Evening star., 1933-07-07

placed in solitary confinement on the
pretext of shielding them from the
other prisoners because Of their refusal
to join in the food demonstrations. He
wanted to get the men thinking that If
he went away from here they would not
get the consideration that he gave
them"
Capt. Barnard pointed out that after
he had pacifled the men Monday morn
ing following the disturbances over the
week end. all Of prisoners in the mess
hall raised their hands in a vote Of
confidence when he promised to remedy
any legitimate complaint
Then Tawse got up" Capt. Barnard
said. "and shouted to the men:
You know what the trouble is here
The food is not good. 1t is not fit to
eat. I told Mr.. Barnard this morning
that If the steward was not fired I
would quit"
Statement Causes Disturbance
That statement. according to Capt
Barnard, turned the mess hall into a
hooting and cheering bedlam. "A
ranker piece Of disloyalty," he said. Il
have never witnessed"
Tawse's resignation, Capt Barnard said
he pleaded with the superintendent to
remain and flight the issue out"
II told Tawse when he handed me
the resignation" Capt. Barnard said,
that his action would throw a monkey
wrench into the machinery now that
things are being ironed out
You wouldn't do that?" Capt. Bar
nard said he asked him.
Capt Barnard said Tawse replied.
that is now out Of my hands" and he
walked away.
Capt. Barnard said the reason Tawse
had been fomenting trouble over the
food was because he did not like E. C.
Coffin, the steward Coffin. who was
removed temporarily after the series Of
rebellions had been steward for more
than 20 years.
In reply to Capt Barnard's charges
Tawse said he was mot the bad fellow"
he had been pictured. He declared
also that the complaints made against
him for permitting prisoners to come to
Washington occurred three years ago.
and that he had not been called upon
by the Board of Public Welfare for q
defense of his action.
TaWse said as soon as he can remove
his personal effects from his home on
the reformatory reservation he would
establish a home in Washington and
live here.
Tawse said he had no intention of
looking for another job, but proposed
to rest after his long and arduous duties
at Lorton and live like gentleman. :"
Capt. Barnard and Tawse had been
close friends for years. They had met
a number Of times in their prison work,
and when Capt. Barnard was looking
for a man to head his model re-
formatory he asked Tawse to take the
job.
That was nine years ago Tawse left
his position as head of the industrial
activities at the Virginia State Peniten-
tiary in Richmond to take charge of
the reformatory. He succeeded in de-
veloping its industrial activities there
to point where the plants were ranked
among the best prison industrial in
stitutions in the country.
Il told Capt. Barnard two years ago."
Tawse said, that trouble would de-
velop unless the steward was changed.
He refused to listen to me. The show
down had to come"
Tawse, according to Capt Barnard
also has complained a number of times
in recent years that he was not getting
the proper credit for his operation Of
the institution.
Every time anything happened"
Capt. Barnard said, "Tawse claimed
that would get the credit. and the
public never knew that he was running
the institution"