Reporter Fails To Discover Medieval Conditions Extant In Cambridge Jail

"Under the McElroy management the East Cambridge Jail has become a veritable bastille of the dark ages," said Ralph W. Robart, Democratic nominee for sheriff in one of his recent campaign speeches. And so, in the light of the recent exposures of conditions in penal institutions in various parts of the country, the Crimson deemed it advisable to look into the matter, which bids fair to start some cub off on a career of muckraking.

"Yes, I've read the story," said Acting sheriff Joseph M. McElroy when the above statement was referred to: "and I have invited the constituents of Robart to visit the 'bastille' to check his accusation. So far I have had no visitors. But come right down and see for yourself why we received the credit we did on the official reports."

The reporter followed the sheriff through several halls and doorways, and was finally ushered into a light, clean room which required two looks to identify it as a prison cell-room. Yes, there were the cells, with their brick walls, small beds, and bare tables; but the celling was high, the room light, and the floors were brightly but tastefully painted.

And certainly no one could attack the caretakers on the point of cleanliness or harshness. Several doors were opened and the prisoners were sitting around enjoying the Sunday papers. Imagine the envy of the neglectful History 1 student who has left his reading for the weekend!

The sheriff led on to the kitchen, where selected prisoners were preparing the Sunday dinner. Several large steam cookers were simmering away. The size and number of them prompted an inquiry as to how many were being fed.

"Today we have 244 prisoners. Here" said the sheriff, pointing into the refrigerator, "are three cases of eggs for them to eat tomorrow at breakfast. There in the pantry is our bread supply." And it certainly was not mother Hubbard's cupboard.

A short walk through several doors brought the sheriff and his visitor to the dentist's room. Well equipped, it looked quite proper for the treatment of oral difficulties. Across the hall was the operating room, to which the doctor could be summoned at any time of day or night. Instruments were neatly arranged under glass, ready for immediate use. Perhaps Mr. Robart was comparing these rooms to the torture chambers of a medieval bastille when he made his statement, for it is hard to find a closer comparison for other parts of the prison.

And as the four ended the reporter came with difficulty to the disheartening conclusion that it was his destiny to be a non-muckraker of conditions in the Cambridge jail.