The Washington times., 1914-01-06
PROBE FOR ATLANTA
PRISON IS PROBABLE
Department of Justice Reported
Ready to Investigate AIIega-
tionS of Hawthorne.

Allegations made by Julian HaW-
thorne, son OF the famous noNellstr Na-
thaniel Hawthorne, and himself a man
of letters, who served part Of term
in the penitentiary at Atlanta, in re-
gard 10 the quality of food. faVorltIsn'
aud lack of discipline in sthe prison,
arc to. be investigated by the Depart
ment of Justice, it is understood, when
charges made against Warden William
II. Meyer 9Te taken up.
Congressman W. S. Howard of Geor-
cia. who is seeking an investigate:
Of charges made against the warden,
saws that if the Department of Justice
.ails to take action on the complaints
ne will ask Congress to Investigate.
A mass OF information has been placed
in the hands of the Attorney General
which Mr. Howard says will result in
an investigation. Statements of en-
pIoyes and former employees of the pris
on are included in the information sub
mitted.
The allegations of Hawthorne are
made in a series of articles now ap-
pearing in various American newspa-
pers. In the series he is pleading for
more intelligent sympathy with the
prisoners. lie mas llolHItu Out Wlldl itO
says is the impossibii!ty of getting this
under the present system.
Low Pay Is Blamed.
In Bawthorne's opinion, the prison
officials and especially the guards, the
u,en who come into closest contact with
the prisoners. are just such men as one
you'd expect to find accepting of the
moager salary which the Government
pays Better men will not accept such
salaries. and those who DO are them
selves degraded by prison life.
He has given a number of instances
OF wanton brutality. Such brutality is
of course forbidden by the prison rules,
but Mr. Hawthorne says the rules are
freely disregarded.
For example," he says, guards are
forbidden BY the rules to address pris-
OEers insultingly, to apply names or
eL:thets to them. to lay hands upon
them upon whatever provocation,' IN
less they believe their own lives in dan
ger. Yet hardly a prisoner in the pen
itentiary has not repeatedly undergone
or witnessed both insults and physical
violence offered by guards TO the men.
He declares that faVorluSm rules IN
ali parts of the prison administration
and that prisoner who submits 10 tine
performance of certain duties or favors
is well taken care of, while the one
who does not is the object of every
guards petty spite. He says that poll
tics is played constantly by the prison
officials, and that the men suffer. Spe-
cious promises are made for good beha-
Nior, he says, but these promises prove
to be apples of Sodom.
Tale of HeartleSs Savagery.
Correct conduct gains a man nothing,
but a friend in the official ranks will
bring fortune TO the most worthless fel-
low. Mr.. Hawthorne says that the DARK
cells are supposed to be thing or the
past at Atlanta, but he declares that
as late as last October a certain con-
vict known as the old Englishman''
vas hung up by his wrists in one of
them.
He gives other instances of heartiess
savagery, one in particular being that
Of a prisoner who had just received
news Of the fatal Illness of his wife.
He said to the guard:
For Gods sake, won't YOU Iet me
write her just one letter."
Picture the situation" says Haw-
thoTne, two human beings face to face
one helpless and in agony, the other
with absolute power. The official faced
the man deliberately with an amused
smile
= cam he said slowly. but ]
won't"