census

In the 1900 US Census, there is a William Griffith (born in July 1892) living in the Burning Springs district of Wirt County, West Virginia. William’s parents are listed as James (age 33) and Eva (age 24) Griffith. James’ occupation is listed as farming. At the time of the 1900 Census, James and Eva had been married for 8 years. Also listed are additional children of James and Eva including Elizabeth, age 7, and George D., age 2. William is listed as attending school. The birthplace of all parents and children is listed as West Virginia, and the parents of James and Eva are listed as being born in West Virginia.

William H. Griffith (age 17) and his parents, James (age 44) and Evaline (age 36) are also found in the 1910 US Census. They are living in Nicholas County, West Virginia, in Kentucky District Precinct 3. What we can conclude from looking at the census is that the Griffiths had a very large family that included:
Minnie S. (age 15),
George D. (age 11),
Albert F. (age 8),
Lona (age 6),
Bessie (age 2),
Atha (age 0, indicating infant).

Including parents and children, that is nine people in one household. James Griffith’s occupation is listed as a carpenter who works on his own account and builds or works on houses. The future murderer, William, is listed as working as a laborer in a coal mine. An article in Goldenseal Magazine by Herbert R. Cogar in 2010 lists Griffith’s wife’s name as Lulu. Allegedly, William Holly Griffith also had a daughter.

The Crimes of Holly Griffith

So, what are the crimes of Holly Griffith? It all started over a car that Griffith purchased using a bad check. Mr. Griffith had been arrested in Athens, Ohio. The arresting party, with Griffith, stopped to spend the night in Cairo and Griffith was able to escape and return to his home in Groundhog, West Virginia.

Special Constable Jeff Goff went to Griffith’s house in Groundhog (near Creston) in Wirt County, WV, to arrest Mr. Griffith. Griffith shot Goff rather than submit to the arrest. For reasons unknown, William Griffith was never charged in the shooting of Constable Jeff Goff on April 1, 1915, which resulted in Goff’s death on April 8. (Sadly, Thomas Jefferson Goff lingered for a week before he died from the gunshot wound.) After this shooting and escape, Griffith was chased by bloodhounds and a group of deputies led by the Sheriff of Wirt County.

Griffith was able to escape arrest and was on the run when he murdered again.

Griffith was convicted for the murder of G. Ord Thompson, the Chief of Police of the town of Gassaway, WV. Thompson was murdered by Griffith on May 1, 1915, while Griffith was on the run from the first murder. It is interesting to note that the wanted poster from 1915 lists Griffith's alias as F. S. Rose, the name he used to write the bad check.

So while there is no census information that gives us William Griffith’s middle name, there is evidence that the man known to many as “Holly” really had a similar, but different, middle name of “Howlie.” One strong piece of evidence as to the identity of William Griffith is his World War I draft card from December 1918, easily found on the Church of the Latter Day Saints site Family Search. Is this an error? One possibility is that the card was filled out by someone else who misheard the middle name of the Bestial Murderer.

This record clearly lists Griffith’s name as William Howlie Griffith, born in Sanoma on July 31, 1892, in Wirt County, West Virginia. Griffith lists his occupation as an electrician and claims to be married with a child. He also gives his address as Clarksburg.

Griffiths' death certificate lists his first name as Holly, one must assume because that is his nickname. He died July 11, 1971, at Moundsville Penitentiary of a cerebral vascular accident due to hypertension-- Griffith died of a stroke.

You may read and view the entire death certificate of William Griffith here.

