Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-01-02
Virginia Official
Says He Not
Told Of Saws
Star Reporter Gives
First News of Latest
Jail Discovery

Joll discovery
Officials of the Virginia State
Penitentiary at Richmond were
not aware, until notified by The
Star today, that two prisoners
, transferred to the District Jail
three days ago smuggled eight
hacksaw blades into the local
institution.
"This is the first have heard of
It," Superintendent w. F. Smyth
said. He said an investigation
would be started Immediately.
1t. Robert v. Murray of the Dis
frict Detective Bureau said he was
handling the case locally but under
stood Jail officials were to advise the
Virginia penitentiary of the saw
blades.
Detective Given Task.
At the jail, Assistant Superin-
tendent Thomas r. Sard said he I'M
derstood Detective Sergt. Nunzio
Bonaccorsy was to inform the Vir-
ginia authorities.
1t. Murray revealed that the
grand jury would be given evidence
that James Edward Doss, 81, and
Rutherford Ray Patrick, 20, intro
duced contraband into the Jail, a
felony carrying a maximum 10
year sentence. Six blades we're
found in Doss' shoes and two were
tapped to Patrick's thigh.
The pair and Freddie F. Martin,
Is. who was transferred from Vir-
ginia at the same time, will be ar
raigned in District Court tomorrow
on a charge of kidnapping and rob-
bling DR.. Janvier w. Lindsay, staff
physician at Episcopal Eye, Ear and
Throat Hospital, last May.
Refuse to Tell of Source
Doss, who formerly lived in the
1400 block of Belmont street NV,
and Patrick, of Portsmouth, Va,
have admitted bringing the saw
blades from the Virginia prison, but
have refused to disclose how they
obtained them, Mr.. Sard said.
Supt. Smyth admitted it would
have been a relatively simple matter
for the prisoners to acquire the
blades at the prison.
There are nine industries operat-
Ing here and the boys could have
picked up the blades at any of them,
he said. Little attention is paid to
men carrying saw blades around
here, because they can't cut through |
the walls with them"
Staff Weakened by Holiday.
The fact that the prison staff was
weakened by a holiday schedule |
would have made it easier for the
boys to make off with the escape
tools, Mr.. Smyth said.
Usually prisoners leaving the
place are stripped and examined just !
before they depart" he said. Prob
ably in this case the boys were al
lowed to dress again and sit around
in the dressing room some time be-
fore checking out. 1t would have
been easy for a trusty to have slipped
them the saw blades after they had
been shaken down"
Mr. Sard said the shoes of all three
prisoners would be X-rayed at GAL
linger Hospital today in the search
for more contraband.
Were Trying Their Luck.
Mr.. Smyth said it was quite likely
the three prisoners had read in the |
newspapers of recent District Jail
breaks and were taking the saw
blades along to try their luck.
Whenever a Jail gets reputation
such as that in the District, the
word gets quickly around" he said.
The trio had been good prisoners
since being sentenced May 81 to
serve eight years for robbing taxi
cab driver in Lynchburg, Mr.. Smyth
said.
Marshals Were Warned.
However, I warned the United
States marshals who took them toI
Washington they would be danger
Gus if given chance to break" he
said. Mr.. Smyth added he had made
an agreement with the United
States attorney here for return of
the three youths to Virginia to COM
plete their sentences after proSecu-
ton in the District.
Fred S. Kogod, a member of the
Board of Public Welfare's InStitu-
tions Committee, which has been
investigating penal institutions, said
discovery of the saw blades was
nothing to cause surprise.
when regulations of the Welfare
Board are followed in the examina-
ton of prisoners, nothing ever
should get into the JAIL" he said
Every prisoner should be stripped
and searched. In the past the Jail
was lax about searching prisoners
brought in for only short time"
Mr.. Kogod said the Institutions
Committee had frightened its sur
veillance of District penal institu-
tons.
Heretofore we met about once
month with the general superinten-
dent of institutions and about all
We knew came from him. Now we
are meeting at any time we please
and if the superintendent is not !
there, we will proceed without him"
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