Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-22
FOR DISTRICT PRISON
CONGRESS to Be Asked to Pro-
vide Penitentiary.
BUT UNDER ANOTHER NAME
Warden Harris Believes It Would Be
Means of Permanent Benefit.
AND KNOWN AS REFORMATORY
Objects to New Location for Jail.
Now as Far From Courthouse
as It Should Be.
ND KNOWN AS REFORMATORY

It Is more than probable that Congress
will be asked at the approaching session
to take action upon the question Of provid-
Ing a penitentiary for the District OF Co
lumbia. Justice Stafford discussed the
question some weeks ago, and. 1t ID now
stated, the warden of the jail, Capt. James
H. Harris, Is to recommend to the At
torney General that such an institution be
established. Warden Harris will suggest
that a prison where inmates shall be re-
quired to perform manual labor be estab-
lished. but his idea is that 1t should be
called q reformatory rather than a peni-
Tertiary.
Members of the Chamber OF Commerce
are interested in the question Of having
such a prison provided for the District Of
Columbia, and are seeking Information
about the conduct of such institutions in
view Of submitting a report. There are q
number Of other persons who favor the es-
tabishment of q prison of the kind men
toned and making it self-supporting:
the question having already been preached
by some OF the local citizens associations
Warden Harris was asked by Star re-
porter what his views were upon the ques-
ton of having a penitentiary or reforma-
tory provided for this city, and he said he
was heartily in favor OF it. He Is not par
ticuIar, he said. whether 1t Is called q
penitentiary or refo-matory, but he thinks
some such prison should be provided.
Considered in Annual Report.
II don't care to enter into a full discus
sion OF the matter at this time" said the
warden, "as 1t is my intention to treat
upon the subject in my annual report to the
Attorney General. will say. however.
that think the time has arrived when the
District should have some prison in which
the inmates will have to work, but the es-
tablshment OF such prison should not
mean the abolition of the present jail.
The warden said he thought all prisoners
who are sentenced to serve sixty days or
more should be required to spend their
time in a prison where work Is required
Such q prison. in the opinion of the warden,
should be erected in the county, where a
large tract Of land could be purchased and
ton to other work. Such an institution.
Warden Harris stated, should be con-
Quoted along lines of reform in order that
permanent good might be effected.
1.-THE establishment of a penitentiary," he
said, SHOULD not mean that the present
Jail be abandoned. 1t is true the number
of prisoners in the jail would be materially
decreased, but 1t would still be needed
Persons awaiting trial, those serving short
sentences and persons held as witnesses
could be detained in the jail. The present
Jail is a stronghold and cost something
like $4,000, I'm told. 1t could be put In a
the purposes l have mentioned just as well
as a new building"
Opposes Change in Location.
Warden Harris was told that the East
Washington Citizens Association had
started a fight against the maintenance
Of the jail upon Its present location. and
was asked what he thought about its
transfer in the county. He said he was
decidedly opposed to its being removed
to any point farther away from the heart
of the city. He referred to the locations
Of jails elsewhere, pointing out that most
of them are in the very heart Of the cities.
They are usually built upon ground near
or adjacent to the courts, he said, in order
that no trouble or delay would be expert
enced in conveying. we prisoners into court
for trial. but he WSuld net want the local
jail located upon Judiciary Square.
$50 far as l am concerned he said, 81
can see no reason why the jail should be
removed from its present site, but I do
think the building and grounds might be
beautifed. The building is about as far
from the courts convenience will permit
1t is necessary that several trips should
be made during day, and IL the prisoners
were kept at some distant point in the
county it would be almost impossible to
handle them to the satisfaction Of thoss
Interested, and might often delay the husi-
ness Of the courts.
1t was suggested by the wardel xnG9 &