Speculation About Griffith

So, did one bad check begin the criminal career of this notorious West Virginia felon? The details of Griffith’s life and crimes are a bit murky. It is known that Griffith’s lawyer, the highly respected J. Howard Holt came to Griffith’s defense and argued that his client was not guilty of the three murders he was ultimately convicted of. (Holt also was a passionate opponent of the death penalty.) William Holly Griffith is an interesting character from West Virginia history. Descriptions of Griffith are contradictory as he has been described as a model prisoner who was entrepreneurial in prison and yet he also escaped from Moundsville Penitentiary. Do model prisoners escape? I think not. But you can look at the mugshots of William Holly Griffith and tell that he was in prison for most of his life. Holly was incarcerated for over 55 years, one of the longest-serving inmates in US history. He is so much a convict that he was allowed to have his own dog when incarcerated at Moundsville Prison in Moundsville, WV (see pic below).

By some accounts, Griffith was a wealthy man and had built up a bank account of several tens of thousands of dollars but this is hearsay. Sadly, there is just not a lot of historic information about William Holly Griffith. If he was indeed a vicious, or bestial, murderer, perhaps a lack of details about his life and death is a suitable epitaph.

Who Was Logan Peter Martin, Prisoner and Poet?

I found Logan P. Martin’s prison record from 1913 in the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia while browsing online via the National Archives. He was one of many federal inmates whose records have been preserved for history. Most of these records contain the obligatory mugshot and fingerprint records, but Martin’s file also contained a handwritten poem about the atrocity of murder committed during wartime. One verse proclaims:

“It is a crime as base as hell
To Take from man the breath of life,
Even though your country says ‘tis well
To join the sanguinary strife.”

The poem is signed by Logan P. Martin, Convict #4642, Federal Prison, Atlanta.

Prisoner and Poet

So who was inmate Logan Martin? ((December 28, 1873-1929) A little further digging reveals that the prisoner Mr. Martin had a book of poetry published in 1915 entitled Chrysalis by J. J. O’Donnell of Atlanta, Georgia. Byrd Printing Company agreed to print the book at cost according to a publisher’s note inside. Apparently, it took a lot of people to publish this 104-page volume. Amongst those thanked inside the book include Atlanta Mayor James G. Woodward who also has a photograph of his mustachioed self, Reverend Cary B. Wilmer (a pensive side-view photo included), Reverend Doctor John E. White (a photo with starched collar), and Dean John R. Atkinson. Also included in this book of poetry is a tribute from Rabbi Doctor David Marx that reads in part,

“We welcome this little book of verse, flung red hot from the soul-forge, of one who, while in prison, emancipated himself. It is a message to his fellow men outside the walls. A perusal of its pages raises a mighty question: ‘Who is a prisoner? Who is really free?’”

Songs of the Heart

Chrysalis is divided into four sections, the first of which is called Songs of the Heart. While this section includes some standard themes indicated by the title— women, Christmas in prison, and children— there is also a whimsical and unexpected poem of affection entitled “Lines to a Roach.” The first verse reads,

“There is a timid little roach,
That comes to see me every day.
He’s very shy in his approach,
But that, I think, is just his way.”

Songs of Life

The second section, Songs of Life, reveals some of the poetic popularity of Mr. Martin. In the poem “From a Prison Cell”, he perhaps reveals regret and circumspection perhaps about his crime when he writes,

“A thing once done is never dead.
The best way to undo the deed
that makes our heart and conscience bleed
Is just to look above and say:
I will pursue another way.”

Also included in this section is a short unentitled poem that may or may not be about prison officers and/or prison administrators but it is certainly about those in positions of petty power.

“The large officiousness of small officials
would be almost piteous were it not so ludicrous.
Just watch poor Willie Wimple strut;
He has a place wherein he can
Lord it over another man

And he’s a wondrous wonder but –
With all his faults we love him still;
He’s not as bad as we may think,
for Willie has to eat and drink,
and he needs his job to pay the bill.”

In the above poem, the first verse calls out the abuse of power, and the second verse tempers it with understanding. This perhaps illustrates the delicate relationship between prisoner and jailer—both depend on each other for their livelihoods.

There are small paragraphs of prose interspersed with the poetry. One reads:

“Centuries of example have not yet convinced the powers that be of the futility of punishment. Where one man has been reformed by punishment a thousand have been reformed by mercy” This paragraph concludes, “Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Luther, and others who have accomplished things in the world, were leaders, not drivers of men.”

