Evening journal., 1920-01-17
CROSS SAYS
GUARD LET
lem Price
OUT OF JAIL
contin,ea from rlrsl Page

with prisoners who had been or we're
leral c tents OF Mr. Ball. He had told u.
Allen HlIIes. president OF the trustees,
of these attempts of Judge Ball 10 oh
tain special privileges. ard Mr. hiiies
had told him not To worry, but To stald
firm and he. Mr.. Hires would stand by
him. Capta'n Cross iersely adds, SPEAK
ina of Mr.. Hilles: "Iie DID not
The captain admits that the disci-
pllne among the Official force OF Vlle
vorkhouse had not been OF late VIII
Il formerly was. but asks what busi-
mes man cannot say the same OF MS
o,vn working force. The Increasing
cost NJ living and failure Of The board
~ trustees 40 Increase The pay OF
guards served TO add 10 the iat.er
discOnient and tended TO make theHl
lax. the warden said.
As for the esc-pe Of Lem Price, ple
condemned murderer. Captain cross
nolnts out that according to the grand
jury's report. the prisoner could not
have got out Of his cell had The guard
In the corridor attended to his duties.
The captain asks why then, The guard
he's not been reprlmanded.
Captain cross report to the court
follows:
wilmington. Delaware,
january ~, 1920
TO the Honorable Judges Of the Court
OF General Sessions, for New Castle
County.
sslrs: I understand there Is a state
msnt in your possession made by the
Board OF Trustees OF the New Castle
County Workhouse, also by J. FRANK
Ball. regarding the findings OF he
grand Jury, In the recent investigation
OF the workhOuse. have not seen an
official COPY OF same, but got my infor-
nation from the daily papers.
"As the board Of trustees have given
me no opportunity 10 know on what
grounds they have whitewashed tleih,
selves so thoroughly and condemned
me without opportunity TO be neard ID
my own defense, am addressing ihis
statement Of facts 10 you.
In regard TO the differences between
J. Frank Ball and myself. Will staie
that had reported the bad effect Of MS
being member OF the board 10 Mr.
Hilles and other members. We had fire.
quent Disbursements when did not FOL
low his ideas IN regards TO his clients.
The most recent one was the case OF
the man who received the one hundred
dollars from an attorney. This man
was a former client and Judge Ball in
sisted on restoring privileges tnat had
been taken away as a result or escape
OF one prisoner, attempt TO escape by
five or six Others and the smuggling
into the institution Of 'hree hack saw
blades. told the board at that time
IL such action was taken would estab-
lish a precedent that any prisoner who
had money enough 10 employ lawyer
could evade punishment for any often
ses against the rules and that II would
break down discipline.
Il further informed them at that
time that II such q motion was carried
they would have to get another warden
as my usefulness would be over. The
board did not carry the motion. but 1t
cause such a feeling that added 10 sew
eral other disagreements / had had with
Judge Ball particularly about the indls-
crlmlnate Issuing Of passes 10 visitors
that I told Mr. Hilles at that time Judge
Ball was after me and l supposed he
vOuld get me in time. Mr.. Hilles told
me not 10 worry about him, and ! told
Mr.. Hilles I was no quitter, but would
20 down II necessary with colors ny
ing. Mr.. Hllles assure me ne would
stand behind me. He did mot.
i have refrained from making any
statement before this as ] thought a ma
iority OF the members OF the board
were az least fair minded enough 70
allow me to present my side OF the case
10 them. But IL seems that the Doard
Is a one man board and could not
overcome the opposition OF that one
man VINO thinks he has me down and Is
going 10 go the limit TO remove me so
he will have no opposition In taking
care Of his clients.
II have been accused OF malevolence
and luminosity In my testimony before
the grand jury. I can only refer your
honor's attention to the minutes there
Of which will show that did not make
any voluntary statements rejecting on
the board Of trustees, but what l did
give was brought out by questions ask
ed OF me.
Il am willing 10 admit that discipline
among the Official force IS not what u
formerly was. and would like TO find
the business man who is not facing The
same conditions. Dissatisfied employees
never make for good discipline, and
that Is the condition Of affairs | have
Ind 10 contend with for the four years
I have been here as warden. ! have re-
peatedly advised the board 10 increase
salaries 20 compare more favorably
with other labor or to obtain the same
results by giving the men bonus. The
hoard usually granted an increase OF
81 a month each year. When ! was ap-
pointod. the minimum salary was $50 a
month with board and one uniform q
wear Il was gradually increased by
nersistent work 10 $50 a month, al
which figure 10 stood when this affair
occurred The guards work an aver
age OF elrven hours a day for six and
one-half days a week and at the sbo-rate
only averagr about 20 cents per hour,
With comon laborers getting 40 and u
cents per hour you can readily see the
result. The board permitted me to en-
nloy what guards could get but with
The starting price at s65 it was impos-
sible TO secure men who would nave
ben OF any use.
some OF the present force were
offered other positions at greatly in
creased salaries but stayed here out
Of loyalty 10 me. as they knew ! could
not replace them at sixty-five dollars
a month.
ANY laxity in discipline th'f has oc-
Cured has been caused solely by the
dissatisfaction OF the guards over their
salaries, and that burden rests en-
tiredly upon the board Of trustees for
their mistaken ideas OF economy. Their
whole ambition seemed to be to pay Off
h...lr - -nnnI rnnnar. IN iha rlaHU