Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-24


is q much bigger and more inn
my life and the lives Of the hum
dreds of other criminally insane
men who go through their hands.
A great deal of discretion is
allowed the hospital in dealing
with US. AS long as they think
OF me or others like me as po-
tentially destructive elements,
they keep us locked up behind
that 24-foot high wall over at
Howard Hall. Let us begin to
demonstrate, however, that we
are responding to treatment and
that there is some chance Of our
not only getting well, but OF
making a normal adjustment to
living in society, and they go
overheard getting us a chance.
A Friend Moves On
Here was Elmer, the cat
burglar, with a score OF bur-
glary charges against him, ac-
cording to him. He responded to
the psychoanalysis and. Christ
mas of 1854, he was transferred
outside to Cedar Ward. I sort OF
hated to see him 60 but ! was
glad, too, for this was reassur-
ance to me that would get my
chance. A month or two later
George was gone. One by one
the guys / came in with or who
came in after me. but that ] got
to know especially well, went to
outside wards or back to court.
Most Of those going back to
court we're found mot guilty by
reason Of insanity" and came
back to the hospital. But, relieved
Of their charges, they soon got to
outside wards, too.
The word got back to me regu-
larry how these fellows were
doing. In a way I was treasured
by their getting ground paroles.
work paroles, city paroles. ex-
tended leave, but along with 1t
came the wonder if 1 was ever
going to get well. Why was ]
left while the rest were gone?
It's like that story Jesus told
of the farmer and the laborerS.
You remember 1.-THE one where
the farmer goes to the market
place in the morning and hires
the .aborer for a ducat a day
Then a couple Of hours later. he
goes out and hires some more
laborers because he sees the har-
vesting isr.'t going to be done.
Keeping this up all day, he
finally hires a few more an hour
before shutdown and these last
go into the field to work. Well
at shutdown, the work is done
and they line up fol the pay.
He gives the last man he hired
a ducat. This sharpens up the
first ones into expecting a big
bonus. But 10 and behold, when
the last who were really the
first. the ones who worked all
day, get up to the paymaster,
the farmer only gives the ducat
he agreed to give. There's quite
a sduawk! But they weren't
cheated-they got what was
agreed on.
Aftermath Of a Parable
One Sunday, when / was low
est, the Rev. Ernest E. Bruder
preached this parable as his
sermon: In the kingdom OF
heaven the first shall be last
and the last, first! Tough to
make sense out Of this. Like all
human beings. wanted to know
why the other guys got the
breaks and not me. But ! went
back to my room to null 1t over
It took a lot of thinking but in
this story was the philosophy OF
us child drained criminals. Our
envy was so great; our certainty
that we we're conspired against;
our hates ran so high: we de-
stroyed ourselves and all about
us because we couldn't under
stand that life owes us nothing
we don't earn, and that even
then we are only entitled to the
ducat agreed on. Yeah. it was
hard to take but if I was to
make it in this world. / had to
learn this lesson, and learn to
live by it.
got busy to join my friends
In the outside wards. l. knew
that before my transfer could
take place ! would have to gel
the "detainers" of. When vol
are wanted for crimes in Other
jurisdictions than just in the
District of Columbia, "detainers'
are filed to hold you in custody
until you can be extradited
l had two-one for New York
where they planned to try mi
as an habitual criminal. and ont
in Maryland. I wrote both au'
thorities letters telling quite
frankly my whole story - thu
story you are reading. The re-
Spouse was prompt. This first
attempt of mine to be frank anc
completely honest with the Law
brought back letters dismissin(
my charges. Now / was left with
only the two indictments in thu
District of Columbia.