The Washington times., 1920-05-20
Presidents and Pies
An Interesting Account of WASHINGTON Peo'
pie of Yesterday and Today BY the W"e
of the WeH.KnoUn DiDlonlafist
BY Mrs. Larz Anderson
BY Mrs. Larz Anderson.

cult 10 detect-often. even II they
are suspected, We can't get eNl-
dence enough TO detain them; In
that case they are watched by de-
tectiyes, and they can be shipped
back II they are caught within
three years"
] made another bit OF social sery-
ice investigation. when, returning
TO Boston some time after this, a
friend and / visited the Tombs on
Bacon Hin where women under
suspicion are detained over night.
The cells are small. dark, smelling
rankly OF disinfectant, and quite
bare, except for a couch. so many
OF the women who are shut up IN
them are intoxicated that nothing
except what is easily cleanel l, can
be allowed. There was only one
inmante that afternoon, young ana
fairly good-lookins, though In
more or less intoxicated condition.
who was said TO have been theie
three times before. The attendants
a matron, her assistant. ana oook-
keeper, took humane interest IN
their charge. and talked kindly 10
her as they wrote down her rec
ord. Indeed, they stod up for thelr
prisoners as IL they had peeh
naughty children OF their own
whom they loved. l do not believe
in pampering prisoners but GER
tainly better accommodations are
greatly needed with larger ana
more airy cells and with Improved
sanitary conditions.
From there we went to another
old building. the Charles street jail.
ri "A
deputy sheriff said that in it's day
il had been we'll constructed and
well planned. Nevertheless, he
pointed out several things that
need alteration because of chang
ing conditions The prison is sur
rounded by a wall; the office is at
the entrance gate, but II is too
small for reception room, ana
visitors are obliged to wait in the
large yard, even in the rain. Pris-
oners as well are brought through
this yard and up a flight OF stairs
into the Jail itself, a circular build
ing with much glass and iron bars.
Inside I saw tier upon tier OF bar
red cells with iron floors and steps.
The whole place was clean and airy
"A great Improvement over the
Tombs-and the cells contained
nicely made beds. The kitchen was
neat and the food good. In the past
only stews were given to the PITS
oners, but the sheriff had had bak-
ing arrangements put 1 ,nso that
variety Of food could be served to
the inmates.
In the Jail itself there are abso-
lutely no sanitary arrangements.
nor is there any infirmary. so If the
prisoners are i'll or badly wounded,
they have to be taken to the city
hospital though light cases can be
treated in their cells by nurse.
This situation is being remedied,
for part of the sherin's house.
which is connected with the Jail. is
now being built over to accommo-
date nursing wards.
When we entered the main hall
we saw scrubbing it two nice
looking boys in prison garb. who
the sheriff said were brother, and
both in for manslaughter. They
were apparently allowed a certain
freedom. but in the murderers' row.
which we next visited, were at least
twelve men, locked in cells-tn
some cases two in a cell. / asked
why and was told that they were
lonely and had wished to be put in
with some one. In answer to an
other inquiry, we were told that
they might be spoken to, and stop
ping before two occupants, a sweet
devout lady who was with us re-
marked, Poor souls--caged like
animals" and then asked il the
prisoners had a Bible. and remind
ed them gently about religion. At
this, one of the men. a powerful.
great creature. who looked like a
butcher and had red hair and
shining gold tooth, laughed and
winked at me. 1t was all l could
do to keep my face straight.
At another cell I fingered be-
cause the prisoner appeared a mere
boy, and asked what had brought
him there. He answered, II am ir
here because / was with some folks
who stole a motor. and when the
the men shot and Killed him. chen
he added Indignantly, 81 didn't do
the shooting. and they all know /
didn't, so I'm not afraid at all but
what I'll get off.
We were next taken to see a pris-
cner who had formerly been a dent
ist, and because he volunteered to
do the dentistry for the Jail. he had
a cell and an office all to himself.
His story was that he had been in
love with a lady OF fortune, but she
thought he had not been faithful to
her, and in her anger had accused
him of taking much of her money.
(Copyright, Houghton, Mifrlin Co)
ITO He Continued TomOrrowD