Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-18
JURORS CONVINCED
/ OF PRISON NEEDS
View Cramped Conditions at
District Jail. Lorton Re-
formatory and 0cCoquan.

Members of the grand jury returned
from a tour of inspection at the DiS
tlfot Jail, the Lorton ReformatoIA
and the Occoquan NorkhouSe IA y
yesterday, convinced of the neeo ioi
enlarging and improving housing aG
coTnmodations for the average l,ou'
prisoners daily in these three lhsltu
tons. Much of the work of enlarg
ing the institutions is now under way
At the jail they found, IN oppreS'
sive atmosphere and cramped conul'
tions. some 495 prisoners occupying
cells and tiers designed for only 4VV'
AT Occoquan they found some 81
woman prisoners housed in imlnaCu'
late but weather. beaten dormitorleS'
with cracks in the walls through
which daylight found no dlfi1cultN IN
passing. The buildings for the women
there were constructed 1or ne "
five years, Capt. NJ. Nj. Barnard, IN
charge of local penal institutions. told
the grand jury. but they have now
stood for more than 10.
MANY other buildings at OccOquan.
in the mems division, were 1ound 10
he almost beyond hope of further re
pair, and more than 200 beds were
found grouped in one of the new, airy
brick buildings. which will take care
of only half that number after the
other new buildings are completed.
Six Dormitories Planned.
All told, il is planned to erect six
dormitories to care for an average of
900 prisoners at Occoquan. OF this
number two are completed and ap
proximately one-third of the prisoners
are housed in the old frame dorni-
tories, while the remainder are placed
In the two new brick dormitorieS
already completed.
The work at Lorton Reformatory in
adding TO the building accommodations
was found we'll under way with the
prospect of the next few years seeing
n model plant there, with all dormi-
tories constructed of brick and guard
ed with tool-proof steel bars, to ac-
coinmodate an average of $50 prisoners.
with capacity for additional numbers
now being sent TO Atlanta and Lea
venworth Penitentiaries.
John NJ. Cherry, foreman of the
grand jury, and Albert w. Walker.
clerk, made notes of the items of
special attention for written report
TO be turned in to the District Su-
preme Court when the grand jury
ends its existence at the end of this
month.
Outstanding in the visit to the jail
was the impression of prisoners in
the dark cells, with doors opening in.
ward to a central corridor, in sharp
distinction to the cells in the new
buildings at Lorton and Occoquan.
which are light and airy, opening
toward corridors parelleling the walls
and windows.
Progress on East Wing.
Maj. w. L. Peake, SUPERINTENDENT of
the Jail, showed the visitors the prog.
ress made on the new east wing adj |
dltion TO that institution. which was
started after the visit of Pete Martin. |
investigator of The Star, had
made public insanitary and cramped
conditions caused by congestion there.
1nat addition, IT is expected, will be |
result that the Jail will be able to &C. |
commodate 600 prisoners without dele.
ferrous effects.
The hog farm of Shirley Cockereli, a
prisoner at Lorton. which supplies
sufhcient pork for the entire institu.
ton, as we'll as for Occoquan, the year
around, came in for special attention
from the investigators. Shirley dem
onstrated his capacity for caring for
hogs by having a 700.pound boar lie
on his back and do tricks for the visi |
ct n WOlu Ot
Shirley showed how hog-calling was
done. standing in a deserted part of |
the hog farm and shouting: Come |
on, with the almost immediate re.
suit of conJuring pigs. shoats, sows |
and boars from mud holes and bushes |
In every direction.
Jurors Sample Food.
The grand jury tried out some of |
the food fed prisoners al luncheon. |
They were given the same fare that |
was on the menu yesterday at Lorton. |
Inere was roast pork, mashed pota- |
toes, bread-and it was real bread |
applesauce, coffee and apple pie. 1t |
was plain and without frills, but there |
was enough of it to satisfy the most |
appetite
Capt. Barnard pointed out that the |
reformatory had an overstocked supply |
or apples and applesauce-apples com
ing from the orchards near the re- |
in such quantities that dis. |
position of all of them was a thing |
not hoped for The bread was espe.
cially in favor.
Accompanying the grand jury on the
tour OF inspection were Assistant u. s.
Attorneys NJ. Pearl Mccall and w. M |
Shea.