The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-08-17
URGES THE PARDON
Of SICK PRISONER
District Attorney Baker
Seeks Improvement of
Jail Conditions.

A favorable report, recommending the
pardon of Clarence Smith, the prisoner
at the United States jail suffering from
tuberculosis, was sent by District At
torney Baker 20 the Department OF JUS
tice this afternoon, II Will be acted on
there within a day, and the entire mat
ter put up to the President.
DR.. II. L Stout. acting jail physician,
was asked TO make a report on The
mans condition, and his report showed
that the prisoner was suffering from
tuberculosis. and that there was abso-
lutely no provision against infection Of
other prisoners. except by the use of
disinfectants. Warden Mckee recon-
mends the pardon Of the man. as It was
he who instigated the matter.
Agitation Growing.
The agitation which has been carried
on by many prominent physicians, law
yers. and pubhc-spirited men. through
The Times, is resulting in the receipt or
many communications from these men
at the Department OF Justice.
Thomas Taylor. q well-knOwn attor-
ney, declares that the conditions are a
disgrace TO the community, and that II
the institution were under the supeTin-
NGAAAEAAtt u NA4E 4D4oAA IT VI COAA-AAAie-
they would not be allowed TO exist for
another day.
The conditions at that jail have been
brought 10 light BEFORE" said Dir. Tay-
lOr, but nothing ever has been done
TO remedy them. It's about time Tor
something 10 be done. and 1 am sure
that when the report OF the special
commission appointed by the President
and headed by Justice Stafford, of the
District Supreme Court, Is made II VIII
present the matter IN such a fearful
light that Congress viii be compelled
70 act.
Depl0res Conditions.
IT have been out there many times in
the course of my practice before the
bar of the District, and know whereof
speak. cannot condemn too strongly
a policy tIlat exercises such false econ
omy."
That the imposing OF several sentences
on one man which keeps him at the
District jail for three and four years is
responsible for much of the CrOWding
there. is the statement of James 3. Nc
LaUghlin, another attorney who voices
his Indignation. The conditions there
are much better now than formerly, he
says, but that is due only TO the eneT-
getlc and ceaseless work of the warden
and his ass istants. But Tor them, says
Ar. Mclaughlin, many more men would
fall victims TO disease.
The place is full of vernlin and the
feeding in the cells, which prompts men
To store away food under the hunks,
causes the presence of a great number
of rats.
1T is a wonder to me that the warden
get along on the meager allowance
which he has az his disposal. Eight
and a half cents a day are supposed to
iced a strong man with hearty appe-
tite. Several years ago l visited the
institution while the prisoners were be-
rHsaa 81
animals at a circus. There should be a
dining room. where a batch OF prisoners
could be fed at q time. It would be
less degrading and more economical IN
the long run.
when a man goes in there, no matter
what clothing ne has on, that is all he
is allowed during his stay. None can
be given him, because there is no al
lOWance TO buy clothes with. He goes
out in rags and penniless. In some cases
Va -den Mckee has bought clothes cut
C lis own funds"
.''rhe Department of Justice has been
il a dilemma about the jail for a long
time" said an official connected with
il this morning, but We have been IN
able TO decide whether to go ahead AID
make repairs or wait and see whether
a new Jail was TO be erected.
1T would cost many thousands of
dollars to remodel the institution. We
admit that the conditions are bad but
nothing temporary can be done at this
LlllG-
An appropriation of $4,000 was made
last year for the jail In addition to
this the Department of Justice has an
appropriation of $4,000 a year for re-
pairs on the three prisons under its
charge, the penitentiaTies at Forr
Leavenworth and Atlanta, and the iall
in Washington. Not more than few
hundred dollars are expended annually
on repairs in the Washington iail
Attorney General BOnaparte- for tbe
past few years has inserted in his an
nual report paragraph calling the at
tention of Congress TO the conditions
st the jail and pointing out the over
crowded conditions which made the put
ting OF two prisoners in one cell neces-
sary. In mis- last annual report the At
torEey General said:
Il wish TO reiterate what was said in
last years report, that the prison is old
and insufficient, and something should
be done toward remedying ths ssndi-
tiOns there