Evening journal., 1920-01-09
GRAND JURY
PROBE into
WALK away
Continues
Continued from First Page.

one Of the witnesses heard.
T. Allen Hllles. chairman Of the board
Of trustees OF the County workhouse
today made public the following state
ment which the trustees submitted to
the grand jury:
Wilmington, Delaware,
January 6, 1920
"To the Grand Jury:
Although inslstant demands have
been made upon the trustees Of the
New Castle County Workhouse for
statements regarding the escape OF
Lemuel Price, a condemned murderer,
also as 20 general conditions and policy
pursued at the institution, the trustees
have not authorized any statement ex-
cept the brief one published the day
after the escape This has been only
because they did not wish 10 do in
Justice to any one posslbly~impllcated
in the escape and intended 10 make the
Investigation as thorough and search
ing as possible. In their opinion the
time has now come when through the
Grand Jury the perfectly proper de-
mands Of the public should be complied
with fully.
"There is evidently some misunder-
standing IN the minds OF many citizens
as to the treatment and privileges al
lowed 10 Price after conviction. These
were in no way different from the rules
made when the workhouse was first
established and are the same as the
rules in all we'll regulated prisons.
Therefore we wish to emphasize that
the escape OF Price has nothing what
ever 10 do with the method used In the
employment OF prisoners outside the
walls. on road building, farm work and
other occupations. The regulations
concerning treatment OF all prisoners
confined In the prison and not allowed
any degree OF liberty, have been only
slightly modified since originally adopt
ed. and then only when such reasonable
changes could be made without dan
ger Of escapes. The number Of es-
capes from the Institution proper has
been very small and II is most deeply
regretted that the prisoner, Price,
should have been one OF them. With
the axceptiOn OF Price, there has been
only one escape from the prison proper
during the past four years and this man
was recaptured.
after an exhaustive investigation OF
all the circumstances, the trustees have
come TO the unanimous conclusion
that gross negligence on the part OF
some Of the employees. with probable
completely by a prisoner, made possi- ]
BILE in an unprecedented manner the
escape Of Price. The clerk, Roger w. |
suddard, whose neglect OF duty was
most grevious, at once acknowledged |
his unintentional fault and at the re-
quest Of the trustees rendered his resig- |
nation which was accepted. In Justice |
TO Mr.. Suddard, the trustees wish to |
state that he has beei. a valued and |
trusted emplOye for several years and /
no one can regret more. than himself /
the terrible result Of his carelessness. |
The warden who was present in his Of /
lice and saw the clerk about to let a !
person out Of the Institution with a
bag on his shoulder. should have as
certalned the identity Of the person
who was endeavoring 10 leave the In
stitution In that manner at that time
Of the day.
"The impression seems 10 be wide
spread that this condemned prisoner,
Price, was permitted TO mingle freely
with other prisoners during the short
exercise period allowed him. This Is
not the case. His exercise was taken
by himself In a small locked corridor
and It was from this. probably by COM
pllcHy with another prisoner outside
the corridor, that he escaped into the
main body OF the prison with two
locked steel doors and guard between
him and liberty. Price at no time was
allowed to mingle with other prisoners
and other prisoners should never have
been allowed 10 approach Price during
his exercise period or hold any com
with him. II any did so by
Of a guard or otherwise,
II was absolutely contrary TO all prison
For some years past the principal
criticism OF the management has been
that the discipline in the prison and
as to visitors have been !
more severe than were in accordance !
with modern approved custom, but we !,
could not consistently allow greater :
freedom without danger. =,
THE Price escape therefore and en-
forcement Of discipline among prisoners
strictly TO the institution has
whatever TO do with the system
OF providing healthful outdoor work ,,
for certain classes OF prisoners. As to
this latter system, the issue is clearly
drawn between return 10 the old and q
condemned method Of strict
solitary confinement In steel cells of all I
short and long term alike. as Il
In old New Castle jail, without any re- n
labor whatever, or granting Q
4 degree OF liberty and usefulness TO I
hose considered worthy Of certain y
amount OF trust. The first method is .
Dne that is repumant to every thought $
'ul citizen and has been discarded In O
al modern Institutions. More than that, y
L is a great injustice 10 men confined p
or comparatively trivial offenses e
against the law. Il precludes them from a
desirable outdoor exercise and would n
yreatly increase insanity and disease Il
With unnecessary suffering OF the men 81
hus confined and the suffering OF those o
dependent upon them for support. The n
thousands OF dollars yearly earned as
,onus for good behavior would be lost b
o them and their families, Further the ct
hree counties OF the State would be 81
eriously affected, as without this pro- q
Iuctive labor, not in competition with tul
rec labor but for the sustenance OF m
he prisoners these counties would have e'
o provide largely increased allowances al
O meet expenses. A. W
"The actual per capita daily cost is
ow. according TO expert accountants, kl
4 &c. and the counties pay only forty In
ents OF this amount, the balance OF th
orty-two cents being met by the labor vi
Z the inmates. The Nlgure Si9c. per 81
apita cost includes interest on bonds, NJ
.-...s.4to-N ,oooacarxs ranafrc md all ! ",