Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-12
The warden in tho matter and denied the

0f WtifniuFiDn uffSlfg1 I'd DC nNhUfH pi Wv
discharge Of convicts from the prison Tor
the purpose Of knowing what convicts
might be at liberty about the city. Appli-
cation was made to the workhouse ali-
thoritiea 10 have the names Of discharged
prisoners and the time OF discharge fur
nishcd TO the police authorities This
was refused by Mr.. Ball and IL became
necessary for the police authorities ~ ask
the resident Judge Of New Castle county
for the information desired and this in
formation is now obtained frym this source
% Upon one occasion prisoner was
applying for a pardon and was represented
by MIR. Ball One Of the grounds Of the
petition was the Ill health OF the prisoner.
The workbouse physician examined the
prisoner and found him fairly healthy
Then, Mr.. Rail without any authority
or permission Of anybody, and without
any notification 10 the workho,pse phys-
clan, had hrs client examined by two
outside physicians who gave a certificate
of poor health which certificates were
used with the petition for a pardon. No
other member Of the bar Of New Castle
County could have had such an examina-
ton made by outside physicians without
first making application 10 the hoard of
trustees, and without notifying the work
house physician Of the intended czaTnina-
tion.
Instances like the above might be
mentioned almost indefinitely but time
and space forbid.
We are convinced that no attorney-at-
law, while practicing ia n criminal court
should ever be permitted to occupy the
position Of a trustee of the workhousc,
though as a trustee he may be ever 50
eff icient, and as an attorney his integrity
may be entirely above eIsplclon, yet TINS
dual relationship glves rise among the
pris s1ncr8, their relatives ard friends, u
to rumors Of fayorltisrn shown N the
prisoners who have been represented bY
the attorney n many casrs these rImor7
may be entirely unfounded, yet this state
Of facts seriously mpairs the confidence
of the public In the integrity and eff
cheney If the workhouse management and
also often causes clashes Of authority
between prison officials, and the attorney
trustee, which are denoTalizing 70 the
discipline Of the institution.
without intending n reflect upon the
personal integrity Of Mr. Ball, We believe
that he should either discontinue the
practice If criminal law while 2 member
of the board of trustees, or that nc should
| Withdraw from the position of trustee Of
| the workhouse and thus put an immediate
| end to this unfortunate situation
| The grand Jury also investigated runor7
| that two certain prisoners, namely NIclds
! and Lucas we're permitted to leave the
! institution.
We find that slch rlmors are entirely
/ without foundation, and that these
/ prisoners have been constantly confined,
! and subjected ID the same discipline as
All other prisoners.
GENERAL. CONCLUSION.
The grand jury considers the escape
| of IemueI Price as disgrace - the state
4 of Delaware and q serious blow - the
4 administration If justice We feel that
/ ii view ~ tho unusual circumstances u
4 the case for which Price was sentenced
/ to death circumstances which prompted
/ n recalling Of the grand jury and q special
/ session 81 the Court ~ oyer and Terminer
n order n give Price a speedy trial--
. that the trustees, the warden and the
!, guards IL the q0rkhouse should have
taken every precauti0n ~ see that the
| verdict of the Jury and the sentence n
I the court should have been faithfully
/ carried ont While ge appreciate the
! fact that the escape of Price was almost
| miraculous. one that could not have
! happened except for an unusual comblna-
/ tion II circumstances. vet we realize that
/ Price dld escape and Il Is our duty 70 place
/ the responsibility for such escape where
we believe Il belongs.
After securing All the evidence that
/ could be obtained and after thorough
! inspection II ne workhOusc The grand
! it,rv are IL the OPINION nat the RESPONSE
hiItv for the escape ri LemueI Price
rests equally upon the trustees ana the
warden oi the workhouse. We believe
hat both the trustees and me waruen
were derpilct in their duties N not taxing
proDer nrecautions 70 make the escape of
Prize impossible
We .urt her find hat the clerk snd some
ii The guards rere negligent iu perform
ng their duties, although We hold that
he trustees and the warden are primarily
responsible.
Based upon our investigation uI me
affairs and conditions oi the worAhouse,
the grand jury desires % make certain
recommendations, which the members
believe viii make impossible 4 repetition
! of an escape similar to that Of Lemuel
Price. and which recommendations, We
believe, VII greatly increase the efficiency
oi the Institution. The ions
outlined above follow
sUpDAKD INTENDED TO QrTT
Considerable discussion IS beng heard
about Chief Clerk Roger " Suddaru )
resignation for the part he played n
Iemuel Price escape from the WorkhcuSe.
The general report Is that Suddard had
, informed Captain CruSS, some time heiore
the escape of Price. that ne proposed
resignng 20 enter more lucrative
business.
Il Is known on good authority however
that Suddari resignation was not IA
the hands ol the trustees and that the
idea ol reslgnng Was indefinite and that
Suddard had done nothing definite
toward resIgnlng when Price escaped.
The escape Of Price simply brought the
matter To q head.
r Allen Hlles. president Of the ooavd
II trustees, denied that the chef clerk 5
resignation was in the hands OF The
trustees at the rsmc steps we're taken Tor his
removal.
Commenting on the subject, MIR
Hillcs said that Il WAS sitter the board
decided Suddard should pay for hls
negligence by for(eltlng his Job that he
learned from Captain Cross that the
clerk contemplated severing his connec-
tIon With the institution in the neal
future
Elwood oouder, foreman Of the granl
lurv was not present IN court wheT
the report was presented. tie left thi,
morning for Buffalo Detroit and Crane
Rapids Mich At the latter place h.
, Will attend q furnitlre exposition Tn,
trip has been called Oh twice because 8