The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-22

woman's Party on the night the pris-
oners returned. there was a regular
experience meeting. Several talked
at once, and there was much excite
/ ment and ordinations OF you poor
dear" Into a group OF four or five
1 'ex-convicts" the writer was admit
ted. No photograph would have re-
corded everything that was said-so
rapidly did they all pour out their ex-
periences-but here are bits OF com
ments from one OF the sixteen, and
everybody agreed on the fundamen-
tails, TO wit:
'T missed my nail file worse than
anything. They wouldn't give us any
files.
THE attendants started out calling
us by our first names, but they didn't
keep It up. 1t was just impossible
for one OF these matrons to address
Mrs. Brannan as 'Eunice' (Mrs. Bran
nan is more than sixty years OF age
and Of distinguished appearance)
Could Eat Bat Little.
at was remarkable how refinement
and breeding showed, even in prison
clothes. In her one-piece prison suit
Mrs. Brannan was still MRS. BRAN
NAN.
Don't say the meals were good.
and we had penty OF sugar and cof-
fee. We could eat but very little.
"Our sympathizers on the outside
tried to send US fruits and things,
but the warden would not permit us
to have them.
They gave US numbers and took
our 'pedIgrees' just as though we
had committed some terrible crime.
I'VE had to dress and undress be-
.Taa-hnfh urhifa and
colored women who had been SEN
fenced for drunkenness. theft, fight
ling, and other crimes were our 'bou-
doir mates
Our clothes. and even our we'd
ding rings, were taken from us. There
was no privacy whatever about the
bath.
81 stood in line behind a dIssipated
coIored woman waiting to. battle my
face. pretty Mrs. Reyneau. an
artist OF note, now speakingD
I'VE had to get up at $3.50 O'CLOCK
and breakfast was served half hour
later. Then we sewed until noon.
After lunch we sewed again. 1t was
fearful to have no exercise.
Undertaking Coarse.
The underclothing furnished us
was coarse and stlh. The wool
stockings hurt our feet The most
necessary toilet articles were miss
ling. we failed to discover that any
special favors or indulgences what
ever were shown us We were per-
mitted to confer with our attorney
that WAS about all. Women OF the
underworld, drunkards. and thieves
were our associates, and we were NOT
supposed to regard ourselves at all
superior to them so far as prison HE
was concerned
Miss HurIbut, one OF the youngest
OF the prisoners, said she and MIS-
Reyneau wanted to run about on the
lawn and get bit Of exercise.
I'VE were Informed by our attend
ant" she said. that we could sit out
on the lawn with the other prisoners
but we were to sit and not walk
around.
"'Can't we even walk for exercise?
I asked. =,
"The attendant said we might walk
'iust a little BIT and we strollec
around in a circle. When we started
to play games. like Ieap-frog. we were
stopped. They did permit us to TAKE
some setting-up exercises"
Here are some OF the printed rules
Of Ocsoquan that stared the women ir
the face wherever they went:
Some of the Signs.
"Strict silence must be observed
within the Enclosure. when under or
ders, in the dining room, and in tho
sleeping quarters"
Each prisoner must labor silently
faithfully. and diligently at what
ever work may be assigned"
prisoners shall battle once a week
and as much oftener as the manage
ment shall require"
"Insolsnce from any prisoner will
not be tolerated, nor will profanity,
vulgar, indecent, or in any way dis
respectful language be permitted"
prisoners must always approach
an officer in respectful manner and
give the military salute -"
Prisoners must be prompt TO move