Atlanta Georgian., 1913-10-17
PRISONCH|EF.
SCORED BY
GUARD
Present Employee Corroborates
Charges by Hawthorne of the
MiStreatment Of Convicts.

As shocking as were the reyela-
tions Of alleged conditions III the
Atlanta Federal prison made by Ju-
lian Hawthorne when ,he doors
opened 10 lei him free. they were sur
passed in heir ugliness by a story
related to The Georgian friday by
another man-not convict recently
liberated. as was Hawthorne, but d
guard who has been working at the
prison for years and who hopes 20
work there many more if the author
tiles do not succeed in learning his
identity.
For obvious reasons he would no.
eel, mis- story except under promis
that his name would not be used. Ne
i declared that if Warden Mover
| learned who it was who not only had
| corroborated HGwthornes story, but
had added to it, the official AZ would
get busy atsonce and he (the guarD
, would be without a job. THAI there
are many other guards and employees
at the prison who would testify 10
/ the actual conditions az the prison Z
anyone could guarantee that they
would hold their positions afterwafd
was the startling statement Of this
guard.
While the hoodgates OF criticism
have been opened upon the warden
by the sensational story of HaW-
thorne and his companion, Dr. w. j..
Morton, Moyef has not been without
his staunch friends and defenders.
JP. Matthiessen. musical director dt
the prison two and . half years, told
The Georgian Friday that there was
nothing to the charges. \ number
of former convicts also have put in a
good word for the warden ana his
aides and have secuted the story that
the prisoners are miStreated or
starved.
The guard who told his story to
The Georgian supported Eawthorne's
declaration that the prison is little
less than a living he'll for its inmates
In broad Language he branded War
den Meyers pretense of humane
treatment as a sham and bluff t"
deceive the officials of the Depart.
rnpnt Of Justice in Washington.
He wrecks all semblance of dis
cipline by arbitrarily refusing TO lis
ten to reports against unruiy prison
ers," said the guard a deputy war
den may have man put in solitary
confinement for an infraction of the
rules and Warden Meyer viii have
him taken out 50 that there will have
, to De no report sent to Washington.
He wants it to appear that he is rul-
ing by kindness
But ne shows his hand by turnins
around ana permitting these very
same prisoners practically TO he
starved so that he can make good
showing from the standpoint of econ
omy All that he cares for is sool
showing at Washington.
"Morton's story Of the poor food
i not exaggerated in the least
Neither We're the facts Of the food
strike nisrepresented. There was a
real mutiny there, and some Of the
prisoners rcld me that there would
| have been blood split il the warden
had been at the prison at the time it
occurred.
>Leavenwerth Said To Be Better.
"'Chey call this model prison, bu!
men VINO have been at Leavenworth
.ell me that the prisoners there get
all they want to eat When bologna
sausage is served. for example, eaea
man is given three or four big pieces
Here it is sliced thin, about the size
Of . dollar, and that Is all man
gets No man can remain IN good
health with such meager fare.
"At Leavenworth a man is given a
generous piece Of beef. when that is
on the menu. and afterward it is
passed as long as the prisoners are
hungry Here. he gets only small
piece and it isn't passed atterward.
It's the sar,a way with boiled pota-
Continued on Page Q, Column |.