The Washington herald., 1922-01-03
HEAD OF PRISONERS
RELIEF SOCIETY.
SCORES OCCOQUAN.
Backs Up Statement of
Pardoned Man; Denied
By Supt. Meyer.

a breakdown OF morale, followed
by rioting and serious trouble will
result at the District workhouse at
.Occoquan unless the present penal
system at that institution is
changed.
This is the prediction made by
E. e. budding. president of the
Prisoners Relief Society in a COM
munication sent to The Herald yes
terday corrobsf Eating the statement
made by Hejfy Arthur Starr, a re-
cently-pardoned inmate of the in
stitution. that conditions at the
workhouse were "deplorable
After denouncing the methods in
troduced by Superintendent William
H. Meyer since his appointment six
months ago, President budding
states that a report on conditions
at the workhouse was made to Sem
ator Davis Elkins, of West Virginia,
about a month ago by the Prison
ers' Relief Society. This report
was in turn sent to Commissioner
Cuno H. Rudolph, who laid the
matter before the Board of Chart
ties.
Action Held Unnece<sary.
No official action was taken in the
matter. according to Commissioners
Rudolph. owing to the fact that
the conditions did not warrant any
investigation"
Commissioner Rudolph and Super
| intendent Meyer both stated last
night that so far as they knew the
morale and discipline at the institu-
tion were unimpaired. and that the
prisoners were, as whole. perfectly
/ satisfied with their treatment.
| our report which was sent tc
Senator Elkins told that thirty-fivt
| men had escaped from the work
house in thirty days. and that the
| discipline was all gone, and tha
! things there were as rotten as they
could be-" writes President budding
Mr.. Meyer has failed at ever,
prison he has been in charge of, and
| he has for fourteen years been try
ing to develop a system OF running
a prison." the communication con
tinues. He may in time discover q
system, but up to the present time
he has failed.
Calls Meyer Faddist.
MT. Meyer is fad and at thu
same time he is a faddist. He is {
pet of the pink tea set. He ha'
failed for lack of discipline. II,
is not a leader of men.
There is no discipline in thu
workhouse. but high handed
methods are being used by thu
welfare league. There has beer
rioting, l have been told. making
it necessary to send to the Reform
atory to get guards to come ant
quell the trouble.
discipline broadens men. Lacl
of discipline breeds impatience.
know this, for / have been il
prison, and l have observed ant
experienced the effects of discip
line on myself and my fellow pris
oners. 4 prisoners worst enem.
is another prisoner. Mr.. Meyer
theory is bad: the morals of tn
prisoners under him are bad; hi
system is based on a false theory
Il have read the press reports
of the statements made by Henri.
Arthur Starr. former policeman
who was recently released from tn,
institution. and my mind run
along with his with respect to tn
whole of Occoquan."
Criticises Welfare League.
President budding decries tn
Mutual Welfare League, tn
method by which the institution i
now governed. and urges that tn
old honor system be instituted ii
its stead. thereby giving all of thu
prisoners an equal chance. insteat
of a selected few as is the case a
present.
Refusing to make any comment
| regarding the statement made b!
Starr on the grounds that he neve
says anything against a discharged
prisoner, Superintendent Meyer de
cIared that there was no dissatis
faction among the prisoners ant
that the morale was on a hIgl
plane.
There have been fewer escape
az the institution during the pas
six months than during the cor
responding six months a year ago,
said Meyer. and there rave beef
no complaints brought to me re
garcing the treatment, the condI
tionS. or the food by any of tn
| prisoners"