Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-16
PRISON CONDITIONS SHOCKING
THE WESTERN PENITENTIARY
CONDEMNED IN REPORT.
Federal Convicts There to Be Re.
moved to Other Quarters as
Soon as Practicable.

In these days of model penitentiaries
and scientific supervision of penal instl-
tuticns. the conditions in the Western
Penitentiary of Pennsylvania. according
to a report made by c. H. Nicolas
son of the department of prisons and
prisoners to the Attorney General. are
shocking in the extreme. The statement
issued by the Department of Justice last
night is couched in plain and matter-of-
fact terms, but the concluding sentence,
which states simply that the twenty-one
federal prisoners at the Western Peni-
Tertiary will be removed as soon as prac-
ticable. with the exception of those
whose terms shortly expire. tells exactly
what the inspector thought of conditions
found there.
Mr. McGlasson secured his information
at first hand. He went to Allegheny
talked with prison officials and with the
twenty-one federal prisoners. ACCORDING
to him, conditions are so distressing ana
! intOlerable as not only to require the re-
moval Of all federal prisoners to other
institutions. but to demand the most
serious consideration of the proper pup
lie authorities"
The prison Is crowded. Thirteen hun
dred and one inmates occupied the ceiis
on the LIST of this month, and of this
| number more than half are at all times
idle, according to the report. Mr. McGlas-
son says the cells are small and that the
cots take up most of the room, and that
| more than half the prisoners are confined
two in cell. Disease and vermin were
found in plenty. Three hundred prisoners
suffer from tuberculosis.
The food causes complaint. The state
ment by the Department of Justice says
on this matter:
THE day before the visit of the agent
Of this department. a member of the
board Of inspectors of the institution was
in the dining room during the noon meal
and the prisoners are reported to have
risen in a body and hurled their food
plates and other articles at the inspector
calling on him to witness the quality OF
their food.
The Department of Justice does not
assume that the conditions are known to
| the Governor of Pennsylvania nor does ii
assume any official duty in the matter
| 1t intends to call TO the attention of the
proper authorities the gravity of the sit
uation.'
Denial by Mr.. Ellis.
| Wade Ellis. acting attorney general. to,
day declared to be without the slightest
foundation stories printed in severa
Pennsylvania papers that his action in
| condemninS the Western Penitentiary OF
Pennsylvania at Allegheny resulted from
the efforts of friends Of Pittsburg bank
| ers now in this prison.
MY action in having an investigation
| made of conditions in the prison. said
Mr.. Ellis today, was wholly due tc
newspaper accounts of the situation there
No one preached me on the subject and
| so far as l know 1 am not even &C
quainted with any friend Of any banker
there I do not personally know that
there are bankers in the Western Peni-
| Tertiary and l would suppose that they
| would be averse to being transferred tc
Atlanta or Leavenworth, away from their
| friends. Naturally they would want tc
stay close to home and friends. L am
| told that none of the federal prisoners in
the Western Penitentiary wants to be
moved, but we are going to do it any
how