Evening star., 1934-03-08
BARNARD DENIES
PITTS LEFT JAIL
AND USED AUTO
Accused by Shoemaker of
Giving Liberties to
Former Banker.
DECLARED TO HAVE MET
WIFE IN ALEXANDRIA
Representative Repeats Many
Charges at Hearing Against
Penal Institutions Head.

Penal institution hedu,
Charges by Representative Shoe
maker of Minnesota that G.. Bryan
Pitts, former head of the F. H. Smith
Co, now serving a l4-year term at
Lorton Reformatory. was allowed on
frequent occasions to visit his wife at
the George Mason Hotel in AleXan-
1iria, was vehemently denied today by
Capt. NJ. M. Barnard, veteran super =
intendent of District penal lnStltu-
tions. whose administration has been
under fire in the present investiga-
ton.
Shoemaker told the Board of Public
Welfare Investigating Committee yes
terday that Pitts often was driven
back and forth in the private car OF
Capt. Barnard by Barnard's chauffeur
This morning at his Lorton home,
Barnard said there is not word OF
truth in it," Pitts has never been
allowed to leave the reformatory. he
declared, explaining that Mrs. PITTS
has visited her husband there during
the hours set apart for visitors ana
usually has been accompanied by Pitts
attorney. Pitts still is involved in a
tax dispute with the Government.
Manager Never Saw Pitts.
Charles Slagle, manager Of the
George Mason Hotel. confirmed the
fact that Mrs Pitts had stopped there.
but said he had never seen Pitts visit
her. Mrs. Pitts has been registered
at the George Mason but once since
last July. when he became manager,
Slagle said. and possibly two or three
times before that" Shoemaker
charged the visits continued up 10
about two weeks ago.
The Pitts charge followed another
sensational allegation by Shoemaker
accusing Barnard of Intentionally
leaving his automobile-equipped with
rifle, shotgun and revolver-at spot
where two escaping convicts could
use it. The keys were also left in
the car, he charged
Shoemaker inferred nothing would
have been published about the incl
dent except for a slip in plans,
You read in the papers about two
inmates escaping from Lorton in MIR.
Barnard's car" he declared. That
was because the wrong two convlcts
got the car"
Accompanied by two former inmates
of Lorton. Representative Shoemaker
himself an eX-convict. appeared at
the hearing As minutes late. While
he was testifying the rumor spread
that an officer was on the way to the
District Building to arrest him on
the assault warrant issued yesterday
after a taxicab driver had sworn
Shoemaker struck him twice in a
traffic argument The officer did not
appear, however.
Repeats Charges.
For the most part, Shoemaker con-
tented himself with repeating the
charges he made in the House several
weeks ago. As he testified he was
constantly prompted by Edward Be-
dell. ex-convict. whose charges pre-
cipitated the inquiry. and another
man. who refused to give his name
to the committee. This man later
identified himself to newspaper men
as DIR. L. c. Edwards, eX-convict
from Lorton' He said he would be
back later to testify.
Shoemaker claShed frequently with
w. w. MILAN, chairman Of the We'll
fare Board and of the Investigating
Committee, over his reluctance to fur
nish names of the persons who had
given him his information.
At the beginning of his testimony
Shoemaker had informed the board
he could produce numerous guards,
convicts and ex-convicts to support
his assertions if he could assure them
they would not suffer because they
told the truth. MI. MILAN gave him
this assurance, but still Shoemaker
appeared not to trust the committee.
He finally said he would see his
informants and tell them they would
be granted immunity SO as to get per-
mission to use their names.
III be back in week or So" said
Shoemaker as he left. Meanwhile,
I've given you plenty of stuff to keep
you busy for a while"
Rumors Of Retirement.
Throughout the hearing. Capt.
Barnard sat silent. taking notes on
what was said Rumors have per-
sisted at the District Building for sew
eral days that his retirement is i'm
minent. He is 70 years old and is
serving under a time extension past
the usual age limit.
In his testimony Shoemaker re-
viewed the prison riots of last Sum-
Ia cnnRp n thn n,1triCfc than
and told them to write to him with
their complaints.
Capt. Barnard stood beside me
while l spoke and promised those con-
victs their letters to me would be al
lowed to go through uncensored."
Shoemaker asserted. Il did not re-
ceive single letter and it was not
until l returned here this Fall that
learned Barnard had stopped them
When he did that he violated not only
my confidence but the confidence of
every prisoner there
The witness charged prison libra
rian recently became violent through
the use Of drugs and Col. William l..
Peak, Lorton superintendent. put him
in solitary confinement. The prison
Is "reeking with DOPE" he said.
The committee was told prisoners
who know too much" are adjudged
insane and sent to St. Elizabeth's
Hospital.
Cash sent to prisoners to buy little
delicacies and comforts from the re-
formatory canteen often never reaches
them, Shoemaker alleged.
Hits Bookkeeping Again.
He repeated his charges that j. E.
C. Bischoff, business manager of Dis
trict penal institutions. used book
keeping system which was so compli-
Gated no accountant could understand
1t for the purpose of covering up ir-
regularities.
He charged that Sl,700 appropri-
ated for support of the reformatory
was used to buy shrubs and flowers
for Btschoffs home and the homes of
other prison officials.
Ufers are given one towel then