Evening star., 1937-04-04

! VIVA
sentenced for contempt.
During the oil magnate's Jail term
| newspapers reported that he held fire.
| quent conferences with q visitor and
| that their earnest conversations sug-
gested Sinclair was conducting his
| widespread business interests by re-
mote control.
CURRENTLY the best known Of
Lorton inmates are G. Bryan
| Pitts and Carl R. Kurtz, flnanciers,
and DR.. Mcpherson Crichton. physi-
| clan.
Pitts, serving 14-year sentence for
conspiring to embezzle $5,000,000 from
the corporation he controlled, is q
| bookkeeper in the reformatory COM
missary. He is regarded as a model
prisoner, and Col. Peak last Septem-
Der indorsed his application for parole,
which was, however, denied. In re-
fusing Pitts request, the Parole Board
pointed out that he would have a re-
duction of nearly five years for good
behavior, resulting In his release In
July, 1941. Pitts Is now ~.
When the former realty flnancier
appeared In court two years ago, Is
defendant in an equity suit to recover
some 100000 from him. reporters
noticed he seemed In much better
health than when he entered prison.
The former appearance Of obesity had
vanished and he was tanned from ex-
posure to the sun.
Taking this writer through the re-
formatory hospital, Col. Peak said:
Did you see that blond chap in there
helping the doctor? That's Kurtz."
Carl Robertson Kurtz, IS, entered
prison May II, 1896, after conviction
en- charges OF embezzlement OF be-
tween 100000 and 100000, and Of
violation OF the securities act Of 1888.
His sentence is from two to seven
years Socially prominent and men,
Der of the Chevy Chase and Metro
politAn Clubs, Kurtz was head Of the
investment house Of Stroud, Kurtz &
Co. Only three Of q number Of persons
from whom he embezzled agreed to
prosecute him.
Col. Peak also pointed out in the
hospital q gray-haired patient, sitting
on . bed, reading. It was DR.. Crich-
ton, sentenced for performing an ille-
gal operation. Like Kurtz, DR.. erich.
ton was socially prominent and be-
longed to some Of Washington's most
exclusive clubs.
COL. PEAK remarked that prisoners
Of this sort-well educated, intel
ligent prisoners-seldom gave trouble.
Neither are the long-termers likely to
be among disturbers Of the peace. The
hell raisers" usually are the short
termers, neophyte criminals.
Prisoners like Sinclair, Pitts, Kurtz
and Crichton are inclined to take
their medicine In 4 spirit Of good
sportsmanship, Col. Peak said. Some
seek special favors and occasionally
succeed in getting them, but the su-
perintendent is strongly opposed to
privilege" and discourages attempts
BY prisoners to use influence"
Peak recalled one incident Of .
prominent financier, jailed for en-
bezzlement, who boasted to other pris-
oners in the District Jail ths when
his wife visited him he would see her
In "the front once" and not in the
regular visiting place. Sure enough,
the flrst time his wife called she
brought with her . Congressman. The
Jail superintendent could not very we'll
refuse the Congressr ms request that
the prisoner be brought to the front
once. The next time Banker Does
wife called 1t was the same story.
Another Congressman accompanied
her this time. Peak naturally was An
gered, and the banker WAS laughing
up his sleeve.
II went to that fellow" Peak said,
"and told him he must stop using his
influence in regard to visiting. Either
you visit like the rest or you won't
visit at all-you1l stay in your CELL I
told him. Pretty soon he was writing
letters to his wife, friends and rela.
tives, telling them not to bring in.
nuential persons with them when they
called"
Prior to Peaks administration at
Lorton there was Z dormitory wing
known as the porch" because of its
resemblance to . sun porch. In this
were quartered bis-time bootleggers
and bankers. Peak eliminated sesre-
cation Of this sort, and the porch" II
now barber shop.
A RT classes ct the reformatory for
merly wsrs taught BY = e2-year-
old prisoner named Shepherd, himself
= talented painter, who went to jail
because he tried to sell . painting
to the grandson OF Grover Cleveland
which he represented to be An original
portrait Of Charles Carroll, one Of the
signers OF the Declaration OF indie
pendence. He was convicted Of using
the mails to defraud.
Samples of prisoners art work are
displayed in . reformatory class room.
The inmates seem to lean toward sea-
scapes, marine paintings showing
sailing craft bressing along on pur-
pie oceans, pictures Of hunting dogs
and horses and religious themes
seraphim and cherubim, NadonnAs
with Child. ste. Having no living
models, The artists copy from ooloe