The Placer herald., 1859-06-04
Report Of the House and Senate Select
Committees on State Prison Affairs.

The reports of both these committees are
now before the public. To a.. intents and
purposes, the public have already passed up
on the report Of the packed House committee
in fact the very evidence they report is i'll
almost every particular contradiction OF
their conclusions. The manner in which
these charges were trumped up, is mado
manifest by the following extracts OF the
testimony of John Simms the agent and
factor of McCauey and Graham, the persons
who admit that they started their injurious
reports at Sacramento and who subsequently
anneared before the House committee and
made formal charges.
"Ouestion.-Are you interested, directly
or indirectly, in the property OF the State
prison!
Answer.-I am not interested, directly, in
the property or Prison, at all. | think it
would be to my advantage if the Lessee Nc.
Cauley) was reinsated in the possession Of
the Prison aad property again.
Ouestion.-Do you know anything about
these charges made against Governor Walk
| ND. tn0 OIToCtOTS vi tuc IiSOu:
Answer.-I do not sir; l know nothing,
only from information, and what l heard
piyen in evidence before the Assembly Com
mittee.
Ouestion.-From whom did you receive
your information!
Ansyer.-I received information from sew
eral individuals; l have heard this thing spo-
ken of for several months.
Bv the Committee.-Specify their names.
Answer-From Major Mckay, Captain
Symptom, of the State Prison, p. Ray, of
San Rafael, R. S. Brown, of San Rafael,
Major Rollins, James G. Shepherd of San
Francisco. w. NJ Gordon of San Rafael, Mr..
Snively of San Francisco: think his given
name is John; generally at the stable, cor
ner of Battery and Sansome StreeIs John
Callster of San Rafael.
Question by Anderson-What is the ma
ture of the information you had from Msjor
MacKay?
Ale informed me he was satisfied that
Governor Walkup was attending those dan
ces.
x x X Il
"Q.-Have you met Major MacKay fire.
ouentIy at the Point, or steamboat landing?
Al have met him frequently at the
Point, on my way to and from San Francis
co, and had frequent conversations with
him9
Q.-Dil YOU ever Indicate to Major Mac
Kav that YOU would like to get all the evil
dence YOU could. to impeach the integrity of
the officers at the Prison?
Al think have.
Odd he promise to do so?
A.-Yes.
Q-Did you ever indicate to Major Mac
Kay, that it would be to his advantage, if
the former Lessee could get the Prison back
from the State, to obtain his information?
A.-No sir; l never did. Only foul or
five days ago, told Major MacKav if the
Prison reverted back to the Lessee, McCau-
lev, and if there was place there that suit
ed him, thought he would stand chance
10 get it,"
"Question by Walkup.-IIave you inter
ested yourself, particularly. in trying to get
up proof against the present S'ate-prison
management!
Al have, in procuring proof to sustain
charges.
Q-By whose direction or at whose So
licitation?
Al think McCauley has spoken to me;
know that he has spoken to get all the
proof could.
Q.-Any other person besides McCauley!
Al think Major Graham has, to the
best of my recollection"
"Question by Mr.. Anderson.-What time
was this that Mr.. MacKay communicated
you relative to this dancing?
Al can not remember; it was some
time during the winter of one thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight and one thous-
and eight hundred and fifty-nine."
"Question by Walkup-Was the interest
you manifested against the State. prison man
agement caused by devotion to the interest
of the State, or to aid and assist the inter-
est of private individuals!
At was to aid and assist my friend
and for my own satisfaction, being caught
here and held, and getting my pockets pick
ed of the Prison seal, and the doors broken
open, and always considered Mr.. McCauey
had been badly treated, and that l was an
eyewitness, and conversant with the whole
facts.
Question by Anderson.-Did you commu-
nicate to Mr. McCauley, or Maj. Graham,
the information derived by you from Mac
Kay, Capt. Simpton, and the other persons
you have mentioned in this affidavit, previ-
Gus to their submitting charges to the Assem-
bly, Committed!
Al think did"
Here is the whole matter in nut SHE'LL
Interest and revenge stimulated these parties