Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-28
MEANS TO SERVE SENTENCE
MRS. LISToN SEEMS HAPPY IN
THE LOCAL WoRKHoUSE.
Remarks That Good Lord May Favor
Her Before Term Of Imprison-
ment Expires.

Il am going to serve out my time. but
the good Lord may favor me before my
term of Imprisonment Is out"
With the foregoing remark Mrs. Mary
Liston talked freely with a Star reporter
this afternoon in the workhouse for fe-
males, out near the Eastern branch. She
was committed to prison yesterday by the
Police Court. because of refusal to pay
fine of $11O for failing to connect her
premises on Georgia avenue with the pub
lie drain
Mrs. Liston expressed surprise and dis
appointment today when Superintendent
Zinkhan informed her she has -four
months to serve. 1t was her belief that
her term was only two months. She
plucked at the hem of her Bingham
prison frock moment as If in contempla-
ton, and then said:
well, four months Is not so long, after
all and the good Lord may help me-"
Seems Happy and Jolly.
Despite her prison surroundings and
the hardened women Of the neither half
of the world who f1ocked about her, Mrs.
Liston appeared to be happy and jolly.
She's a good old SOUL" woman re-
marked who has served more workhouse
terms than she has fingers and toes.
and this Is no place for The likes OF
her"
Mrs. Liston explained to the reporter
that the property which Is causing her so
much trouble is involved in proceedings In
the Probate Court for final adjudication.
and that her youngest child Will not pc
of legal age for a year or more she
acknowledged that she had been before
the courts five times and had paid hnes
aggregating $50. Yesterday. she added.
she did not have the amount OF her me
-$11O-and had to go down."
II have done everything in my power
to put in the needed improvements 10
my property. 1 even went SO far as to
ask for number of bids for the work
the authorities want done. One man
wanted 81 900 for the job. l told him l
did not want him to build a Sklbo castle
for me. If 1 had the money l would
make all the improvements the Commits
sioners want, but 1 have no money and
cannot borrow it, as / see no way OF pay
ing it back"
"Poor soul, her property Is a curse to
her." said sin-soddened female who had
never been charged with owning any
thing more than the paltry clothes on
her back.
Criticises the officials.
II don't see how gentlemen can treat
me as I have been treated by the Dis
trict authorities" Mrs. Liston continued
"On one occasion when 1 was wanted in
court it seemed to require several police
men to come to my house and annoy me
and my children. The policemen must
have thought was fierce. AS matter
of fact I'm only a quiet old lady.
How could the judge of the Police
Court expect me to do the digging and
put in the fixtures? Had 1 been able to
have done the work 1 would have at
tempted it. 1 have all the water l need
on my premises-a good well at the back
door. But wells do not seem to be the
proper thing in this age. although many
tired workingmen were glad in the heat
of last summer to get cooling draught
from me-"
The workhouse authorities explained
that. deducting twenty days from Mrs.
Listens time for good behavior, she will
have to serve 100 days In the prison
with her are 100 woman prisoners,
twenty Of whom are white.
when 1 get out she exclaimed. as
the reporter was leaving. Il will try to
mt in the improvements"