The evening times., 1897-06-08

condition or the institution was one Of
the most objectionable features they OBJ
served.
United states Jail,
Washington, ID. c.. June ., 1897.
To the Honorable, the Judges OF the ST.
preme Court uf the District of Columbia:
4 respectfully submit the following
statement, in reply to the petition of
Lawrence L. Pan, placed in my rands for
answer - your honorable body.
Tie sum statement OF Lawrence l..
Bah in general a. not true. The petition
was not prepared at the suggestion of Ban,
uut by perSons outside of the jail, said
persons having had no opportunity to know
the T-al facts ro8Cerning Lawrence l.. Ball
and Elyerton Chapman. When the affi-
dayit was presented To Rail in th. Jail he
did not know anything of its contents,
ana was unable To read il. He requested
that it he reaG 10 him These facts are
horne out by The affidayits OF Officers
Ran slen ana Perry The sworn statement
il unreliable, because said Ball could not
know many of the facts which he teStifieS
az Icing true.
..PHyilcges-The privileges mentioned in
paragraph of the petition a. being Ge
MED 20 Lawrence l.. PAN and accorded to
L K Chapman. are in fact follows
First. persons de tanned as witneS eSses,
second, persons not Classed as Criminals.
tLIT.l. The sick CT peI sons in del cate health.
fourth. prisoners assigned to service or
labor in ana about the prison To all of
The foregoing classes greater hieTty is al
lowed. For purposes Of exercise the cell
doors are left open during the day. To
those who Iator additional food / al
lowed. To the sick sUitalle food is given
under tae direction OF the iail physician.
The granting Of these privileges does not
in any way work an injury or impose any
wrong upon the other prisoners who are
confined! in the jan.
The treatment II Lawrence L. Ball
has in no instance been affected by Tn.
treatment accorded other prisoners. He
has lccn denied no privilege to which the
rules ut the prison enutle him, unless i I
re in tie restriction Of his food, as pIe-
scriteG by the Jail physician
'.VI>itors-The Jail regulations have
been observed respecting visitors.
'Thnincident complained of by Lawrence
L Rail- was at an hour when the Jail was
closed TO visitors under the rule. Ball has
been permitted tc receive calls from those
of his friends As is accorded to ali others.
The statement of said Ball that E. L.
Chapman is permitted to receive as many
visitors as he wishes during hours other
than those prescribed by the rule is untrue.
E r Chapman Is permitted to see his at
tCrnevs at any time they call, either in his
cell or office or Ia the rOtunda, as he may
choose. and has been allowed to see his
friend in :herotunda Thisrightis granted
TO a large number OF prisoners in the jail,
the exception being in cases where the
prisoner Is under sentence OF death, or
those who belong to class believed to be
dangerous and untrustworthy.
"All letters or mail coming to the jail
are delivered, without being opened, TO the
person to whom they are addressed. All
letters going out Of the jail, except those
addressed to an attorney or by the hand OF
an attorney or agent are required TO be
left open for examination. This rule is oh
served in the case of Chapman al with all
others The telephone is not used by any
OF the prisoners except in cases where in
my Judgment it is proper.
= Il have permitted Mr. Chapman to use
the telephone on probably not n:ore than
six occasions within the past three weeks
on matters Of business in response 20 call
Telephone messages are always received
for prisoners and given to them.
The cells are uniformly furnished with
cots, straw mats, straw pillows and wooden
blankets In very many instances pris
oncrs are allowed something additional in
the cells by way OF comfort, when the same
is furnished without expense to the Govern
ment. Additional bedding, chairs and other
comforts are frequently sent by the friends
of prisoners with a request that they be
allowed to use them The cell occupied by
Chapman contains some articles OF comfort
furnished by himself without cost or eX
pcnse to the Government.
The additional cen used by Chapman,
as complained of by Bah, is an
uuoCcupicd cell adjoining his own. where
he is allowed TO have a table during the
daytime to examine his mail and engage
in writing. There are several unoccupied
cells on this floor. Lawrence l.. Ball has
never been denied permission to place
in his cell any article of comfort; neither
have any of the friends of said Ball been
denied the privilege OF furnishing him
articles OF comfort to be placed in his cell
The statement OF the compl plainant. Bal,
the conduct of Chapman is
wholly untrue. No prisoner ever confined
IN the Jail during the time that have been
N charge as warden has ever more scrupu
Iously conformed TO the rules than has
Chapman. The Jail physicians statement |
is referred 60 touching this fact.
The complainant, Ball, alleges that he |
has been denied the privilege OF receiving |
certain food, brought to him by his brother, |
etc. The Jail record of those on the sick |
list shows that Ball was under the ply |
scian's charge at the time when said food |
was brought to him by his brother, and that |
no food from the outside was TO be given |
10 him. 1t is d well-establiShed regula- |
tion Of the Jail that the diet prescribed |
by the Jail physician shall be furnished |
and none other No distinction is made |
as 70 prisoners when food is brought by /
friends II the food brought should be |