The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-08
Allowed Great Liberty.

I Justice viii give this matter serious
Allowed Great Liberty.
At the prison Machen was subjected
D none of tha degradatiOns that, the or
mary crirlina' must endure. He wore
Is hair az he had always worn It. and
he mustaohe which adorned his upper
D remained their during his incarcera-
on. He was even excused from wear
g anything that would mark him as
convict as he walked at viii through
he streets OF MoundsviIle.
When his work in the prison office
ras finished his time was practically
Is own, and he usually employed it
7alking IN the country. Tla very fire.
uently visited the town. and occasion
lily enjoyed such aHuseTneuts as We're
nered there. His quarters ct the pris-
n were comic able. and instezd Of q
arrow cell, sch as is assigned 10 the
rdinary prisoner, he was permitted 10
njoy the comfort of a large room in
7hich a bed had been placed
Gave Dinner to Sick Prisoners.
Because OF the position held by
1achen in the warden's Office he came
d close contact With many Of the
risOners and by the many kindnesses
e showed TO LNem, many of whom had
lot a friend in the world, he endeared
imself to these men. His interest In
is fellow-prisOners was demonstrated
few days before his release. AT that
line there were fifty or sixty prison
rs confined in the hospital For these
dachen provided, from has own purse.
chicken dinner. with all tHe dxin's.
much to the delight OF the disabled
One Of the incidents OF prison life
vhici. touched Machea deeply was the
.opeI-ss detection which hued Samuel
Sroff from the moment the conspiracy
started from Washington.
sam Croft" said Macuep. was
,ulled out OF a sick nd 70 make that
Quincy to the prison. His condition
,ecane worse as we neared Mounds
'.lle and by the time VIC arrived at the
It was so serious that I
'egged that he be given immediate
medical attention. A physician was
allied and san. recovered temporarily,
'ut ne never recovered from the et-
ects OF his conviction.
Croft Protested Innocence.
He was assigned TO open the papers
ent 70 the prisoners, and therefore had
lucn leisure time. I had made it a rule
o walk about the prison yards about
hree miles day, but I never could in
luce sam 10 join me. He would wait
or IRE on a bench near the prison gate.
nd as We sat there and talked Of many
hings he would almost invariably wind
ID the conversation by saying: Gus,
-ou know there was nothing crooked
'etween US. don't you?"
Friday night Machen said good-by to
II Of the Washington prisoners. with
whom he had become intimately &C
.uainted. At II o'clock he went TO the
.ischarging room. Captain Dawson.
Who ordinarily goes home early In the
Yening had remained up to say good
" to the prisoner. OF whom Re had be-
ONE So fond Machen sat with his
,ack to the clock, as though he could
lot stand the strain of watching the
minute hand slowly drag its way around
he dial. Although he had not smoked
n years, the former postoffce official
nally accepted a cigarette from a
riend and pulled at IL nervously for a
moment and then threw It away.
Finally the clock began 10 strike the
Jour OF twelve.
Times up" exclaimed Dawson as
.e extended his hand 70 Machen. who
rose quickly and walked to the cage
Ike gate which permits passage to the
ater weld. Dawson accompanied him
own the street. and when the two men
cared the station Dawson again held
nut his hand and said:
'Miss Ycu Awfully.5
Gus, I've said most everything I can
ay. I can only add that wen miss you
.wfuljy.'
Maclen shook the captains hand
warmly and replied:
Captain. can't say that am sorry
o leave voc, But want to say that I
everything that you have
lore for me. I shall never forget it.
5ood-by'
After he reached the station Machea
ert a telegram TO his wife, informing
Ter that he would arrive home about
loor, AS Re boarded the train the now
rec mn remarked that he was paying
lis fare for the first time since he en-
cred the Government service. He sat
ip awhile chatting with the Washing
on newspaper men who had g,,ra- Il.
doundsvilie to accompany him home
IS the lights Of MoundsviIIe faded ont
4 sight Machen remarked.
II hope that's the last I'll see of that
lace"
When Machen finally turned in, the
- -,