This reader interprets this paragraph as social commentary about the prison and legal system. While prison administrators and employees are encouraged to act as role models, some correctional officers and administrators operate as punishing people-herders rather than responsible leaders.

In another intriguing paragraph Logan P. Martin writes,

“In the upward trend of events three things are hastening to become fixed among us, namely, woman suffrage, the abolition of the open saloon, and the disarmament of all civilized nations.”

As a book written over 100 years ago, Chrysalis becomes a time capsule. It is interesting to note that only the open saloon—the idea of the doors swinging out and in simultaneously to all—is no longer an issue in America. Sadly, women’s suffrage and the disarmament of the world are still works in progress in the 21st century.

Songs of the Soul and An Essay

The third section of Chrysalis, Songs of the Soul, reveals the spiritual and contemplative side of Logan P. Martin who is truly a jailhouse philosopher as well as a poet.

“A prisoner has but one true friend—
A friend regardless of his crime;
That helps him always to the end--
We call him by the name of Time.”

While Chrysalis is an acceptable book of poetry, it also has some corny, funny, and schmaltzy bits. A case in point is a love poem entitled “Maude Mining” presumably in honor of a fair maiden of the same name. Maude is a nature girl who, like Snow White, enjoys frolicking in nature with birds and sunshine. One especially funny verse reads,

“When you’re on the lake canoeing,
All the sea-gods go a-wooing.”

The final section of Chrysalis is "An Essay in Four Parts" and consists of a meditation on prisons and prisoners.

“Looking into the past of the average man in prison, I have discovered the environments which surrounded him were bad.” In this observation, Martin is spot on -- the reasons many end up in prison are the same today. In attempting to give Logan Martin more back story and context this researcher felt compelled to do some genealogical digging.

Logan Martin in the Census and in Prison Records

In Martin’s final prison record from 1913 he says he was born in Kentucky. A search on the US Census of 1880 reveals only one Logan Martin (age 7) living with his parents, Peter & Julia. The census also lists four siblings to Logan Martin. Peter Martin, the head of the household, lists his occupation as a farm laborer. Mrs. Julia A. Martin lists her occupation, of course, as keeping house.

In searching the travels of Logan Martin it is most interesting to find his additional incarceration records on the National Archives website.

• In 1895, Mr. Martin, age 22, (inmate #1119) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of altering a postal money order in east Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• In 1899, Mr. Martin, age 26, (inmate #2331) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.
• In 1913, Logan Martin, age 40, (inmate #4642) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.

It is the final prison record from 1913 that reveals the most clues regarding Mr. Martin’s personal information. The Bertillon Measurement Card for Mr. Martin is pictured here, an almost elegant, handwritten record with a sepia-toned portrait:

From this fascinating picture we know that Logan Martin is 5-foot 9-inches tall, weighs 137-pounds, and has bad teeth. In this record, Mr. Martin is age 40, a native of Kentucky, and his occupation is listed as ‘newspaperman.’

Logan P. Martin in the Baltimore Sun

While the National Archives contains records of three separate convictions and incarcerations for Martin, the Baltimore Sun reveals at least one additional arrest. From a small article dated September 2, 1904:

“Rev. Logan P. Martin, an evangelist, was arrested in Roanoke on a charge of raising money orders.”

Repeat Offender

So, somewhere between Martin’s second and third stint in the federal prison in Atlanta, he may have done time in Virginia on similar counterfeiting charges. Or, as the next article indicates, he may have made bail and skipped town. It is also interesting to note that he is described in the article as an evangelist with the title of Reverend. There is no mention of Mr. Martin’s alleged clergy status in Chrysalis and this researcher raised a skeptical eyebrow at this small arrest article. Was Mr. Logan P. Martin a con man who knew the language and posture of a clergyman? Did he use his piety (real or pretend) to convince those around him that his poetry was worthy of publication?

