Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-09
TH9 JAIL AND IT'S INMATES.
Prisoners who Serve There Term After
Term

TH1 JAIL AND ITS INMATES.
Prisoner whs Serve There Term After
Term.
fHH OLD jan srRucTURKs-THE ROUTINE OF PRISON
LIFE - RHFLscTross OF An OLD GUARD on THE
COURSE OF cRnR-A ROMANCE m THE OLD JAN
THAT LED 10 A WEDDING.
~ have been an observer OF the criminal classes
Tor years, even before dreamed of filling such q
position as guard, said an old Jail guard to STAR
reporter, "and I don't know but the epidemic
tneory Is applicable to crime It is to casualties
You know that when you hear Of q serious
accident big IRE or explosion, two more may be
expected shortly. Recently railroad man, when
ne heard OF an accident, and that no lives were
iost exclaimed: Thank God! that's the third and
| last This was several weeks ago, and 1t seemed
| 70 nave completed the series So with homictdes.
II you look over the old records you will find that
on the court books there long intervals between
sucn cases, and then will come within a week or
zen Gays tnree or more cases. i have sometimes
crimes. especially those known to the police as
seems to produce an epidemic of assaults and kin
ored onensea. The number OF petty thievery
cases, according 70 my notion is generally largest
| should the weather be severe Some are Of the
opinion that this is due to the want or distress
which Is felt most keenly at the time"
II can't remember much farther back" he con.
t,nued, than the war, but have heard much Of
Ine oid Times from associates, and their expert
dergone changes in late years, but the criminal
class Keeps up a fair growth. Some seem born 10
40 wrong, and l know some who have passed
through Cne jail several times, who promise each
time that they will take better course; but no
matter now they start they soon get into the old
term and do not come back again, but others seem
from the nrst to look on crime as honorable"
Tnere are at present but few professional crimi-
cOlnn60- thor0 In for
eide. These are Albert Green, committed for the
murder OF James Lucas at the broom drill In De-
eral Term; Lewis Williams, for the murder OF w.
c. Alder, October 2, tried once with disagreeing
jury; Joseph N. Chase for manslaughter, In kill
Ing Prof Paul by riding over him, April 2, last;
Albert Dodson, manslaughter, in driving over
oscar washington April 2 and VIM. Briggs, re-
panion In quarrel about hat.
THE JAIL BUILDING.
The old guard remarked that the present jail
building was far In advance Of the old structures
OF the kind in the District This building was
erected mainly OF brownstone, and the security as
well as the health OF the prisoners was consulted
IN the plans. 1t is prison within prison. whence
IL IS next 70 impossible to escape. There are two
wings used by the male prisoners. For the male
cepting those at the ends, is by by 10 feet In
the north wing are confined prisoners from the
Criminal Court wh are nscs IN re t.ai o tne
The number OF prisoners OF late has exceeded
the average, and for this season is fully 20 per
200. OF these % are in the female department,
Two being infants In arms, and there "from no
lauit OF their own" There are also two little COL
ored girls, who few days ago were sent down for
HOUSEKEEPING. The rest are grown women, some
OF whom have been there before. This depart
ment Is over the main entrance. The rooms or
cells are 10 feet square and high and there are
two or more females TO a room. AS rule they
are Wen behaved. They seldom see even those IN
the halls for the doors are OF heavy baJtened oak,
and the windows have wooden screens on the ex-
terror. The female prisoners are IN charge of Mrs.
Russell, the matron. Between the wings is a
large rOtunda and In the court at the east OF the
north wing the grim scafIold, which has been used
In q dozen or more executions, stands in full
cells are above 1t. These are, however,
not troubled by this omin0us presence
In the east wing is the kitchen and over it the
chapel. The prisoners were moved from the old
jail building at 4th and streets In December,
1875 and the new jail was formally opened Janu-
airy J. although IL was not at that time fully
THE OLD JAILS.
81 have heard some OF the old residents" said
the guard, estate that the first jail was private
one, erected by Mr.. Ashton, the first marshal OF
the District, near the Coast Survey building After
TINS was used short time building was erected
In the alley in the square between An. 9th and C
streets and Louisiana avenue. Then new build
ing was erected for the Jail Immediately In the
as the infrmary. From there the jail went about
1899 to the structure at the corner OF 4th and G
Streets"
PRISON ROMANCE.
There is q little romance connected with the old
jail building that once stood in Judiciary Square,"
said the guard. "When 1t was customary to i'm
prison for debt, among the unfOrtunates at one
time was one quite noticeable for his good looks
The JaiiOr had several daughters, and one OF them
fell III love with the handsome debtor Though
the iron doors separated them, the grating was
open. and the courtship was carried on without
much difdculty. The result was that as soon as
he gained his physical freedom he voluntarily sub
mitted TO bondage Of another kind and became
a married man. The scene OF his courtship be-
came his post Of duty, frst as a guard, then
deputy, and finally as the warden. The billing
and cooling through iron bars continues but am
not prepared TO say with what success. According
to the rules the prisoners may see their friends u-
der proper restrictions, and 1t is apparent that
many OF those who come, especially those who
come TO see colored prisoners, are their sweet
hearts"
THE LIFE OF THE PRISONERS
"As for the routine OF the establishment" con.
tinued the guard, there are now but fifteen guards
for an average OF two hundred prisoners among
whom are included sometimes criminals of the
most desperate character. You ask how 1t is DONE
At O'Clock In the morning the prisoners turn out
their cots sweep their cells, AMI at O'Clock break.
last ~ HON 20 Is an Inspection
ridors; then the inmates are let out In the cor
rdors to exercise from one TO one and half hours
out at a time. This usually takes until ~ O'Clock
Al O'Clock preparations are made for dinner, and
at O'CLOCK the BOXES containing rattOnS are
passed In, and at O'Clock the keys
are turned for the night After TINS
hour only members OF the bar or ministers
can see prisoners. Some OF the prisoners have
very lonely time, especially those unable to read
or write. Those whose good conduct gains the
appreciation OF the Officers and who are detailed
for work. regard themselves fortunate Some
attend to the whitewashing, others clean the
cells or do chores and Others every half hour pass
drinking water TO those locked up; others mop
out the rotunda, assist in the fire-r0om In the
kitchen"
Albert Green convicted on December 16 OF the
murder OF James Lucas, at the Broom Drill enter
ta1nment, whose case Is pending in General Term,
seems hopeful, at least that his life will be spared
The cOlored man, Chase, indicted FOR manslaughter
In killing Prof Paul, does not seem at all anx-
i0uS for a speedy trial. but at the same time is
somewhat anxious to De out. Louis Williams.
charged with killing ex-Onicer Alder Is OF the
most patient prisoners In the jail
VISITING TIE PRISONERS.
sit Is one of the best heated and ventilated build.
ings in the world" said the guard. "Ths is shown
by the extraordinary good health Of the inmates
for sickness Is usually brought in by the pris-
oners. They are visited every other Sunday By
members OF the Young Catholics Friend Society,"
the cOlored Y. u. G. A., VINO make personal efforts
with the prisoners, and on the intervening sunday
by the Y. N. C. A, the entire day being taken up
usually. Ifear, however" remarked the guard"that
the seed here planted is not destined 10 bear mucn
fruit. have seen but little evidence OF reforma-
ton among those who have for a second time been
SpnG tn priSOn There seems tn he a chance NJ