The Washington times., 1924-12-25
JOY RE|GNS IN
DISTRICT
JAIL
Bananas Are Banned, But
Prisoners Are Not
DoWnhearted

With the boys in the criminal
wing singing bass and those in the
Volstead wing hitting tenor, the $50
men and women who compose the
transient "jail bird" chorus at the
District jail today are bearing down
on the jazz tune Yes. We Have
No Bananas"
There's a reasonl
Bananas are banned at the jail
this year and those confined in the
tiers Of cells which flank q huge
and brilliantly decorated Christmas
tree want the whole neighborhood
to know that this fact Is taken
lightly by them and they refuse to
permit 1t take any Joy out Of this
Christmas Day.
Why The Crop Is Short.
Major william L. Peak, kindly
superintendent Of the District Jail
span as a grandmotheIss kitchen, ex'
planned that the banana ban was
necessarily invoked inaSmuch as an
attempt was made recently to SNUG
gle an unhandled saw in to one
Va tAS pH1SOHOES. ~ IuS pr11OkaGE
had gotten It, he doubtless could
have filed his way to liberty.
While apples, grapes, oranges
and candies are being received 81
the jail today and tomorrow from
friends Of the occupants Of the
cells. all Of them are $ubjeeted to
q rigorous inspection.
Captain George Retherdale, cap,
tain of the guard, Immediately upon
the arrival Of the boxes and baskets
takes the fruit and cake out, piece
by piece, and either cuts II In
pieces or "kneeds it" 30 that he is
satisfied no hypodermic needles or
other forbidden articles are con-
cealed in 1t. The goodies are then
transferred into q wire basket and
sent in to the prisoner.
VIII Feast GlOriOusIy.
Az usual. the inmates of the Jail
will be roast pork. boiled turnipa,
brown gravy, celery, rice pudding.
bread and coffee.
When the occupants Of the Jail
awoke today they found that Santa
Claus had not forgotten them, for
each had a quota of candy and
fruit from the Reverend and Mrs.
George Dow, Of the Episcopal City
Mission.
There viii be two church services
at the jail today. One will be the
Episcopal service, presided over by
the Rev. Mr.. Dow, and the other
a Catholic communion mass by
Father Michael Gallagher.
Two In Death Cells.
Only two are in the death cells
this Christmas Day. as compared
with I've last year.
The two are Ralph Thomas, con-
victed Of the murder Of his wife,
and Herbert Copeland, convicted
Of the killing Of three police in
1919, Thomas il to die January
Is. while Copeland 10 to pay the
penalty six days later. Both are
colored.
Perhaps the two happiest men
In the jail this Christmas are
Edgar Randolph Perrygo, the
seventeen.year-old boy convicted
and Ziang Sun Wan, who figured
Chinese Educational Mission sew.
eral years ago.
Both Perrygo and Wan were re-
Gently granted new trials and are
now in with the other prisoners who
are awaiting trial instead Of the
grim death cells. This Is the first
Christmas since Wan was convicted
that he has been out Of the death
cell.
When Sidney A. Schwartz, law.
Yer, was brought out to the Jail re-
Gently, and then a bondsman and
later Doctor Arthur Alexander, an
eye specialist, one OF the prisOnres
remarked to Major Peak that "all
we needs now, boss. is a Judge and
we can hold our own court"
A Jail Christmas" Is something
to look forward to by Colorado
Bill" Major Peak introduced the
writer to Colorado BILL" who is on
duty in the kitchen, despite the
fact he is on the criminal side.
Major Peak explained that he had
known Colorado Bill" for fifteen
years, ten of which he served at
Leavenworth and five at Atlanta
and as he had been a cook at both
Of these penitentiaries, Major Peak
took advantage of the prisoners
ability when he was brought over
to the District Jail recently on a
robbery charge. Colorado Bill
is accustomed to spending Christ
mas and all other days in Jail and
he admits that he looks forward to
Jail Christmas" Just as naturally
as a kid looks forward to a white