The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-08
Machen in Home Circle;
Plans Book on Parole;
Took Walks in Country
Convict, Once More With His Children, Tells of
Liberty He Enioyed-His Pleas Obtain
Release for Slayer.

To return to the bosom Of his family,
| to receive kindly messages from scores
| Of friends, 10 experience once more the
| joys of life unrestrained by prison reg
ulations however lightly enforced; TO
greet an aged father and mother who
| had prayed that they might live TO see
| the return OF their son and to feel that
despite the dark past the world held
/ for him bright outlook-these were a
/ few Of the experiences and emotions
which went to make up the first few
hours of new life taken up yester-
day by August w Machen, formerly
| superintendent of the rural free delivery
division Of the postoffce. who finished
| a three-year sentence in the Mounds
vile penitentiary at midnight Friday.
/ The unusual experiences of Machen
/ in the penitentiary are strilSingly inter
esting, but the best chapter OF his
! career. occurred yesterday at his home
at 2026 Fifteenth street northwest, and
at the home of his aged parents. A
little more than three years ago these
two households We're plunged in sor-
row because a son and a father had
heen convicted OF conspiracy TO defraud
the United States Government.
scene at FlIeSl1S.
There was a new note sounded last
night. -Four happy girls dan' ed and
pranced in front of their fatl-er and
gave 70 him the love aud kisses and
happy chatter that had been denied
him so long. Mrs. Mach en-. who had
never lost faith in her husband from
| the moment he was placed under arrest.
watched the scene with no attempt to
| conceal her emotions. And Machen sat
/ IN his familiar rocker and drank deep
/ from the cup Of happiness which had
| been placed TO his lips by tender lit
/ tie hands The vision OF MOundsVille,
/ its ugly prison walls, its stain. its dis
| agreeable associations paled and faded
away and instead OF the gloom and
sobbing voices which wounded his heart
/ as he passed through the doors three
wears ago, there was happy-almost
/ hysterical-laughter in which Machen
/ Joined on the slightest provocation.
AT the other home. the home OF Ma
chen's aged father and mother. there
was happiness Of another kind. Laugh
| ter did not echo through TIE rooms. but
/ the happy. old couple sat together with
/ contented smiles on their faces. Now
that their son has returned to them they
were willing TO look into the future with
/ a degree Of confidence.
"Great Joy" Says Machen.
/ 1T is a great JOY To be home again. -
said Machen last night 1t pleases me
| beyond expression to find that every
/ member Of my Family is well and
/ happy"
/ Then followed a long description Of
| the events which followed from the time
! Machen left Washington until he re-
| turned here yesterday. Throughout the
/ recital he referred to his Imprisonment
/ in the most delicate manner, as though
/ he were anxious not to speak aloud any
word that would sadden for the moment
/ the happy evening being spent by his
/ children. When making reference to
/ his confinement in the Moundsville pen
itentiary AIachen used the words dur
| ing my absence" OF while / was
away" His speech. although free. was
/ guarded IN a similar manner throughout
! the evening.
! Machen maintains. as he has always
done, that he was innocent OF the crims
/ of which he was convicted. He re-
! nerated that statement last night with
much emphasis. When asked il he had
/ any fears about the legality Of his re-
| lease from the penitentiary, he said;
Declares His Release Legal.
q was released after the entire mat
! ter had been carefully considered by
I the prison officials and directors and
/ after they had obtained legal advice on
the question. The decision Of Judge
! Dayton. of the United States court OF
/ the northern district OF West Virginia,
was the precedent on which they acted.
/ So far as the fine is concerned I could
not pay It If l wanted to because I
haven't the money 20 do sc. 1 am free
now and so far as / am personally con-
/ cerned the matter is ended. 1 do not
anticipate, however that there viii be
any difficulty because Of The manner in
which I was released
/ Machen did not attempt 10 deny that
his liberty at Moundsville was unusual
! because Of the peculiar position held
j by ME in the prison ofnce. re said II
/ was permitted many privileges which
were denied other prisoners. In many
! instances this was necessary in order
{ that I might perform the duties which
| mad been assigned 10 me. For instance,
/ I frequently went to town to transact
/ business for the prison officials About
/ ten months ago 1 began to exercise a
! great deal in order that might harden
my flesh and get into good physical con-
/ dition.
Enjoyed Walks in Country.
II gradually extended my program
until just before my departure was
walking about seven CT eight miles
| day. The country outside the prison
walls is beautiful and I enjoyed my
/ traplps thoroughly. 1 want TO deny,
] however. that the restraint or my lib
/ erty was so slight that I was a fire.
quent visitor at the theaters at Wheel
/ ing Such statements are untrue. I
do have the liberty of the town OF
/ MOUndsville ana frequently was out at
night, but want 20 say in Justice to
the prison officials that 3ever abused
| any liberty granted me"
/ It is probable that in the near future
Machen viii begin work on a book
/ which win contain observations made
! by him during his stay at the peniten-