Evening star., 1926-05-11

Continued from First Page)
manacles on prisoners and comment
! ing about it being cruel and abusive
and an inhuman practice, by saying
| that he and other members of the
| committee thought they smelled liquor
| on Capt Barnard's breath. He denied
! that h had been drinking. He him.
| self explained the fiare.up by saying
| that he had been out all day chasing
and recapturing two prisoners who
; had escaped, that he had been tele-
phOned to that the visitors were stir
ring up a riot among the prisoners.
| and that such comments in the pres
! ence of prisoners made diScipl- ming
extremely difficult and even dan
gerouS.
Eight Men i'm Irons.
Capt Barnard said that there are
nearly 500 prisoners at the workhouse
and $50 at Occoquan; that there were
II in detention cells when the Gibson
subcommittee visited the institution
Saturday, that s were in irons ana
only two or three with bands riveted
on. This is only done. he said, in the
case of repeated offenders, who have
run away and who are known to
be trouble makers.
Capt. BARNARD was questioned IN de-
tail regarding the food supply and
The food given to prisoners. He said
that eggs are furnished every day to
the three institutions. that they have
meat every day and chicken on holi-
days
Questioned regarding contracts, the
superintendent said that they are
made through the purchasing agent
Of the District government ana that
he has nothing to do W III who re-
ceives them. Asked II most of the
hardware used at the penal institution
IS not bought from tha Rudolph &
West Co.. he said he thought most Of
it came from the Barber & Ross Co.
He promised to prepare for the com
mittee u detailed report on the pur-
chases of hardware during the last
year.
Bainard's House Described.
Mr.. Blanton described at length the
big white house." which the superin-.
tendent occupies with q very large
conservatory, sweeping lawns, large
garage and groves of trees, with heat,
water, light and laundry service. Mr..
Barnard tol dthe committee that he
doesn't want such large home, that
Barnard told the committee that he
prefers the more modest house in
which he formerly lived when assist
ant in charge Of the Reformatory at
I.orton. He said that the big house is
maintained to uphold the dignity of
the District government and for
proper entertainment of visitors TO
the institutions. Mr.. Gibson stated.
II am glad you have such a house
and it's credit to the District"
Capt. Barnard said that he has not
a thing to hide or the officers under
him. and is proud of the record that
has been made at Occoquan. He said
he would he glad to get more pay for
Mrs. Herndon and for the man in
charge of the brick plant. He said
he would welcome helpful suggestions
regarding better method Of combining
and Furnishing bad prisoners who will
not react to the modern, humanitarian
system Of caring for prisoners in such
a penal institution, as this is the one
big problem of which he has been
seeking u solution for several years.
It is his policy to give them all a
chance. he sald and when he does,
half of them promptly run away.
In reply to questions from Repre-
sentative Bowman, Capt. Barnard
stated that he thinks there is no
plant anywhere in the country as
good as Occoquan and Lorton, and
he has been connected with penal
institutions since 1895. This IS the
first penal institution he ever saw
without wall and explained that
formerly he thought that those who
started the system were crazy. Now
he finds the humanitarian methods
most fascinating work, but very dis
couraging on account of the class OF
prisoners that come there.
Urged to Give Recommendations.
Can't. Barnard, in reply to ques-
tions, said that he had never made
suggestions to Congress for increased
nav for any one at the institution, or
regarding other improvements be-
cause he felt it was proper for him
to deal with Secretary Wilson of the
Board of Charities, John Joy Edison,
president of that board, or Commits
sioner Rudolph. Chairman Gibson
told him, IF you see anything that
ought TO be done, any way in which
Congress can help to improve condl-
tions, do not be afraid TO tell us, be
cause we are going to deal directly
and not through the District Com
missioners.
nressed with Superintendent Bar
nard's sincerity, his devotion to the
institution and with the general con-
ditions that exist there. They nave
promised to cooperate with hlm IN
deyising q better way of handling
prisoners. A..
MIR. Blanton called as witnesses two
sisters. Miss Matte Howard and MISS
Anna d. Howard, nurses who served
on the Italian front during the war
and who are now at Mount Alto
HosDitaI. to testify regarding the
treatment of the latter by an N-ray
techn:cian February 6.
AR. RIanton also called as wit
ness Miss Helen II. Hartwell, 1l52
Seventeenth street, to testify that IT
was at her home that a wealthy man
named Bennett, her brOther-in- law,
went for hiding when Frederick A.
Fenning sought to have himself APP
pointed his guardian in lunacy ana
was defeated by Wilton j. Lambert,
attorney.
Traffic Problems Up.
col. I. c. Moeh]er, assistant di-
rector Of traffic. was questioned at
length by Mr.. Gibson regarding the
electric traffic light signal system that
is being installed. Col. Moehler empha-
sized that speeding has been el-mi-
mated on Sixteenth street and a uni
form rate of traffic promoted and
that now a person can drive the en-
tire length Of Sixteenth street at
legal rate of speed without stopping
IIn cfatoi that the total estimated