Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-25
BUSY DAY FOR tBEN
Reaches Workhouse, Escapes
and Has His Fine Paid.
THEN RETURNS FOR SUPPER
Guards Spend. Many Weary Hours
Looking for Him.
NEW ST0CKADE AT 0CC0QUAN
supt. Whitaker Says That Getaways
From Institution Will Be More
Difficult Hereafter.

Ebenezer earns. colored. who. had been
sentenced for a short term at the Deco
guam workhouse, attained distinction at
that institution yesterday by arriving.
putting. on his workhouse clothes going
to work. escaping, having his fine paid.
getting a release from Judge Pugh. CALI
ing on a friendly farmer and returning to
supper at the workhouse, only to find
that as free man he had no right to
claim the bounty Of the institution-and
all these adventures within the short space
measured by the rising and the setting
Of the sun.
When Ebenezer arrived at Occoquan a
boy was singing He Walked Right in
and Turned Around and Walked Right
Out Again." The words gave Ebenezer
an inspiration, and had he been acting
out the words of a musical comedy he
could not have followed them more closely
than he followed that boys song as
soon as he got his convict clothes on.
Ebenezer INDUCED too freely few days
ago and took the trip to Occoquan as a
result. 1t is a pleasant hours ride to the
sleepy little hamlet Of Occoquan. and
when one steps from the train one sees
no greater activity than the rivalry OF
two hack-pilots who strive to induce Wis
house But the wise visitor, knowing that
one must cross water to get to the work
house, takes the motor convict transport
boat Of Capt. Hammill and is landed at
the foot Of a bluff. on which the work.
house is seated. 1t was in this boat that
Ezenezer enjoyed a fine ride Of three and
q half miles on a splendid bracing morn
ing. 1t was the fine air that made him
wish for his old job back on the huckster
wagon, where one can get close to nature
a M q SoQ.l4Ct
radishes. The sun sparkled so prettily on
the water that Ebenezer just wished for
the sight Of the good old Potomac In the
neighborhood Of the oyster wharf. and
longed to be back bargaining with house.
wives over the price Of cabbage.
Eben Makes His Escape.
At the workhouse they gave him suit
Of workhouse clothes and q stint of work
to do. Somewhere on the road they put
him to work with gang of other men,
and a guard was placed near with
misunderstanding gun. While the guard
was looking for Indians behind a tree
Ebenezer became as invisible to the
naked eye as q man can when hiding un-
der bush. Finally, when the guard and
the gang had moved on bit, EbeneZer
got up and walked away.
When q prisoner escapes at OccoQuan 1t
causes more rumpus than false alarm.
The army Of guards has to spread out
for miles over the country. men have to
lop along the dusty Virginia roads, draw
ing cover, peering into barns and shacks
and altogether working as hard as II
they were after the assassin of some
strenuous time yesterday looking for
Ebenezer, and all of them came trooping
in. tired and disguised, toward evening.
Eben's Unexpected Return.
Supt. Whitaker was sitting in his office
opening q batch Of evening mail when
the guards began coming in. He heard
their stories Of failure In a mechanical!
sort Of way. but his eyes twinkled as he
opened an oficial-looking letter. and he
laughed long and loudly when he saw
that 1t was an official release from penal
servitude for one Ebenezer earns. Some
friend Of Ebenezer had gone to- the court
and paid the slight fine.
: They were Joking about the matter
when in walked Ebenezer.
"Mawnin'. boss-evenin, mean:
who is that fellow?"F asked Supt.
Whitaker Ebenezer had escaped before
being introduced to the superintendent.
"Why. it's the man we've been looking
for" gasped a guard. Ebenezer grtnned.
Where have you been: asked MT.
II jes' went off to get somebody to
write a letter TO- me-" was Ebenezers
answer II wanted to get nah fine paid.
so l jes' went of and got one O desc yer
farmers to write letter to NAH folks, so
somebody'd pay NAH fine. I got a farm
err to write dat letter, boss. And, deed.
boss Use hOngry."
Mr. Whitaker scared Ebenezer half to
death by showing him the release from
Judge Pugh, and saying that no released
men could ever get anything to eat
around that place. Ebenezer was SO hum
cry that he offered to do a months time
for a slice Of bread-almost. But finally
they fed him and Mr. Whitaker took him
in hand for a farewell lecture.
"WherS do you expect to end?" he
asked.
1T guess de Lawd's gwine get me in de
end" replied the sanctimOnious Ebenezer.
Not much, replied the superintendent.
HE might send for you. but you'd turn
around and go back when you were half
way there Goodbye"
A little while later A. MerryTnan, q
white trusty working in the kitchen, took
IL into his head to escape-and did. He
had not returned to the wOrkhouse when
Supt. Whitaker left there for a trip to
the Commissioners Offices this morning.
A stockade has been completed around
the workhouse buildings, according to
Supt. Whitaker. and escape from the in
side of the institution will be much more
difficult than formerly.