Imperial Valley press., 1931-10-12
ASA KEYES IS
PAR0LED FROM
STATE PRISON
Former Los Angeles Dis
trict Attorney To Work
As Auto Salesman.
BY NORMAL b. DEUEL.
United Press Staff Correspondent

OHtcu ETcSS StdIl AOTTtSIOHutut
SAN QUENTIN PRISON. Cal.
Oct. H. U.P)-The big iron gates
Of San Quentin prison swung open
today and Asa Keyes, former Los
Angeles district attorney, walked
out, free man.
Nineteen months have elapsed
since Imprisonment of the once
famous lawyer on charges of brib-
cry conspiracy in connection with
the collapse of the $100,000,000 JUL
ian Petroleum Company.
Keyes, originally sentenced to
from one to IA years, must remain
on parole for two years. He i'm
mediately went to State Parole Of
ficer Ed Whyte to learn the con-
dition of his freedom.
Whyte also was to give him train
fare and Keyes, now SO years old
was to leave Immediately for Los
Angeles where he expects to become
an automobile salesman.
Entering prison broken in health
Keyes emerged today again posses
sed Of that flash and fire which
marked his Is year career as q
dynamic prosecutor in Los Angeles
His health gave way during the
time OF his prosecution, and when
he entered San Quentin March IL
1880, he was sick man. The en-
forced prison regime, regular hours
and healthful food made him "fit
as a fiddle" to use his own words.
Fresh air, sunshine and an hour 5
handball every morning to replace
his beloved golf cleared his eyes
and bronzed his skin. His thin
gray hair grew whittier, however,
and his face fully showed the pas
sage of time.
Between 1908, when he became a
deputy district attorney, and 1924
when he was elected chief prose-
cutor, his fiery attacks upon Grim
inals sent 5000 OF them to prison.
Keyes Unafraid
Two thousand of them, murder
ers, stickup men, burglars, crooked
brokers, conspirators, were still In
San Quentin when Keyes entered
These men. to many Of whom
club and knife were not new Weap-
ons, presented a problem to Keyes
and his guards.
Keyes went to prison unafraid
He remained SO. Perhaps his very
lack of fear prevented an attack,
or perhaps those he had sent to
prison merely smiled and said,
''there's long road"
Keyes had to have a job to get
a parole, and that of automobile
saleman was the first offered. He
will work at that, but eventually
hopes to get back into his chosen
career. First he will seek a job
as clerk IN law office. Then, if
the governor should recognize his
claims of innocence and pardon
him, he can go before the state
supreme court again citizen and
apply for reinstatement as an at
torney.
"Keyes was sentenced on convic-
ton of bribery conspiracy. The
state introduced evidence tending to
show that he took gifts, estimated
to value 100000. and, in return,
went easy on the prosecution of
those charged with causing the COL
lapse Of the Julian Petroleum Cor
poration."
Prisons No Help
AS he walked out of prison, Keyes
wore a suit of prison made clothes
that fitted him excellently, and was
putting the first cigar I've smoked
since I entered"
In addition to the $40 given him
by the prison. he had $50 he had
had on deposit in the prison bank.
Two burglars, one holdup man,
and a man convicted on a statutory
charged regained their freedom
with Keyes.
I'm going to keep quiet in a no.
tel during the day, then catch the
Sunset Limited at 6 p. m. for Los
Angeles" he said. 1T will be Won
derful to get back home.'
Asked if prison term might not
give district attorneys and other
public officials better understand
ing of human nature, Keyes said:
1T wouldn't hurt them, it would
certainly make them more human" :"
A moment later, however, he ap-
parently changed his mind.
Prison doesn't help anybody" he
said. IT don't think 1t helped me
either spiritually, morally, mentally
or physically. I'm afraid, however,
there is no substitute for prison.
They're building them better and
bigger all the time"
Lack of education Keyes de-
clared, "is what is filling prisons. .
You'd be surprised" he said, "at
the number of men in prison who
can't even read or write"