The Washington times., 1916-10-10
J. Barton Miller to Be Freed
From Maryland Penltentlary
Next Year.
HAS REMARKABLE RECORD
Virtually Took Charge Of Intra-
mural School to Aid Fellow
Prisoners.

Some time next summer No. 1o.s1o will
step out Of the Maryland State Peniten-
tiary, a free man. after making one OF
the most remarkable prison records in
the history OF the State.
No. aO,s10 10 ]. Barton Miller, Of wash
ington. whose twenty-year term has Just
been COMMITTED to six years by Presi-
dent Wilson.
/ With an allowance OF year and seven
months for good behavior , his actual
time of service will be four years and
Ave months.
In December. 1913, at the close OF his
third trial, convicted Of embezElement
Of funds Of the First Cooperative Build
Ing Association OF Georgetown, of which
asked by Justice Wright II he had any
| thing to say.
Miller, who had protested his limo
| cence all along. simply said: Nothing.
your honor" and was taken to Balti-
more to begin his term.
There he set about making a record
which probably will be longer remem-
bered than anything he could have ac-
complished as n free man.
For he has put to the acid test some
worked them out
mas TTONe0 frOpO8ltIOu.
Miller has proved to the satisfaction Of
skeptical wardens and jailers that most
conyicts have q moral sense that can
be appealed to. He has demonstrated
that penitentiary can be made place
of human rejuvenation, instead OF a
place for social revenge for the wrongs
the inmates have committed.
Miller went about his work with no
gallery play. A month after he had
been in the Maryland institution he told
| a visitor:
roundings. Prison life. OF course, Is no
bed of roses. but they treat me splendid
ly here. and have no kick coming"
By that time he had gone TO work
In a quiet and efficient manner as clerk
| In the department where Bertillon rec
To the above statement he added sig
nificantly, when I leave ] want to
go away feeling that have left a rec
ord OF which even an humble prisoner
can really be proud"
He has done that-and moro.
But the record played no part In the
Communication of his sentence. 1t figured
| only in the good behavior by which
his term was reduced four years and
five months.
Convicted in Two Courts.
Miller was pardoned because the At
| torney General and President Wilson
| thought his sentence was excessive.
Miller was charged with embezzling
more than 100000. He was convicted
on but two counts, aggregating S1,70s.
| The application of Communication was
approved by the trial judge, and by
| the U. s. District Attorney at the
| time of Miller's conviction. John r.
Laskey, present Y. s. District Attorney
took no action because he was Miller
attorney.
| In considering the communication Nil.
ler's case was held analogous to that
OF an official of a national bank who
even In such cases, involving larger
ed OF Incorporating. the average
sentence was five years. with six and
| seven years as the extreme penalty.
| About the time Miller entered the
Maryland State Penitentiary the prison
reform wave was sweeping over the
| country. and II has resulted in an in.
novation at the Maryland Institution
| q school for convicts.
This was known as the Intra- Mura
School. Miller worked with the teach
| ers in this school, and soon he vir'
tually took charge of II.
Efforts Successful.
HIS efforts met with such marked
success. in developing individuals to Q
sense of responsibility. and in raising
the tone OF prison life. that IL became
the subject OF inspection by the Balti
more grand Jury. Then Miller wal