The Washington times., 1911-02-25
Commissioner Sees Letter OF
Former Guard Urging
Retaliation.
OCCOQUAN PROBE
HAS BEEN STARTED
Conscientious Effort to Get at Truth
and Learn Specific Instances of
Abuse Is Promised.

In beginning today an investigation of
the charge of cruelty to prisoners at
the workhouse at Occoquan, Commits
siOner Rudolph discovered a letter. ad-
dressed by former guard to one of his
fellow workmen, characterizing Super
intendent w. II. Whitaker, as a slave
driver, autocrat, and insolent puppl," Z"
and asking assistance in the movement
to get his scalp"
Commissioner Rudolph said that while
he regarded this as evidence which
might tend to show a motive for the
charges filed by the former guards, he
will continue the investigation with an
unbiased mind and a determination
, to arrive at the truth of the allegations.
Invitations to appear in the office of
Commissioner Rudolph were sent to the
guards who have filed affidavits alleg-
ing ill treatment Of prisoners and the
smuggling of whisky into the work.
house reservation.
Wants to Hear Truth.
81 want these men to tell me exactly
wnat they know" said the Commits
siuner Il shall ask them to give spe-
cifc instances of cruelty to prisoners,
the dates on which the punishment took
place, the number of days the punish
ment lasted and the kind administered
I shall ascertain, also. the name of the
guard reporting the prisoner who was
disciplined, and why the report was
made.
Inquiry will be made also as 10 the
guards reasons for leaving the employ
of the institution. DR.. Hornbaker, ply
siC!an in charge Of the workhouse, also
will be summoned and asked to give a
detailed statement of the condition Of
the prisoners"
The letter in which reference Is made
to Superintendent Whitaker Is in part
as follows:
Myself. Mr.. Kerfott and eleven other
former guards have forwarded to the
Commissioners affidavits to show that
whisky was sold in the camp, and fur
ther that cruel, inhuman and barbarous
treatment Is meted out to prisoners for
sins of omission, commission. and Tor
trifliEg offenses. You knew this. VIII
YOU please write out a plain statement
of the facts. as to the sale of whisky.
and the treatment OF prisoners, take it
to a notary, and l will send you the
cost of the notary's acknowledgment.
Now get busy and help us in this.
time all the boys who worked for Whit
taker will get his scalp.
Plea for Resentment
Whitaker says the men who re-
signed or were discharged were a worth
less lot of fellows.
"Will you help US to resent this?
Your affidavit will be placed with
fourteen others and sent to the Dis
triCt Commissioners to oUSt this man
Whitaker, d slave driver, autocrat
and inSOlent puppet.'
The opposite view is presented in a
letter received by Commissioner Ru-
dolph from a workhouse guard denying
the sale of whisky and the i'll treatment
of prisoners.
"Only once" says the guard, did I
ever see whisky in the reservation and
in this instance the employe was dis
charged. AS to the i'll treatment of
prisoners, l never saw a prisoner pun
ished for nothing, and ! feel confident
no one ever Gid. On one occasion I
saw the captain of the day guard strike
a prisoner with a blackjack for warm
ing his shoes. l do not know whether
he hurt the man or not, but I do not
believe he did. as I worked the prisoner
the next day and did not hear him COM
plain. Furthermore, l do not suppose
the superintendent heard of this case
The investigation into the workhouse
will begin the first part of next week.