Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-07

from ninc-m months trip TO til" Far
| East. Some time let me tell You about
that"
Andrew Gray. another member of
The board. j. an insurance man with
Offices ut :i3:1 Walnut street. lie sat
back in his chair and dismissed the
subject with wave of the hand.
Hasn't Heard Any Complaints
Frank Kilcoync. n clerk in the City
Controllers office. was appointed nm
inspector last July. Mr.. kilcoyne,' =
knowledge of prisoners is limited. he
admits. but he says he is spending con-
siderable time getting acquainted with
conditions in both Moyamensins and
1Iolmesburg.
Honestly. haven't run across any.
one UP in the Holmesburg prison who
complained Of his treatment, said
Mr.. Kilcoyne. ~ think the food is all
right. have been there when it was
being served and I certainly saw moth
ing wrong with it,
Asked il he believed it proper TO
punish convicts for talking mud smok 4,
ing. Mr.. Kilcoyne said II would
rather refrain from expressing my
opinion about those questions at this
board only short time. and ! would
like to get around more and So" what
can be done for the men, don feel
competent to pass on things until be-
come moro seasoned.
Charles II. Smith. n broker with
offices al 3O3 Chestnut street and Il
member of the board. asked to b" eX-
ctIsed from passing any comment Mt
this time. Mr.. Smith did say. how
ever, that he was greatly concerned IN
tho problem of putting the convicts to
work.
Il would be glad to have this prob
lem solved. 1t would help greatly. y
was all that he would say.
John Wagner, who is a cigar manu-
facturer at 237 Dock street. who wns
appointed to tn" board in July, was
another who asked to be excused from
comment.
II am what YOU would term baby
member OF the board said MIR: Wng-
! ner, "and before Ginning In with any
/ suggestions I would like to hav" o
! chance to put my feet under the table
and listen in. You sre. I don't get
/ ms much time with the convicts. as
would like. Come back II couple OF
months from now. Maybe by that time
I will have something to say.
! And now comes the president OF tho
Board OF Inspectors, DR.. Joseph \.
| Reeves, who insists that h" is alto
gether satisfied with the rules and with
conditions at IIolmcsburg.
Dir. Reeves Satisfied
"Wo know exactly what is needed
in the wav Of rules TO conduct a prison
and we feel that those in force are
meeting the requirements. said DR..
Reeves. DR.. Reeves was seen in his
Office. 1916 Spruce street.
"Dr. Reeves. represent the EVE
MING PUBLIC I.EDGER.' said the re-
rorter. eve received complaints from
convicts recently released from Holmes
burg. and I came to You to get pass
! to 60 through that prison and verify or
( disnrove tho complaints.
''Step into my Office, was Dr.
Reeves reply.
In his Office. DR.. Reeves pondcred n
moment or two before passing on the
application for the pass.
NO. you cannot have one he said
finally. "The Board Of Inspectors will
not sanction pass TO any newspaper
man who Is seeking news. or who
might add. Is trying to create story
that docs not mean thing In the world
1T is thr same old story. Some
fellow or maybe two or three cOnvicts-
men who have violated our lnws arc
ave been sent to prison as pun!shmerl
complain because they did not lik'
cur rules. The first thing they do i
10 60 TO some newspaper.
at il simply ridiculous for those con
yicts 70 say they are not receiving TIL
very best treatment in Ilolmesburg. |
makes me tired to talk about their al
/ legged complaints. But ns you seem Il
! have some kind Of information abOE
the place, give me an idea as to th'
nature OF the complaints.
Maintains Food Is Good
DR.. Reeves was told the complaints
| Ilc listened attentively as this and tha
: grievance was laid before him. Whrl
he was told about the food, the mann"
IN which it was prepared and the quaa,
tity used the physician said:
"Your figures regarding tn" amour
Of food are about correct. You tel
me that man who was cook u,
there gave. them to YOU. oh? That
gratitude for you. That fellow wa
given one Of the very best jobs we hp
thing Tint he does when he gets on
is to make his way TO your Office an
complain. What does his complain
amount to, anyway?
'The food served in that prison (
good. Why. there Is never n time tha
! go uo there that don't take a piec
: Of the bread and eat il. You talk abou
burnt rye and bread for breakfast
: What is the matter with that? Burn
rye Is III" best we can afford. Yo,
, don't think we could afford to Civ
thcs" convicts coffee at twenty i've t,
, thirty cents n pound. do you:
"Thr bread is perfectly all right. too
The noon meal is substantial and Is prc
narnl in n Innnnnr DIM nnnnt,, IL. -.