The next mention of Martin in the Baltimore Sun is from December 1908. The article reads: “Logan P. Martin was arrested for making and passing counterfeit nickels, and is said to be wanted in Baltimore and other cities for raising money orders. When arrested here he said his name was Peter Vinson. Subsequently, he admitted his guilt, it is said, and gave his correct name, saying he is a native of Kentucky. It is said he is wanted by the police of Denver, New York, Philadelphia, and Wilmington.”

It is also relevant and interesting to see the photo of Mr. Martin as a civilian in a bowler hat, tie, and mustache. His flat affect and narrowed eyes make him appear more of a streetwise criminal than his wide-eyed, clean-faced prison portrait.

The final mention of Mr. Martin is in the Baltimore Sun in 1909. This is a recap of the counterfeit nickel arrest that took place at his residence at 502 East Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The last two sentences are the most interesting,

“He said he was formerly a minister of the Christian Church in Kentucky, and lived on a farm near Owensboro, in that State. In April 1906, he said, he was released from the Government prison at Atlanta after serving a term of two years for raising money orders in Philadelphia, and he said he wished to get back to that prison as soon as possible.”

Further Questions About Logan Martin

So, if Mr. Martin’s intentions were to get back to federal prison as soon as possible, why did he initially offer up the Peter Vinson alias? This researcher also thinks that there are more expeditious ways to get back to federal prison than setting up a counterfeit nickel operation. This researcher speculates that Mr. Martin’s pattern of travel, arrest, and counterfeiting reveals him to possess a criminal mind of deception and denial.

Given the information about Logan P. Martin not revealed in Chrysalis, it is interesting and telling that so many men of God came together to publish this book of poetry. Mr. Martin in the role of Reverend, real or imagined, had the skills and vocabulary to be able to talk, interact, and influence the Mayor of Atlanta, two Reverends, a Rabbi, and an academic Dean. In return, all of these upstanding members of society gain cache by publishing a book of poetry discovered inside a place where poetry is an unexpected refinement. Mr. Logan is perhaps something of a trained cat or a sword swallower, able to perform extraordinary feats for the entertainment of others. However, I don’t want to sell Mr. Martin short-- as a prisoner in the early 20th century, it is quite an achievement for an inmate who may have challenged literacy skills to be able to put together and publish a book of poetry. To have inspired and motivated many important people of the day to cooperate in the creation of Chrysalis, Martin must have had powerful charisma.

Who benefits more from the publishing of Chrysalis? The repeat offender and inmate Logan P. Martin? Or, the Mayor, Reverends, Rabbi, and Dean who lend their names and reputations to this symbol of gentility? Or perhaps the reader is inspired by a literate inmate who spends his time creatively? This researcher hypothesizes that the answer is ‘yes” to all of the above. Regardless of the motivations and benefits of this book of prison poetry, it is a fascinating relic of an era over 100 years ago when clergy rallied to lift up a shiny remnant of humanity “flung red hot from the soul-forge.”

After Prison & Death

After spending some quality research time with Logan P. Martin, I really hoped that he had time to live life outside of prison. (He was a non-violent offender after all.) I was pleased to find out that he did. There is one marriage record for Logan P. Martin and Anne (Irwin) Martin, who married in Manhattan in New York City on January 2, 1924. (Martin’s parents are mentioned as Peter and Julia as well as his birthplace of Cromwell, Kentucky in 1873, which confirms this is the same Logan P. Martin.) It is interesting to note that the marriage record lists Mr. Martin as divorced-- perhaps he had a previous unrecorded marriage? Ms. Anne Irwin Martin, age 39 and also previously divorced, lists her parent’s names as Walter Irwin and Anne Howell.

