Evening star., 1933-07-03
DR.. ReicheIderfer, Crosby and
Wilson Investigate
Three Outbreaks.
BOTTLES AND PITCHERS
HURLED IN MESS HALL
Capt. NJ. M. Barnard Blames
Trouble on Excessive Heat.
Steward Is Removed.
By stan Correspondent OF The Star.

LORTON, Va, July g. 3.-CommiSsion-
ers Reichelderfer and Crosby and
George S. Wilson, director of public
welfare, came 70 Lorton today to make
a personal investigation Of rebellion
among some OF the 1,142 prisoners at
the District Reformatory against the
food they have been served.
Three times in the last 48 hours
large group of the prisoners staged pro-
test demonstrations and were Quletec
each time with promises that the fooo
would be improved.
Thirty iife-termerS were among the
prisoners during the demonstration,
but no attempt was made by any
one to escape and NO prisoners or guards
were injured.
The most serious outbreak occurred
at supper Saturday evening when the
prisoners hurled baked beans, vinegar
bottles and molasses pitchers around the
mess hall. while a dozen guards stood
by powerless.
Again Saturday night the prisoners
in their dormitories shouted and
howled their complaints for several
hours before being quieted.
Third Demonstration Yesterday.
The third demonstration occurred at
the close of the MONDAY dinner ycster-
day when the prisoners refused to leave
the mess hall after eating until A. C.
Tawse, superintendent Of the reforma-
tory, promised them that the conditions
would be corrected. Later In the after
noon, Capt. M. M. Barnard, superin-
tendent Of District penal institutions
called all the prisoners together in the
assembly hall and assured them that
immediate steps would be taken to ad-
just their complaints.
Capt. Barnard then removed F. c
Coffin, the steward, pending an inves-
tieation of the complaints Of the pris-
oners, and replaced him with William
Devers. This move apparently salts
fed the prisoners. There was no DEM
onstration this morning at breakfast
and Capt Barnard said he expected no
further trouble.
Capt. barnard is making thorough
Investigation Of the disturbance and
announced he would file complete re-
port with the Board Of Public Welfare
in few days. He said his inquiry
thus far had convinced him that the
rebellion was not premeditated or in
spired by any organized group at the
institution
Prisoner and Waiter Fight.
1t was pointed out by Capt. Barnard
that a fight between a waiter and q
prisoner in the mess hall during the
Saturday supper evidently furnished
the spark for the original demonstra-
tion. AS soon as these two men had
been separated by guards the general
disturbance started.
The only damage done was the break
ing of number of ketchup bottles,
which are used as vinegar cruets, and
the destruction of numEcr of molaSses
jars. These we're the only breakable
utensils on the tables of the prisoners.
The two prisoners who started the
fight were locked up, but no disciplinary
action has been taken against any of
the others who participated in the
demonstration. An effort is being made,
however, to uncover the ringleaders.
Claim Sour Milk Was Served.
Capt. Barnard said the complaint Of
the prisoners concerned the alleged poor
preparation of the food and not the
quality. He declared the prisoners
claimed they had been served cereals
with sour milk On one occasion and
beef stew on another occasion that
was not properly cooked. He vigorously
denied reports that smoked pork, which
the prisoners called "fatback," had been
served at nearly every meal, and cited
the menus of the last week to show that
q wide variety Of food had been served.
The menus revealed that smoked pork
had been served at only one meal last
week.
Capt Barnard said he did not doubt
that the milk might have been sour on
one occasion as some of the milk served
at his house on the reformatory reser-
vation last week had soured slightly
from the heat.
Blames Hot Weather.
II believe the whole trouble has been
due to the excessive hot weather We
have had in the past week" Capt.
Barnard declared. The prisoners
crowded into the dormitories have been
restless and unable to sleep.
However, I assured the prisoners at
an assembly Yesterday afternoon that If
there is anything at the reformatory
that is not right I viii have the condi-
tions they complain of adjusted"
Capt Barnard said he did not regard
the situation as serious, and expressed
the belief that the chang> in stewards
probably would solve the whole problem.
Believe Trouble Is Over.
Commissioners Reichelderfer and
Crosby after the investigation an
nounced that they were satisfied that
there would be no further trouble.
The Commissioners also expressed ut
most confidence in the ability of Capt
Barnard to adjust the conditions which
caused the trouble and left for Wash
ington after an inspection of the re-
formatory mess hall and kitchen.
The Commissioners made their in
spection a few minutes after the pris-
oners had finished a quiet midday din
ner, accompanied by Wilson and Fred
W. McReynolds. member OF the well
fare board
d. Reichelderfer, president OF the
Beard Of Commissioners, declared:
The Commissioners are satisfied
that there will be no further trouble
and that Capt. Barnard will adjust the
conditions to the satisfaction Of the
prisoners Capt. Barnard will make an
official report in a few days and until
that time the Commissioners will make
no further statement"
Commissioner Crosby said he did not
regard the situation as serious. "When-
ever there is a large group Of men to-
gether," he said, some OF them are
bound to blow of steam. That's all
that has happened here"