Evening star., 1936-09-07

guard with a group Of 100 prisoners
who work in the corn fields or
orchards. These guards, for obvious
reasons. are unarmed. A night stick
Is all that most of them carry for
weapons. Rifles are carried only by
the guards stationed in the high
observation towers scattered around
the reservation.
Prisoners working in the orchards
and corn fields, are for long periods,
completely out Of sight of their guard.
Freedom might be only a few feet
away if a prisoner dared to take
chance to escape in the dense
woods that surround some of the
fields.
Brick Plant Shields Workers.
The guard force at the work house
brick plant on the banks Of shallow
Occoquan Greek also is undermined.
Nearly 100 prisoners work there every
day with only few guards to watch
them. 1t is impossible because of
the layout of the brick plant for the
officers to keep a constant vigil on
all the men under their supervision.
Some Of the prisoners at the brick
plant are shielded from view by the
kilns. Others are obscured by the
drying ovens. Still others work behind
huge piles of shale that 60 into the
manufacture of the work house-pro
duced brick.
Yet, escapes, or attempted escapes,
have been few despite the small guard
force. The short termers-those at
the workhouse serving sentences less
than a year-have caused the most
trouble But the officials are more
concerned about the long-term
inmates at Lorton.
Only eight days ago. Sunday
night when the guard force was at its
minimum, three inmates, en- route
from the work house motion picture
theater to the dormitories, dropped
out of line into the darkness and
fed into the nearby wilderness.
Bloodhounds were placed on their
trail and before dawn all three had
been captured.
L0rt0n Break Blocked.
At Lorton there is a different story.
Not one prisoner escaped in the last
fiscal year ended June 80. Four made
a break for freedom in the preceding
fiscal year, but were captured. The
largest number of escapes from Lorton
in any 12-month period occurred in
the 1888 fiscal year. when l6 inmates
succeeded in getting away to brief
period Of liberty.
One night recently during violent
thunderstorm, the electric service to
Lorton collapsed. Every light on the
reservation went out. Nearly $500
convicted murderers, thieves, gun
men and highwaymen had an unusual
opportunity to organize and make a
break for freedom. There was only
one guard on duty for every two
dormitories. Each dormitory housed
from 60 to 80 men.
Lorton officials sensed the possible
seriousness of the situation. Every
guard, of duty, who could be found
was called back to work. Every auto
mobile and truck on the reservation
was driven to the dormitories and
the headlights used to flood the build
ings with light.
The potential human volcano that
is Lorton might well have erupted.
But 1t didn't. There was no disorder.
16I More Guards Sought.
The situation, however, is one that
continues to worry the officials at
both Lorton and Occoquan. That is
one explanation of their request in
the 1888 budget estimates now before
the Commissioners for 161 more
guards-102 for the reformatory and
SO for the workhouse.
Even with this increase in the
force, the institutions, 1t is said,
cannot meet the requirements of the
standard 44-hour law.
Only twice In recent years has there
been any serious disorder at Lorton.
The first was the rebellion on
independence day, 1888. A little over
a year later, August, 1884, the second
disturbance occurred. Both were sub
dued without bullets or bloodshed.
Conditions at the reformatory now
appear to be quiet and peaceful. How
long will that situation last under
existing conditions is the question
penal officials are asking. Something
more effective than a mere handful
Of guards are keeping the prisoners
in check.