County Jail

Kearney Daily Hub – Nov. 13, 1905

Tried to Demolish Jail
Railroad Fence Builder Imbibes too
Much Fighting Whiskey

A gang of Union Pacific fence men who are building fence along the right of way, blew into town Saturday evening and proceeded to “put on a big show.” They loaded up on ardent liquids and as the evening advanced some of them became somewhat loud and obstreperous. One of them was ejected from an east side drink house as he was creating an unseemly disturbance on the street. Officer Frank started to the police station with him. While he was thus occupied, the fellow in the meantime fighting vigorously, a companion of the prisoner struck the officer a vicious blow in the face and got out of the way in no exceedingly short time.

When the prisoner was locked up he tried to do the Sampson act and tear down the building. He was partially successful and succeeded in pulling up a part of the floor, but could not make his escape.
Monday morning he was fined five dollars and costs and compelled to pay for the damage he had done to the building, his entire bill amounting to about thirteen dollars.

Kearney Daily Hub – 1914
 

The secretary of the State Board of Charities and Corrections reported on a tour of inspection of the Buffalo County jail and poor farm. The jail was described as a two-story stone building 30 feet by 40 feet with four cages or cells, all connected and each about 6 feet by 7 feet, in front of which was a corridor about 6 feet wide. It also had a large area for exercise or reading. The building was described as: Quite old but in a good state of preservation, and while not rated a No. 1 jail, it was much better than the average. The jailer and his family were quartered in the upper story.