How long did the marriage of Logan and Anne Martin last? It is hard to say, but his death certificate suggests a brief marriage. Logan P. Martin died on May 10, 1929, at age 56 in the Columbia Hotel in New York City, his marital status listed as single. It is interesting to note that Mr. Martin’s parents are correctly listed as Peter Martin and Julia Wilson. His occupation is listed as a salesman and his final resting place is the City Cemetery, no cause of death was indicated.

Appendix

1880 Census, b. 1873, Kentucky
Ohio County, Kentucky, Sulphur Springs
Parents: Peter Martin, age 50, farm laborer, birthplace is Kentucky
Julia A. Martin, age 38, keeping house, birthplace is Kentucky
Siblings: Reuben, age 15
Nora, age 11
Alonzo, 9
Logan, 7 (b. About 1873)
James, 5
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZ2-VWT : 11 August 2016), Logan Martin in the household of Peter Martin, Sulphur Springs, Ohio, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 185, sheet 617B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0436; FHL microfilm 1,254,436.

Death Record

“New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MQ-GVJ : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin, 10 May 1929; citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,057,106.

Marriage Record

"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2467-C58 : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin and Anne I. Martin, 02 Jan 1924; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,643,139.

The Bertillon Measurement System

The Bertillon Measurement System was one of the first methods of capturing the identification of inmates and criminals and was developed by French police officer and biometrics researcher Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914). Fingerprinting ultimately won out as a better system of identification over the complicated physical measurement system invented by Bertillon.

Toxic Libraries - What Are Some of the Causes?

Have you ever worked in a toxic work environment? Most people have had this experience at least once in the work world. Sadly, I have talked with many librarians and library employees who are suffering daily in a toxic library. Is this common? In my opinion, yes.

Let's define a toxic workplace, in general, first. What are the hallmarks of dysfunction in a library?

• In a toxic workplace, library leaders show favoritism to loyal followers and punish anyone who does not show proper deference. 

• Toxic workplaces have bosses that crush and question new ideas out of defensiveness and fear.

• Toxic workplaces do not value employees and treat them accordingly.

• Toxic workplaces are always asking their workers for more while giving less in return.

• A toxic library or workplace can look a lot like a dictatorship in some small and isolated third-world country.

Perhaps the worst and most pervasive hallmark of a toxic and dysfunctional workplace is that No One in charge can acknowledge problems and deal with them effectively. This article from Fast Company describes some of the hallmarks of a toxic workplace which is unfortunately very common in the US with suggestions for addressing the issues.

Lack of Library Management Skills

One of the reasons many libraries flounder with poor leadership and high turnover of employees is because of the lack of management skills. These are complicated personnel and leadership issues, and most American Library Association-accredited library programs do not have an emphasis on library management. During the graduate program at the University of Tennessee, we did not have one course in library personnel and board management. Think about it. Libraries are complicated entities being run by information professionals who may have zero supervisory experience when they assume a leadership or management role.

As a library director, you have to juggle all constituents from staff to students, to parents, to board members, to the county commission. Library leaders need to be well-informed, forward-thinking, communicators who are good at nurturing and building a team. Without the benefit of a proper Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, many libraries are led by tribal elders who have not changed in decades.

Too Many Cooks in the Library

Another reason why there are so many toxic libraries has to do with the strength of involvement from the community, library patrons, the state library commission, and the library board. As nonprofit businesses, there are many groups of constituents who want to be involved in the way a library serves its community. Mostly, this is good. Public libraries want the community involved so that the library may serve them better. But what if the library board is controlling the director and employees? Most library directors serve at the pleasure of the board and keeping the board informed, involved, and happy comes with the territory. Many small rural library boards do not understand that the director runs the day-to-day operations of the library and their main responsibility is to fundraise, create policy, and oversee the budget. Library boards that are overbearing and controlling contribute to creating a dysfunctional workplace for most. Library boards need to understand their unique role and they need to stand behind their director.

