Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

Some OF the prisoners paid fines and
were released from custody. When the
mornings business had been transacted
in the court room Is unfortunateS,
Z white and colored, unable to
raise money or having drawn manda-
tory jail sentences, awaited the BLACK
Maria" and the ride to the District Jail
entered upon that ride with five COM
panions, the six of us cooped up in a
box-like cell In the patrol wagon. Other
prisoners were housed in similar cells
in the conveyance.
We were uShered into the jail about
o'clock in the afternoon and after
being listed according to name, age,
place of residence, occupation. offense
and sentence, we were searched and
then herded into small room equipped
with showers. We bathed together and
put our clothes on wet bodies. A COL
ored attendant, doing time for hi-jack-
ing, explained that a prisoners "wise
crack" about the towel service had
brought down an order from the "outer
Office" that towels would not be pro-
vided.
Three Housed in Cell. @
Meanwhile, the new prisoners had
been allotted cells and when dressed
they were committed. three to a cell
ombination-the combination consist
ing of two cells connected by an unOb-
Structed passageway, two wall hunks In
one cell and one bunk In the other. ]
went in with 50-year-old man given
so days for drunkenness-he had broken
probation-and q 44-year-old, tattooed
husky who had drawn 10 days for cele-
brating too boisterously his arrival from
Texas.
Late in the afternoon the newcomers
were lined up in corridor and finger
printed by a longtime prisoner, up for
larceny.
The next morning the newcomers
were vaccinated by the jail physician.
Mr.. Sinclair, however, who is work.
ing as sort of physicians assistant,
was not present to assist In the vaccina-
him, but they didn't know just what he
was doing.
Back to your cells now, and keep
your sleeves rolled up an hour" said
the "doc."
Back we went. My cell mates were
not vaccinated-why, / do not know.
Two of the prisoners surreptitiously
rubbed the vaccine from their arms.
Another. anticipating hard work at Oc-
coquan Workhouse, near Lorton, Va,
where he expected to be transferred,
expressed the wish that his arm would
swell to twice its normal size. He drew
go days and the vaccination didn't take.
Prisoners Handcuffed on Trip.
A group of us were started to Deco
guam Saturday morning, two days after
my arrest. Capt. Francis, who for 19
years has taken the prisoners on the
26-mile ride to the workhouse each day
excepting Sunday, met us in the jail
rotunda shortly before IL o'clock. armed
with the necessary papers of transfer
and a catchel containing handouts.
We filed out Of the jail to waiting
patrol wagon in double file, the right
wrist of one prisoner handcuffed to the
left wrist of his companion. I made
the trip bracketed to youthful paper
hanger"-the prisoners description of q
man who passes bad checks.
Capt. Francis is kindly man and
the trip down to Occoquan was not un-
pleasant.
Two large trucks met the train and
we were herded in and taken the 2 miles
out to the workhouse and farm.
Buildings are being erected at Occo-
quan and gangs OF prisoner are put
ting slate roofs on new dormitory
near the headquarters building The
gangs paused momentarily when the
big trucks came round the bend in the
road and prisoners atop the roof
strained to see II any acquaintance
were returning.
Once inside the main building, hand
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