The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-07
MOVERS FRIENDS
DEFEND HIS COURSE
Say Warden Of Atlanta Prison
Has Instituted Many I'm
portant Reforms.
BLAME CHARGES on SPITE
Point to Dining Room. Baseball
and school as Model
Innovations.
BLAME CHARGES on SPITE

prison and Warden Meyer are under fre
his friends here attach no significance to
! the attacks on his administration. The
| wardens supporters say the attacks are
| the result OF spite on Julian Hawthorne's
| part aided by efforts Of others TO make
the warden's job a political plum.
Prison experts. il IL asserted from all
over the world have pronounced Atlanta
; prison a model and recently 4 member
Of the British Parliament inspected it
thoroughly and is said to have declared
that he would endeavor to persuade the
Home Secretary to send n representative
here to study the methods employed by
Mover.
Also. though 1t Is not generally known.
| n United States Senator went over the
! prison since the present agitation started
as the official representative Of the GOV
! erument. and II IL understood thdt he
praised the administration highly.
| The Government investigator stationed
| here has several times before made thor
ough Investigations OF the prison. follow
ing complaints OF prisoners and guards.
| and each time the warden has come out
with flying coors.
At present Warden Meyer declines per-
sisten,ly to make any statement, declar-
| ing he does not wish to mix In any
! controversy. but that when the matter Is
finally settled he will give the papers
! something well worth printing.
+ When Warden Meyer took charge of
| the prison there were few privileges &C
4 corded to the prisoners. After many
pleas he secured permission for the men
to talk at meals. This was the first time
| such thing had ever been done. and the
| Government doubted the safety OF the
measure Meyer gave his personal guar
| antee that the men would use the
| prlvileg. wisely He broke the news u
| them one Thanksgiving Day and put 1t up
| TO them man to man. only few IN
! frinyements of the rules governing con-
versation have occurred in three years
| Mover worked hard to secure the pas
sage OF the Federal parole law for short
| term and life term men. his friends say.
and is "A member OF the parole board IN
session here K v. Ladow. superintend-
ent OF Government prisons. VINO ls mem
Der OF the board here too has been mere
| several times since the Hawthorne charges
w.r. made He knows the prison thor
oughly from frequent visits. expected ana
! unexpected, and says IT is model, doinS
! much good work. and that the warden de-
| serves high praise.
| Uaseb hall Caused Sensation.
| The warden caused "A sensation when
The announced that prisoners were 10 De
allowed to play baseball. and many de-
| clared the men wer. receiving 100 many
| privileges. Baseball was started a year
| or two ago though and has proved one
Of the best features OF reform work in
the institution In some cases II mas
| caused material Improvement In STANDARDS
of Individual conduct. as few wish to
| forego the pleasure OF witnessing games,
| friends OF the warden say.
| Warden Mover also innovated the Gus
tom Of interviews with prisoners and any
! prisoner who has complaint to make
| is allowed to talk with the warden at any
/ time.
! Mover also instituted the custom OF CIV
ing prisoners tables from which TO eat
| instead OF benches and tn. present dining
room presents much the same appearance
| us a cafe. only eight men are seated at
each table. and they are provided with
! tableclo,hs. knives and forks and other
| utensils for a meal. This privilege was
also granted grudgingly by the Govern
! ment at first, as IL was thought that
| serious trouble might result II prisoners
! should arm themselves with table knives
! and forks. No disturbance has ever re-
/ suited.
| ScnOOl Tor Iuttef0teSs
| Warden Meyer also established a
school in the prison where all illiterate
prisoners may learn the fundamentals OF
education. over ten nationalities are rep
resented in the classes. Prisoners are
also allowed to follow trades to which
they are accustomed. They also have
some free time in which to work out orig
inal ideas, and one man In working on a
safety appliance to prevent mine explo-
sions. while another has patented an APP
plance for planting cotton, and many are
working on inventions. The warden also
started the publication OF Good Words
the prison paper. OF which Hawthorne
was editor. and the little printing shop
Is a model.
| Many smaller innovations have been
made by the warden such az the elimina-
ton of registry numbers on prison uni
forms, the adjustment of stripes, the
privilege allowed the men to write home
on plain paper instead OF that stamped
United States Penitentiary.'
| Warden Meyers friends say there are
no dark holes in the prison and that the
basement is lighted throughout with cleo
trio lights, Old isolation cells In the base
ment, they assert. are used as storage
rooms. New isolation cells in the new
building are on the ground level and are
larger and moro comfortable than regula-
ton cells, II Ia said
The Warden publicly takes no credit
for improvements, his friends say, has
frequently denied interviews about them
to the papers and declares that his work
has scarcely advanced sufficiently 10
make II notable. He says he has many
| other plans that he hopes to work out as
| the standards of conduct. appreciation.
self respect and manliness increase among
! the prisoners and make It safe for him
| to venture on greater privileges TO them.
TWO HURT IN SUBWAY RUSH.