The Placer herald., 1858-02-06
AUBURN, FEBRUARY, 6, 1858.
The Management Of the State Prison.

disgusting record Of facts was never before
presented in regard to State Prision in the
United States. From time to time, within
the past year, rumor has said that the af-
fairs of the prison were badly managed, the
convicts but i'll fed and clothed, and that suf-
fering and want prevailed, but the public
sense was not shocked by such details as now
presented. Rumor generally magn fies and
distorts, but in this instance it was at fault
it fell far short in giving the true state of af
fairs.
The committee seemed to have instituted
strict scutiny into the condition of the Pris
on, and its inmates, and in their report make
statements that almost stagger belief. They
say "they found on the 10th of January, the
evening of their arrival at the Prison some
l2O prisoners entirely barefooted, and quite
number with nothing more than old gunny
bag sacks, or pieces Of blankets, tied around
their feet--nooe having anything in the shape
of socks furnished them by the Lessee. 1t is
due however, to the Lessee, or Mr.McCauley,
who claims to represent him, that on the
nert day. quite number OF the barefoot
party of the day before came out with new
shoes, Mr.. McCauley stating that many of
the prisoners had concealed or hid away their
shoes, so as to look as badly as possible. But
the committee, although visiting every apart
ment within the walls of the Prison, failed
to discover the secret place where were con-
cealed the missing shoes of the shoeless pris-
oners, although the committee do not under
take to state positively that such secret place
may not be in existence and hereafter discov-
cred by the closer scrutiny of more interested
parties. The general clothing Of the prison
ers seem too scaut for winter weather-the
most Of which clothing, or a great proper
ton thereof, appears to be the last remains
of what was worn there by them now in
such tattered, torn, torbiddng filthy condi-
ton; that the commonest street beogars,
sleeping by the wayside and begging their
dali ly bread, would by comparison, have the
appearance of newly Partisan clad gentle
men.
The bedding Gf bedding it can be called
of the prisoners, especially OF those confined
in the cells, seemed to be insufficient to pro-
tect them frem absolute suffering from cold.
The cells being six feet by ten, with some
thing like two shelves on each side, about
two feet each in width, upon which is a kind
of straw mattrass, and one course shaggy,
double blanket, which is all that is found
when the compliment Of bedding is full; but
at present many Of the blankets are torn
and partially gone, so that to prevent abso-
lutte suffering from cold they are compelled
to Sleep with their day clothing on, shoes
and all Gf they chance to have them) and
being without setlicient quantity of bedding
and clothing to admit of a change, the whole
has become mass of dirty, filthy rags, the
lice being SO plentiful as to be easily seen
crawling about the so called beds and bed
ding. These being the only kind Of places
the convcts of the State for crimes induced
to be committed probably not from natur-
ally bad instincts, but from example in early
life. from want of education, from intemper-
ance and want, are sentenced, and compelled
by boled doors and ironed limbs to undergo
suffering. in comparison with which death, !
with all its terrors, would be seeming pleas
urable relief. But this is by no means the
worst feature of the Prison. In the long
room so called, which is in size twenty four
by one hundred and forty six feet, are turned |
loose, like so many brute animals in cor
raj, to stay and sleep, the young, middle |
aged and old; (the boy Of fifteen perhaps for
his first offense, with upwards Of 800 con-
victs, (among whom are necessarily many
of the vilest of the ve,) thus rendering re-
form and reformation seemingly impossible.
The bedding in this room is of the same kind
and class as before described, except in
worse condition, being alike infested with
the same kind Of animals only perhaps lit
tie more so. The manner of slowing away such
number in so small space is accomplished
by placing a row of standee hunks close to
each other, on each side of the room, with
their heads to the wall, leaving an open space
through the middle of the room, the hunks
being one above another, and into which the
prisoners crawl from the end, the open space
being so small, that before any take their
hunks, it is with a good deal of difficulty
you can make your way through the crowd;
and the stencil issuing from the room when
opened in the morning, will have to be i'm
agined, as description in words is impossi-
ble."
The Committee further state that the Les
see, James M. Estell, has broken his con-
tIact-by not keeping the prisoners safely,
by farming out the labor of some upon
ranches, by not having sufficient guards,
or furnishing sufficient clothing, and
wholesome food, or proper medical attend
ance; by not treating the prisoners humane
ly, or attempting the recapture Of escapes,
building the requisite prison buildings, or
following the police regulations provided by
the Board Of Commissioners. They believe
the contract null and void under decision
of the Supreme Court. They also urge the
necessity Of building another Prison at some