▁chosen ▁as ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁a ▁military ▁prison . ▁Within ▁a ▁year , ▁Fort ▁Le aven worth ▁hous ed ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 0 ▁prisoners ▁in ▁a ▁rem ode led , ▁supply - dep ot ▁building . ▁▁ 1 8 9 4 : ▁Secretary ▁of ▁War ▁conced ed ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁App ropri ations ▁Committee ▁that ▁War ▁Department ▁could ▁do ▁without ▁the ▁military ▁prison . ▁▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁July ▁ 1 : ▁Congress ▁transferred ▁the ▁military ▁prison ▁from ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice . ▁ ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁plant ▁and ▁inaugur ated ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Pen it enti ary . ▁Command ant ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁prison , ▁James ▁V . ▁Pope . ▁W arden ▁of ▁the ▁US P , ▁James ▁W . ▁French . ▁▁ 1 8 9 6 : ▁House ▁Jud ici ary ▁Committee ▁recommended ▁that ▁the ▁facility ▁be ▁replaced . ▁▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁June ▁ 1 0 : ▁the ▁Congress ▁author ized ▁a ▁new ▁federal ▁pen it enti ary . ▁▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁March : ▁W arden ▁French ▁march ed ▁prisoners ▁every ▁morning ▁two ▁and ▁one - half ▁miles ▁( 4   km ) ▁from ▁F t . ▁Le aven worth ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁federal ▁pen it enti ary . ▁Work ▁went ▁on ▁for ▁two ▁and ▁one - half ▁dec ades . ▁▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁July ▁ 1 : ▁Robert ▁W . ▁McC la ugh ry ▁was ▁appointed ▁Le aven worth