An Uninvolved Board

I have also heard library leaders complain of uninvolved and complacent boards. If board members do not show up at meetings regularly they miss the narrative, thrust, and goals of the library. And sometimes, libraries with little board oversight have the potential to become strange little petty fiefdoms, a bizarro world where nothing makes sense. The library without oversight is as vulnerable to becoming toxic and dysfunctional as the library with too much. Let us all pause and give good cheer for successful library boards that can walk that fine line between being supportive and being over-/under-involved. I have seen healthy library and nonprofit boards-- it can make or break the success of any nonprofit workplace.

The Nonprofit Equation

As a nonprofit business, there is no financial bottom line. Libraries do not necessarily need to make money to stay afloat. So, what indicators may a library use to know it is healthy and thriving? Statistics are one story. How many items circulated? How many library visits? In many ways, a successful library may use exceptional customer service to keep these statistics healthy. However, in my experience, I have encountered many librarians who don't seem to understand what excellent customer service looks like. In the corporate or retail world, poor customer service skills would not be tolerated, especially when this results in lower profits. In my tenure as library director, not a single board member ever asked to see circulation statistics, and during my early days of directing I did not realize how important they may be.

As a student and practitioner of marketing, all of your endeavors should be measurable. How do you measure and analyze the success of your library? Good library leaders focus on assessment, gathering data, and analyzing statistics to inform good decisions. These reports should be provided to board members and the public regularly for good library relations. Many board meetings feature a Librarian's Report. This is a great place to discuss accomplishments and goals, important statistics and trends, and to keep the library board members informed. This is invaluable communication that builds collaboration and cooperation between the library and the community.

Employers Marketplace - The Economy Is Still Recovering

When I was a graphic designer and art director in the 1990s in Philadelphia, I had my pick of good jobs and better jobs. I left one of my first nonprofit jobs after five months because I could see the dysfunctional writing on the wall. I also gave one of the best lines of my career: "This job did not meet my expectations." Since the economy crashed in 2007-08, it has become an employer's marketplace. I have encountered many employers who have the attitude that their workers should just be happy to have a job, any job. In a competitive job market, employers are less likely to treat their workers well. Maybe in another decade, the economy will bounce back, but the wealth of the 1990s will probably not appear in my lifetime. Sadface.

The Technology/Age/Culture Gap in Library Workplaces

This effect will vary by geographical location. In states with older librarians and less funding (like West Virginia), there is a huge technology gap between young and old librarians. Older librarians resent younger librarians who come with ideas of new technology. I have met many older librarians who still weep tears over the loss of the card catalog and who fear learning new technology. This resistance to change means that underserved states who are ruled by older librarians will remain less technologically advanced than their neighboring states with better populations and tax bases. Sadly, this may be another way that poverty becomes cyclical in Appalachia.

For many of us, we can not afford to be highly selective in choosing a library job. But I do urge people who are looking for a librarian job to do some research before they accept a job in a toxic library. This may be difficult as many toxic workplaces may be good at making appearances matter. At your job interview, ask why the previous person left. Ask about their style of management. Ask questions, and remember that you have valuable work skills and deserve to work someplace that treats you well. In the meantime, it feels like so many good librarians are just waiting for about ten years in the future. Older librarians will retire, new technology will overcome, and the economy may actually bounce back. Hang in there, good librarian friends. The future of libraries is going to be a good one.

Privacy in Libraries: E-Rate, CIPA, the Library Freedom Project, and the Tor Project

While I was working at a public library in West Virginia I noticed a few things about our public Internet computers. Yes, they were slow. They also came with protective filters meant to filter out viruses and spyware. As librarian I had passwords that could lower the security system called Fortress, but many times the secret override password had been changed and librarians were not notified. I also noticed (sometimes) that when a patron could not access a site it was because it was super unsafe and dangerous, a plus on the Fortress side. But there were times when the Fortress software did not allow access to services that patrons really needed. One time it happened with a patron who needed to access her university website-- there was just no way to access the necessary site due to the protective software. My goal as library director was to serve all of my patrons and to not be able to help this one patron felt wrong.

What Is E-Rate?

