Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-08
EARLY THIS MORNING
INCIDENTS OF THE TRIP FROM
WASHINGTON LAST NIGHT.
Probable Work of Moundsville Prison
Recruits-Await Prison Garb
to Fit Them.
Special From a staff Correspondent.

Washington, the three post office prisoners
who are under sentence to spend two years
| here reached this station. The conductor s
| call of .'The next stop is Moundsville'
| seemed to affect the spirits of the trio
| They seemed If they were anxious for
| the stop to be made in order that they
might get a glimpse of their home for the
! time fixed by the court and meet the
warden, who is to be their legal guardian
during that time.
| From the time the train left Washington
| until the conductor called, The next stop
Is MoundSville, the faces of the prisoners
in the noted cases showed that they were
under a terrible strain The suspense had
been something awful, but with the pros
pect of seeing the big prison building and
greeting Warden Maddox there had come
relief which was even more noticeable
after they had had their meeting with the
prison officials.
In admitting the men to the prison it was
not even necessary to turn a lock, and the
surroundings were decidedly less severe
looking than those ir the party had antici-
pated. The place where the Washington
prisoners are to spend their time is not a
modern building throughout, although the
latest improvements are contained in the
new wing of the structure. On the streets
of the village a number of curious men
followed from the railroad station to the
prison, a distance of about one-quarter of
a mile.
The big mound, saloon or two, hotels
and residences presented the only attrac
tions.
Train Was Two Hours Late.
The train reached here two hours late
and the Washington party reached the
prison at 7 O'Clock, just the prisoners
were about starting upon their days work.
James NJ. A. Watson was not in the Of
fee to greet the new arrivals, as he had
gone to his place of employment in the
whip shop. He is Overseer in the shop
and is paid for his services in cash.
Samuel Croft was sick man when he
left the city but the trip did not seem 10
hurt him and the prison physician, Dr.
Stewart saw him shortly after his arrival
here. In all probability he will be placed in
the hospital for several days before being
assigned to work.
1t is understood that Machen will be
given a position in the office as book
keeper, but just what work the GroffS will
have to do was not determined today.
The fourteen prisoners from Washington
would have made an even 1,10O prisoners
in the penitentiary had not one Wash
ingtOn man been released last night. This
morning SS3 prisoners were sent to the
shops, about the largest number ever put
at work at one time.
Vacations Undecided.
They filled the shops and it was said the
Groffs may have to wait until there are
vacancies for them. Machen and the
Groffs were not put through the ordinary
prison routine this morning, and the ques-
tion of their treatment may not be decided
until later this afternoon or tomorrow. In
some cases aged men are not barberized
as are the younger prisoners, and it is
stated Diller Croft may be permitted to
retain his beard. The other eleven prison
e%s were disposed of before these three
prisoners in the celebrated case were
called and questioned.
They cannot be given prison garb today.
one of the officials stated, as there are no
big sizes in stock. The trip over the road
was an exceptionally quiet one as none of
the eleven burglars, fighters and others
made any noise. The usual singing, which
breaks the monotony of the trips, was
omitted until the train neared here, when
they sang There is Rest for the Weary
Came Near Breaking Down.
1t was then that the three prisoners
came nearer breaking down than they had
during the entire night. The Croft broth
ers We're cuffed together and Machen
shared his cuffs with a guard during the
night Lunch was served number of
times and friends of Samuel Croft had
supplied him with a basket of fruit. This
he was permitted to take with him to his
apartment in the prison.
After the prisoners had been surrendered
the guards and reporters were shown
through the prison shops.
Unon reaching the yard the visitors saw
the armed guards on the walls. There
were four of them in as many towers, ana
each of them had a shotgun ana flhe
James Watson was permitted TO snake
hands with the visitors. His hair had
been cropped and several days CROWN OF OF
heard on his face gave him the appearance
of a man who had never been used to any
thing but hard work. -
How do you feel, JIMMIE ne was
asked. Ill, $40
Il want to go home" was his quick re-
t'rhere are 1909 others in here who want
TO do the same thing, he was told py d
guard.
Mr. Machen "Faces the Inevitable"
I, an interview just before he left Wash
tngton Machen said:
81 have made good fight, anu was coui
agaous to the last. / am now facing the
Inevitable and will take the consequences
Win bravery. fortitude and philosophy.
expect to be in MoundsViiie twenty hioii.hs IN p
| reducinP the two years sentence TO tHis
| time nv good behavior. l have no nten-
| ton at this time of asking for pardon.
| wish to thank all my friends who have
| stood by me and believe In me IN TINS tfou-
| ble am innocent; my friends know that
| | am innocent, and time will show that the
| man who put me here will have to answer
for what he has done. / wish to add that
| there is not word of truth in the state
| ment that ! made an effort to get a Pull
| man car to go in or to take my relatives
with me on this trip If there was any
| thing done ii was only to obtain for me and
| for the Groffs the same privileges were
| accorded J. NJ A. Watson. and evidently
| these similar privileges were refused"
| The privileges accorded Watson consisted
! of his being permitted to travel in a Pull
| man car, handcuffed to a Jail guard, al
| Watson's expense. The statement referred
1 to was that a rumor prevailed that certain
4 relatives of the men convicted of the Post
| DarIa
| to accompany them ea the journey t1
| Moundsville, and that the party would
| travel in Pullman car" The jail warden
| reported this rumor to the United States
| attorney for the District of Columbia
| Statement by Croft Brothers.
| Just before the train started Samuel A
| Croft said:
| Here is my statement. / was practically
| acquitted before the trial came to an end
Now am doomed to two years in the peni.