Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-02-06
Montgomery County Jail Found
Clean, Apparently Well Kept
Commissioner Shaw and Sheriff Former
Defend 1t as Best in Maryland
BY FRANCIS P. DOUGLAS.

DeIenO IL as DeSI III
BY FRANCIS P. DOUGLAS.
Following a recent report by Fed.
|eral prison inspectors that the con
dition of the Montgomery County
Jail is poor and that the institu.
ton ranks sixth among % similar
jails in the State, reporter for The
Star made firsthand survey Of
the alleged conditions. He fount
that the jail is clean and shows M
indication of neglect, although som.
of the inspectors observations art
borne out.
Explanations given the reporter BY
jail officials for some of the criticism
leveled at the institution seem to bt
logical.
The chief points in the inspectors
report concerned the feeding of the
prisoners, the number of juveniles
held in the Jail, the visiting wickets
which are unscreened, a bed in the
kitchen where the inspectors be.
lieved it likely ''the night watchmar
spends most of his time" lack Of
privacy for women prisoners, gooc
but neglected equipment, and find
ing that the warden apparently
stands in awe of the prisoners
After he had completed his in
quiry the reporter sought a state
ment from Lacy Shaw, member Of
the Board of Commissioners, fol-
an official reaction to the report
Mr.. Shaw said:
We've got the best jail in The
State of Maryland, I don't care what
anybody says. It's run in first-class
shape. I invite the inspection Of
anybody"
Invites Reporters Inspection.
Sheriff Robert w. Farmer, with
whom the inquiry started, made 9
somewhat similar statement with ar
offer to take the reporter to the jail
and show it to him. The offer was
accepted.
The jail is on the fourth, or tor
floor of the County Courthouse al
Rockville. 1t was completed in 1881
Sheriff Farmer has charge of the
Jail, and under him, and in direct
supervision, is the warden, Joseph
E. Monkey, who has been warden
since 1929. Mr.. Monkeys employ
ment dates from the days of the ole
Jail, before the new county structure
was built. There is a Waterman
Hugh Walker, who has been en-
ployed eight years.
Both Mr.. Monkey and Mr.. Walker
retained their jobs when Mr.. Farmer
became sheriff two years ago. Be-
fore his election, Mr.. Farmer, whose
home is in Redland, had been a
commissioner with responsibility fol
county buildings, which included the
Jail.
Concerning the feeding Of pris-
oners, the inspectors found it signi-
ficant enough to mention that the
food bill for a year was &c. 91, OF
about half the total cost of opera
ton, which was s7,014. The inspec-
tors figured that on basis of 10,93S
prisoner-days, the average daily
food cost per prisoner was 3l.9 cents
Mr.. Monkey said, at one time hi
was restricted to So cents day pei
prisoner for food, but if the cost
had been increased he did not know
of it One of the sheriff's deputies
said the figure formerly had beer
1915 cents a day, but that in recent
years the commissioners had bud.
geted an amount deemed sufficient
to cover the food costs without set
ting any limit.
Cost Is Regarded Favorable.
A cost of 31.9 cents a day is re.
gard in a favorable light by com.
parison with the much higher feed.
ing costs In Prince Georges County
Formerly the food was purchased
on bids obtained by County Pur-
chasing Agent Frank I. Davis. Mr.
Davis said the contract was award.
ed then on the basis of discount.
from list prices. When rationint
rules were instituted, he said. il
was impossible to get bids, ant
food was purchased from chair
store. When this was found to bs
unsatisfactory, the purchasing wa
switched to William Smith. who ha.
q general store about miles from
Gaithersburg.
Mr.. Monkey telephones orders tx
the Smith store and deliveries arr
made once week. Mr.. Smith ex.
hibited the order tickets for De.
cember, which totaled SCOT so
Vouchers for the same amount.
were found later in the ONCE d
County Auditor Alexander X. Han.
cock.
The reporter asked Mr.. Smith
whether he took part In politics
He replied he had not done 50 fol
about 10 years since the Fusion
party land, he added, They have
. hard time getting me to vote
Prisoners Meah. Described.
Mr.. Walker, the Waterman, de.
scribed these meals given the pris.
oners: Saturday breakfast, eggs, {
half loaf OF bread per man, coffee
Sunday breakfast, hot dogs, bread
syrup and coffee; Saturday supper