Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-20

and the inside is kept well ventilated and
properly dIsinfected The beds that are fur
nished for the inmates like those in the
best residences of the city, in linen and
other furnishings, and just as clean.
AS the prisoners are received into the
house each Is compelled TO take a hot
water bath with soap on the side When
he Is ready for bed he is given clean sleep
ing clothes and put into a bed with fresh
ly Numbered sheets and pillow cases. Many
boys have found ii such a comfortable place
to stay that they have made up stories to
get back and then stay as long they can.
Undoubtedly. this example of cleanliness,
perhaps the first in many of the young lives
mas had its effect after the prisoner re-
lease. In commenting on this phase of the
house of detention Major Sylvester said:
1T IS a shame that We have to take the
boys to the Police Court. that Black Hole
of Calcutta. 1t rubs off all the gloss that
we have put on"
To the superintendent. Sergt Gallagher, is
due much of the credit for this cleanliness.
The inmates Of the house of detention are
divided into four classes as follows: Juye-
niles, or boys and girls under the age OF
seventeen; women who under arrest
for the first time: fugitives from home and
dodgers. OF course the Juveniles are the
greatest in number and receive the most
attention. In the cities like Washington
there are many boys arrested for offenses
varying III their seriousness In most cases
these boys are arrested for the first time
and in many cases there is a chance for re-
form BY sending them TO the house of de-
teHtior they are shown what the right is,
and they are kept from the old offenders.
Another class of prisoners who deserve the
same treatment If their ways are to be
mended are women who arrested for
the first time. The first arrest is often the
result of some misguided step. The stigma
of being put in jail does not attach to the
house of detention and therefore the girl
Is saved much of the shock of her first ar
rest and oftentimes it is her last
x
These two classes make up the majority
| of the inmates OF the house OF detention.
Since the opening of the house on August
/ %, 1900 TO August 10 last there have been
| $50 such prisoners held in the house of de-
! tention for a greater or less period. This IS
! an average for the five years of nearly five
! a day. and it is stated that there has not
/ been an escape nor charge brought against
| the house officials for harsh treatment
In the first year that the house of deten-
| ton was open ,T44 persons were brought
| there and in the last fiscal year ending June
! 20 there were 1862 persons. This is about
| the average number of prisoners.
The first prisoner was received about 6:15
| oclock on the night of August %, 1890. He
| was Lad fourteen years old, who ar
! rested for larceny by officer S S. Fraser of
| the sixth precinct. Since that time to the
! present there has been a prisoner in the
| house practically all the time.
Besides these two classes of inmates there
numerous. First. there are the fugitives
/ from home. Often the local police pick up
| a boy who has run away from home and
| who is sought by his parents After he is
| arrested here and his parents notified he is
not justly in custody for any crime, so he