Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-13
JAIL IS OvERCROWDED
Built to Accommodate Half
Number of Present Inmates.
NOT ALL GET WEEKLY BATH
Severe Penalties in District Courts
Create Condition.
TWO PRISONERS IN EACH CELL
Ninety Women, Greatest Number
Ever in Institution at One Time.
Commission Is Investigating.
NOT ALL GET WEEKLY BATH
TWO PRISONERS IN EACH CELL

The overcrowded condition of the jail
the lack Of facilities for caring for the
prisoners and the insecurity OF the build
ing will soon be passed upon by the COM
mission which was recently appointed to
investigate the conditions there.
Justice Stafford. John JOY Edison and
Robert v. La Dow. members Of the COM
mission, are taking an active interest in
the investigation. It is believed that many
improvements will follow the submission
Of their report.
Although the prison was built to &C.
commodate only 1873 prisoners. there were
S1S persons occupying the cells there yes
terday.
With no running water in the cells and
with two persons In most OF the small
compartments, which were originally built
to accommodate one prisoner the prison
ers complain the conditions are sometimes
almost unbearable. Capt. Thomas H. Nc
Kee, the warden agrees with them.
1t Is the intention Of the warden to re-
lieve the prisoners as much as he can
during the heated period. He realizes,
however. there is little that he can do.
OF the 61S prisoners in the jail yesterday.
ninety were women, the largest number or
females that has been in the institution at
any one time. With but three bath tubs
in the building the warden finds 1t diff
ficult task to provide each prisoner with
bath once a week.
Bathing Facilities Nowhere Worse.
There is probably no other prison in the
country with such poor bathing facilities.
1t is said that more prisoners are handled
In the District jail each year than are
handled at any similar institution in the
limited OF ho nf-
ficials handled 1904 prisoners
The improvements that are to be made
to relieve the Jail conditions will not be
attempted until after the commission
makes it's report Even then it may be
that the commission will recommend the
erection OF a new prison in the county.
Many earnest protests have been made
against the Jail remaining in the eastern
part of the city.
1t Is explained by Jail officials that the
overcrowding Of the Jail Is due to heavy
sentences imposed by the judges of the
washington courts. 1t Is said that there
Is present tendency to impose greater
penalties than were considered necessary
IN the past. Many are now prosecuted
under laws which were not given much
attention years ago.
Warden Mckee hopes he will be able to
screen the jail windows in few days to
keep out flies and mosquitoes.
The law creating the investigating COM
hhSSIoh pioNIOSQ I'll dppIOpIIdLlou VI 81, =
500 for the three members of the COM
mission to visit other prisons before sub
hitting its report. The commission will
probably not report until late in the fall.
Penitentiary in the District.
They will be urged to advocate that a
penitentiary be erected in the District for
the care and confinement of local Grim
inals instead Of having them sent to
Moundsville or Atlanta. Persons inter-