The Washington times., 1921-09-16
.RObbER CLAIMS
LORTON JAIL IS
HORROR PRISON
Man, Captured After Escape,
Says He Was Hung Up BY
Wrists and ShackIed.

Captured in San Francisco. where
he fled after escaping from the Dis
trict reformatory at Lorton, Va.
Calvin l.. Savage. under sentence OF
five years for alleged completely In
the theft Of more than $4,000 worth
OF Jewelry from Mrs. Walter #.
Hayner, of the Burlington Apart.
ments. was brought back to the in.
situation Wednesday by Supt.eM. M.
Barnard. ~
1t was the second escape of Savage
from the reformatory. He claims to
have fled to San Francisco to support
his wife and two children, who. he
says. are In destitute condition because
Of his confinement in prison.
Says He's Innocent.
Savage denies stealing Mrs. Hay
ner's Jewels. declaring he was inno-
cent when convicted.
When Savage made his first escape
he was captured within the grounds
Of the institution. He was placed In
a dark cell and when he again was
allowed the freedom Of the grounds
made the second escape. going to San
Francisco.
Just before leaving san Fran
cisco with superintendent Barbara
week ago, Savage wrote The Times
letter in which he declares he had
while confined at the reformatory.. ,
MY wife Anna and two girls"
wrote Savage. became dependent
upon the District after I had been
committed to the reformatory on
March 2, 1920, and the Associated
Charities deemed II proper to send
her and the children to Los Angeles.
II planned to run away from the
prison. being distracted over my
wife's departure. When I fled, was
caught and brought back on my
first escape. was shackled with
heavy chain permanently riveted
about my ankles and confined in a
damp, concrete barrel cell. also
was made to dig tree stumps when
not locked in the cell.
Hung Up BY Wrists, He Says.
Sores formed upon my legs. the
daily weight of the chains increased.
my health became very poor. NAL
nutrition Of body in general set in.
from too scant and sour worm-in-
fected food. My mental condition
became unbalanced and in August.
awakened in the hospital with
throat and wrists. Regaining con.
mediately returned to punishment
cells and to the digging Of tree
stumps.
'It is no uncommon thing to be
hung up by the wrists for fifteen
hours a day-three to seven days,
while shackled.
"I eventually became SO distraught
that I removed q bar from my cell
and the shackles from my legs on
December 20. 1890. and successfully
escaped. working and begging my
way across the country and arriv.
ing in Los Angeles on March 15, 1921.
found my wife and children penni-
less. We all were happy at our
reunion, until August %, 1891. when
my identity became known and I
was arrested while engaged at wash
ing windows In q public building"
Children Sent to Asylum.
Savage stated that following his
arrest in Los Angeles his children
were taken by the Board Of Charf-
ties there and committed to an
asylum: u
dent Barnard" further stated Savage
in his letter, "and will no doubt re-
sumo the suffering where I left off
when fled the institution"
Officials at the institution deny
that Savage had been given poor
food and had been treated cruelty.
They claim he had been confined in
q cell because Of the fear he would
escape. he having once before made
the attempt