Because our library is a public and a school library, another librarian friend warned me, "If kids come into the library and use the computers, you have to monitor to make sure they are not using FaceBook." Really? This one really confused me because it was an aspect of librarianship I was not familiar with...am I the Internet Police at my library? Is that part of my responsibility? This librarian's comment was meant in relation to E-rate, the federally funded program that discounts the cost of Internet for schools and libraries. E-Rate is the nickname for the Schools and Library Program of the Universal Service fund, which in turn, is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Stacked within layers of bureaucracy, YES, it is all a little confusing and senses-taking, so please bear with me, this is important library stuff worth knowing about.

E-Rate in West Virginia

In West Virginia, E-Rate gives back almost $13 million in 2015. I can confirm that as part of the E-Rate program, our library's telephone bill was reimbursed every six months and this saved us about $600 per year. We had no Internet fee because the service was paid for by the West Virginia Library Commission (WVLC). I can see that the WVLC was reimbursed a little over $16,000 for Internet access which is 65% of the full cost. I'm including the data below from the Universalservice.org site: (Click on the image below to make it appear larger.)

What is CIPA?

The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was passed by the United States Congress to help keep kids safe online. This leglislation says that any entity that receives E-Rate funding has to comply with CIPA by having certain filters in place online to protect children from seeing obscene images and/or harmful content. (Read more about CIPA here.) My favorite takeaway from CIPA is this: "CIPA does not require the tracking of Internet use by minors or adults." So, because the WVLC has filters in place librarians are not responsible for monitoring what minors are looking at online. *phew* That is a relief, because I feel like kids have rights, too, and no one likes someone looking over their shoulder while they are browsing online.

What is Tor?

I recently saw a news story from the Kilton Public Library in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and I thought, "This is important." Kilton Library looks to be a progressive and forward-thinking library with a wonderful green design and well-lit interior. Earlier this summer, Kilton Library became the first public library in the United States to become part of the Tor Network, an anonymous Internet browser. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was not so happy about this and contacted the library by email. Eventually, the DHS, the local police, and Kilton city officials all had to have a long meeting to talk things over and Tor was shut down. Now, the community is being polled to see if they will support the Tor Browser and the Tor Network at the public library. Stay tuned.

So what is Tor? Why is To important? The Tor browser on library computers allows patrons to use the web anonymously. What does that mean? The Tor browser routes information in a circuitous fashion, almost like a high-speed chase, in order to not be easy to trace or follow. Currently, most browsers store your data and information. Google knows where you have been and it does not consider your email private. Does that feel a little bit like Big Brother is watching you? Some people don't mind being served up ads based on private communications, but others find this deeply manipulative and materialistic. The Tor browser has no ads and it is not selling you anything. While some might associate criminal activity with anonymous web use, there are many legal and legitimate uses for the Tor browser by an eclectic group of users that include law enforcement officials, military, and journalists.

Support Library Freedom

I, personally, am all in favor of anonymous Internet browsing in the public library (can you tell?), but I also want to give the point of view of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS does not like Tor because it associates the anonymity with criminal activity, and DHS has really focused on child pornography over the past decade. But Tor is not impervious to law enforcement. In March 2014, DHS took down a major child pornography ring that used the Tor network. While there is potential for illegal activity on Tor, this potential exists in every nook and cranny of the Internet. I might argue that the benefits of Tor far outweigh the liabilities.

The American Library Association supports intellectual freedom and unfiltered and unfettered Internet use is part of that freedom. The OpenNet Initiative and the Library Freedom Project are working to preserve these rights. Libraries and librarians are not law enforcement officers, nor Internet nannies. I encourage all librarians and information professionals to talk about these issues with your board members so that they can have the information they need to make decisions about filtering the Internet in libraries. Privacy in the library is important to everyone.

Update: 9/27/15 - On September 16, Kilton Public Library of New Hampshire voted to continue being part of the Tor network. Score one for privacy online and in the library.