Evening star., 1934-02-17
WITNESS HUNTED
FOR LORTON QUIZ
OPENING MONDAY
Start Of Sweeping Investi-
cation Hinges on Locating
Former Convict BedeII.
CHAIRMAN OF INQUIRY
FAv0RS OPEN HEARINGS
Shoemaker Presses Demand for
Congressional Inquiry of Pris-
Ons After Charging Graft.

The. actual start Monday of the in
vestigation Of conditions at the Dis
trict Reformatory at Lorton, Va,
hinged today on the possibility of To-
eating Edward Bedell, former convict,
whose allegations precipitated the in
quiry.
The District Commissioners yester-
day ordered the Board of Public Wei
fares Committee on Penal and Cor
rectional Institutions to conduct a
sweeping investigation of the institu-
tion. Thursday Representative Shoe
maker, Farmer-Labor, of Minnesota
had made sensational charges that
graft, immortality and insanitsry con-
ditions existed at the reformatory.
The investigation was requested by
Capt. M. NJ. Barnard, superintendent
OF penal institutions, who seeks to
clear his administration Of the prison
of the stigma carried by Shoemaker's
charges. The Department Of Justice
had recommended to the District
Commissioners that they sift the
charges made by Bedell to Frank NJ
Parrish, special assistant to the At
torney General.
Judge Michael NJ Doyle, chairman
of the committee which will conduct
the inquiry, said he thought the
hearings would be public, as were
those during the similar investigation
of conditions at Gallinger Hospital
several years ago.
Committee to Decide.
"I see no reason why this investi-
cation should be conducted behind
closed DOORS" Judge Doyle asserted.
II am for having it open and so is
Mr. Wilson, head of the Board of
Public Welfare, but, of course, this
point cannot be definitely determined
until the committee is polled."
Bedell, who was released from Lor-
ton on parole December IS after
serving 10 months OF an 18month
| sentence for false pretenses, is
, thought to be in New Jersey.
He was indicted here October rs.
| 1926. while serving a four-year term
in Kingston, Ontario, for forgery. A
detalner was sent 10 that city. but
| when he was released from prison it
was found Columbus. Ohio. had a
! prior claim on him. He was exoneT-
ated there, however, but later sent to
/ the Federal Penitentiary at Leaven-
! worth, Kans., after his arrest in St.
Louis on a robbery charge. Finally
| he came into the hands of District
authorities ana was tried and SEN
fenced here March 10, 1893.
Shoemaker Presses Case.
The case in which he was involved
caused a considerable stir at the
| time. He was alleged to have made
friends with several wealthy young
Washington ciubmen, who took him
to an exclusive local country club.
There he is alleged TO have taken
their pocketbooks and used the Gre
dentials contained to obtain money
| from other sources.
Representative Shoemaker was still
determined today to press his demand
\ for a Congressional investigation Of
all Federal prisons, including Jorton,
independent of the local investiga-
tion, which he predicted would result
! in a "whitewash."
Late yesterday he charged Melvin
C Hazen, president of the Board Of
| District Commissioners, with double
! crossing" him by revealing the pro-
| posed inquiry to Barnard Tuesday.
| The Minnesotan also denied allega-
tions Of Barnard that former Supt. Of
Lorton A. G. Tswse and Beden had
anything to do with the charges he
! aired in the House.