El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-14
PRISONER SAYS
JAIL IS DANDY
Inmate Praises New Coun-
ty Institution For Clean
illness and Safety.

Sentenced 10 IS months imprison-
ment and already having served more
than five months behind steel bars
that always remind and torture. IS not
enough TO shake Vernon R. Chum-
bley's gratitude for the sanitary con-
ditions at the FL Paso county jail.
Since his arrest last June and his sub
sequent conviction the following Oc-
tober. for obtaining money on false
rretense. he has lived IN a semblance
OF freedom constituted wholly by a
morrow corridor 40 feet long. walled
Up on one side by stout bars and on
the other by a series OF barred cells;
and each highland each night was
Ions. from six o'clock in the morning
until six at night-his hfe's existence
was in one OF the penned up cells. Yet
withal he retains the unshakeable
opinion that the county jail is
proud stranger toward the common
enemy. uncleanliness-
All Must Be Clean.
We receive criminals OF all sorts"
he said from the extremes OF
vlciousness TO the lowest degradations
of illiteracy and squalOr. but each
one. directly after entering the prison
Is
body next is sprayed with disinfect-
ant. uninjuriously, as are his clothes
before being returned to him. Then
he is given a cell with four disin-
fected blankets. and a mess kit con-
sisting Of tray. cup and spoon, all
sterilized. The rules OF the institution
are read to him for his strict obsery-
ance, after which, II the time Is day,
he is released into the exercise COR
ridor. 40 feet long.
The array Of cells on each floor,
though It is behind a triple arrange
ment OF steel bars. is next the outside
walls OF the building with a great
rultiple OF windows for liberal light.
There is a Thermometer in every cor
ridor which registers 20 degrees IN
failingly. And at night an electric
light shines down from the ceiling
into every cell
Daily Additions.
IN the morning each prisoner must
clean himself and his cell before
breakfasting. each one being sup
Piled with soap and clean laundry.
He must wash all his own clothes
from time to time and take a bath al
least once q week. For this there IS
laundry tub and shower bath with hot
and cold water the year round.
His food is rationed in generous
accord with human nutrition, consist /
ing OF two meals a day. For breakfast |
he has oatmeal or mush, coffee and
bread; for dinner, beans, meat bread /
and tea and an alienation OF carrots /
and rice. A good chef is in charge OF /
the kitchen. which Is reputed to be I
the best Of It's kind
Prisoners Do No Labor.
"a prisoner is not required to labor 1
during his confinement. as he remains 7
only while his trial Is pending. after /
which he is either sent to the penl- I
tertiary or released On the other ]
hand, to preclude mental torture from /
idleness, he IS permitted in a 4O-foor
corridor with other prisoners whom Z
he can talk TO freely. His cell has
every adjunct necessary to suffice
mans needs When he Is III. he has
the services OF the Jan physician. DR..
J A Pickett. and II he has a COM
plant to make. he has the attention
OF the taller. James Newton. who.
with the assistant and the doctor,
makes an inspection throughout the
iail. daily.
The jail IS a veritabIs institution
with inviolable rules, even on the part
OF the officials. And though I have
been here five months. suffering the
misery Of confinement. feel II duty
10 try TO right the I'll opinion OF con-
ditions obtained from false reports.
The reports were inspired by prison
ers whose hatred was fired by penal
restraint It must be considered that
though the prisoners are denied inter-
course. except on one cay a week Win
the outside world. and that they have
modest food and limited exercise, that
this IS after all an institution OF PEN
atty.
Nine Doors Bar Escape.
IN regard TO other details OF the
jail. an exhaustive record is kept OF
every prisoner. Escape IS rendered
wen nigh impossible by \ cuintuple
well night impossible BY a quintuple
set OF locks on the tanks. which with
the locks on the outer corridors,
necessitate the opening OF nine differ
ent locks before a man can get away.
He IS incidentally safegusrded from
mob attack. Luxuries are deliverable
to him after first being inspected;
and during the night, half hourly in
spections are made TO preclude unto
ward events"
Chumbley IS 30 years old and was
convicted IN the federal court OF FL
Faso last October. after pleading
guilty to the charge OF obtaining
money Oh false pretense. He IS OF
prominent Tennesseean lineage. His
father was chancellor OF the supreme
court Of the United States from 1898 to
1911. he says He Is a graduate OF the
University OF Tennessee and the CO.
lumbia Military academy; served sew
eral years ago. he says. as lieutenant
in the army, and Just prior TO his i'm
prisonment, was credit manager FOR