The Washington times., 1908-08-16
So-Called Economy Blam-
ed for Pitiful Condition
of Prisoners.
SHAME TO DISTRICT,
SAYS DR.. EMMONS
Charges That Every Comfort Is
Denied Convicts, and Only Barest
Necessities Are Given.

at the United States Jail have caused
a wave OF Indignation 10 sweep over
the District. and on all sides the Mig
gardly policy OF the Department of Jus
tice in its management of the institu-
lion is being severely criticised
Commissioner West. who yesterday
directed that the consumptive prisoner
confined al the Jail be removed TO the
Tuberculosis Hospital IL the warden
would provide a guard for him intimat-
ed yesterday that the conditions we're
due 10 the fact that the Department OF
Justice has not even tried TO alleviate
them. and never had presented the
matter to Congress in a forcefuI manner.
Dr.. Emmons Talks.
Dr. Charles NJ. Emmons, who was at
one time physician 20 the workhouse
adjoining the jaE. and Is acquainted
with the conditions and the problem
presented. declares that the Jail would
be a disgrace 10 any civilized commun-
ity. He suggests that the consumptive
! prisoner be transferred to the Wash
ington Asylum Hospital, where he may
be guarded
a little more than a year ago, this
entire matter was brought TO the at
| tention Of the Department Of Justice.
and although Congress was then in
| session, the department failed TO act.
There Is no excuse for such negligence.
| They knew that the prisoners at that
hospital are penned up in their cells
/ twenty hours a day. with the ex-
Ceptlon OF a half hours exercise. be
cause of want OF a yard They knew
/ that rats and veTmiu infested the pace
They knew that the sanitary arrange
ments would shame the feudaI dungeons
of the middle ages. They knew that
| insufficient food and medicines were
being provided, and stilI. they never
moved p hand
Hopes for improvement,
81 have no doubt but that the com
mission which was appointed 20 con-
slider what should be done TO relieve
, conditions at the jail will make a report
: that viii recommend an entirely new
Jail. Justice STAFFORD. who is at the
| head OF the commission. is a humane
man, and year ago he told me that
he considered the jail disgrace to the
/ District
Twenty physicians spoke with me to-
! day of the matter. and to a man ex-
/ pressed astonishment that such cordi-
! tions could exist. It is plainly up to
Mr. Bonaparte TO act. and act quickly.
{ think
Even as it is. there are a few things
/ that could be done TO relieve the stu
alton temporarily. For instance, the cell
doors in each corridor could be left
| open for two hours a day and the pris-
oners allowed 10 walk up and down.
Tables could be put into the long In
/ terror courtyards, and the prisoners fed
I there instead of I'm their cells.
The great trouble has been that the
Department OF Justice has insisted on
| shaving every penny that must be ex-
/ pended on the jail"
Petty Economies.
One of the petty economies of which
/ Dr. Emmons spoke was that Of refusing
/ 10 provide chairs or stools for the men
1 IN the cells. AS it is. they are OBLIGED
| TO sit on their hunks or on the floor
| he says, and on the hot days. when
there is not a breath Of air within the
walls, the floor is the most comfortable
! place.
The department refused to buy chairs
even as low as 50 cents apiece. and then
when the warden offered TO have the
| prisoners make the chairs if the de-
! partment furnished the material, he
was met by another refusal
The same way with the proposed din
| ing-roOm which Dr. Emmons sug-
/ gested. Warden Mckee wanted to make
! but has been unable to- do so because
| OF his inability to secure the small
amount of money necessary for the pur-
| chase of the material
Screens were found to be an absolute
| necessity. The flies and mosquitoes were
making the jail a place of torture. II
was estimated that they would cost
several hundred dollars. The depart
ment refused to allow this amount, and
/ the warden put the men TO work and
constructed screens at an expense Of
/ $50, the bare price OF the cheapest
/ material Obtainable
Medicines Lacking.
one matter on which physicians are
| especially indignant is the medical
/ treatment given the prisoners. In a
weII-ordered prison with more than 500
| prisoners. there are several visiting
physicians and one registered physician
who is always on hand in case of emer-
| gency. Then there is a pharmacy.
! At the District Jail a medical student
| is the only regular medical attendant
/ DR.. D. x. Shute is the visiting physi-
clan. he is allowed $500. and out Of that
/ ne pays for al the drugs furnished the
| prisoners. In many other jails contain
! ing 500 inmates, that amount would not
/ even pay for the rugs which are neces-
sary The me5ical student gets $40 a
! month
Dr. Shute lives three miles from the
/ tail and If called to the prison at night
/ coulz hardly reach IL in less than an
/ hour.
The length of time which many are
! held before being granted a trial is also
! responsible for great deal of the
/ crowding at the jail When the Grim
! inal Branch Of the Supreme Court of
the District suspended for the summer
/ there were many cases awaiting trial
even then. and the number increases
daily.
! There are at the present time 573 pris-
/ oners at the jail. and there are only
| FIVE guards TO take care of and control
them.