Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-15
DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS
Two Opinions Regarding Con-
dition of District Jail.
SOME CHARGES FILED
JAMES M. A. WATSON REGARDS
MANAGEMENT AS DEFECTIVE.
Makes Trouble for the Warden-At-
torney Moss Finds No Fault
With Conditions.

Opinions differ as the man SAID, when
told he was an idiot. People go through
the same experience and come out with
radically different views. All this ph1los-
ophy Is brought out by the fact that John
A Moss radically differs from James M.
A. Watson in his opinion Of the District
jail and its management. Both have had
experience, the latter Is still enjoying the
hospitality of the institution, and yet they
don't agree little bit about the place.
Watson, it will be remembered, has said all
sorts of unkind and critical things about
the jail. He is awaiting his trial for hav-
ing, SO 1t charged, made free with some
$4,000 of District money, and is making
things quite lively for the Jail people while
he waits. His experience, it must be said.
has been longer than Mr.. Moss, who only
spent few days in a cell on charge of
contempt OF court until released on an Or
der of the Court of Appeals
There was at the Jail last Sunday what
one of the prisoners said was a 'hallelujah'
time, more than 200 visitors attending the
afternoon religious services. The visitors
naturally looked for the prisoners who had
been given more than ordinary notice In
the newspapers. 1t so happened that those
who We're confined In the prison on charges
NJ. A. Watson was also one who preferred
to remain in his CELL A number of nqui-
ries were made about him and the curious
ones were merely told that he had a cell
away from the other prisoners, where he
could not be annoyed by them. and where
they would be free from his influence.
Known as Legal Adviser.
For long time Watson was known to
many of the prisoners the general legal
adviser of those In trouble. 1t was on &C
count of following the advice given by Wat
son that one prisoner If no more, was dis
cipned, and others came near getting a
taste of the rough side of prison life. One
prisoner who was visited by physician
during the smallpox scare objected to being
vaccinated. He maintained, as did Mrs.
Carrie Nation later. that nobody had right
to vaccinate anybody without the party to
be vaccinated gave consent
wait till l see Watson he finally said,
but the prison officials promptly informed
him that his fellow boarder was not running
the Jail. He was vaccinated and the Incl
dent was closed
Warden Harris has been compelled to ad-
init that many of the statements made in
Watson's charges against the Jail are true.
These statements, however, cover matters
over which the warden has control. 1t
is conceded that the prison is by no means
an up-to-date structure. and Warden Harris
sso anxS Su that sanitary
considerable sum of money Is necessary to
make the desired Improvements, as the
building viii have to be altered from top to
bottom in order to bring it up to the stand
ard mentioned by Watson
Watson Makes Trouble.
1t is said Watson has given the jail off,
Gals more trouble than any other prisoner
in recent years, The guards think he has
tried to upset almost every rule of the insti-
tuition. After his transfer from the south
wing tc the west front of the building
where the women prisoners were confined
years ago, lie refused to scrub his cell floor,
he said, because there was no authority CT
law to compel him to perform such work.
The prison rules were quoted, and he was
plainly told that all prisoners were to be
treated alike. 1t was not until he realized
that he might be put on a light diet and
that some OF his privileges would be with
drawn that he consented to keep his little
apartment clean.
Attorney Moss Takes Issue.
Attorney John A Moss, who recently
spent several days in jail under sentence
for alleged contempt of court, takes issue
with Watson in the matter of the latter's
complaint about the condition of cell ''34"
the big one in the south wing in which
Watson spent so much of his time. Moss
succeeded Watson as the occupant of this
Il found the room as clean as human
hands could have made it," declares Moss,
land far better than / expected to find a
Jail apartment. In fact, / was agreeably
surprised to find things good as they
were not losing sight Of the fact that was
in prison"
Mess tells of the work that is done every
day in the matter of keeping the building
Clean and declares he failed to find the
slightest foundation for the complaint made
by Watson. AS soon as he heard of the
statement respecting the condition of the
cell in question, Moss states, he started an
investigation, and says he was unable to
find even a fly within the confines of the
four walls.
Opinion Of the Menu.
/ was not served wild duck. turkey or quail
while 1 was in the Jail, but the flood that
was served me was good enough for any
body
He says the meats and fish served him
were as good as he has been in the habit
of purchasing for his home table, and the
soup, he says, was superb.
THE only complaint / have to make"
he says, lis that ! was unjustly locked up
Attorney Moss commends Warden Harris
as a model superintendent of the prison,
and also speaks well of the guards who are
his assistants.
In conclusion he says: Mr.. Watson's
statement that the Jail is miserably mis-
managed l say is not true, and j speak
from personal observation and experience"
Meeting Of Good Templars.
Minnehaha Lodge No /, LOOT, held it's