The Placer herald., 1859-06-11

Flour and Meal ......,. 1921 o.
beans. .....,.. ,..........-...... .......4 .4oZ VI
nlce. -. .....'.. ........'.. ......... D VI
Potatoes. ........ ................6 668 IL
Onions. ns................ ................ 25 02
Dutter. ................ Ia
Lard. ............... O6
CoHee ................... IA III
.ea ......... 80. ........... w
sugar .................. .... II w
Moiasses. .................. IL Oe
Vinegar. 80. ................... O9
Iepper ..,........... .....,. w
Salt. ...................,.. "A 13
Tallow. IL
Total lbs daily from May to Dec. 81 2,57s O6
The printed report of the Directors con
tains many errors in figures, apparent upon
the face Of it, and there is evidently an er-
ror in the statement of the issues of beans
and coffee, those issues, as shown by the pur-
chases and Commissarys books, being less
than as stated therein. We find many of
the other articles overrun the amount by
them so reported.
1t is probable that these exhibits, tables
and the purchases, do not show more than
an approximation of the actual average is
sues; there having been lard, talow, etc, ia
ken from the animals killed for consumption
at the Prison; and butter manufactured there,
of which no account whatever has been ta-
ken of the issue thereof The Committee
have no reason to doubt but that the entire
transaction has been done in honesty and
good faith.
Police, DISCIPLINE, AND MANAGEMENT ro
THE PRIsoN.
by reference to exhibit "K," and the testi-
mony of Messrs Robinson, Taliaferro, Bris-
tol, Morton, and Clarke, it will be seen that
from March lst, 1854, up to May lst, 1869,
there have been three hundred and eight
escapes from the Prison. OF thes 27O escap-
ed from the institution whilst under the i'm
mediate control of Lessees, and thirty eight
whist under the control of Directors, on the
part of the State From March 1st. 1858,
to May lst, 1859, 23 have escaped, and OF
the same have been rocaptured From Mr.
Estil there escaped 1917, and were recovered
of the same by him 60. From Mr.. McCau-
lev there escaped 73, and he has recovered of
the same, Is. This makes. considering the
periods of The different management of the
Prison, an average of yearly escapes from
the Lessees of nearly 90 persons, and from
the State management, of 10 persons per
annum In addition to the foregoing by
reference to Exhibit a." and the affidavit
of Ii. Bristol, it will be seen that g pris
oners escaped in the years 1851, and 1852,
whose names are not entered upon the Reg
lister of the Prison: nor is there any record
of their reception at that institution. Up
to March lst 1854, the escapes were not en-
tered upon any book Except the memoran-
dunn book referred to by Bristol, } that we
have been able to find.
The trusty system, under Estil, was much
in vogue, the average number on the list
being about 80 prisoners, and under McCau-
ley, about twenty. Many of these were
long term convicts, of notorious character
before conviction, and their conduct was bad,
this list This system has not found favor
with the present Board of Directors We
found, April 29lh, 1859, but two trustees at
the Prison, and the testimony is, that the
average at no time was more than six or
eight; of these, there were none but short
term, we'll behaved convicts. None of these
were females, whilst the testimony is, that
under McCauley, one Mrs. Baldwin, lived
some four miles away from the Prison, with
the family of Mr.. Smms, and another one,
Mrs Hall, in the town of San Rafael, and
that another, an Indian woman, lived in
San Francisco, in the family of Mr.. Nc
Cauley.
Messrs. Bristol, Robinson, Morton, and
Clark, officers of the Prison, testify that the
food of the prisoners has been ample, and of
a good quality, under the present Board of
Directors, and that the clothing and Sleeping
arrangements, are sufficient. The three first
named gentlemen, have been employees at
the Prison for a number of years, and they
better than under previous management of
that institution.
We have stated the foregoing facts, be-
cause it is more by comparison that the
subject of this branch of our investigation
can be fairly judged, and to show TINS, as a
fact, what many of the witnesses state as an
opinion, founded on their personal observa-
ton, to-wit: that the Prison, under the ex-
isting Board Of Directors, has been much
better managed, the prisoners more securely
quartered the discipline better, the prisoners
better fed and clothed, than under the Les
sees, or under the former Board OF Directors
BOOKS KEPT AT THE PRIsoH.
The number and character of the books
kept at the Prison will be ascertalned by
reference to the testimony of Messrs. Bristol
and Clark which shows that Register of
Prisoners, containing date of reception, name,
nativity, crime, term Of sentence, county
sent from, age, occupation, description of
person, whether for the first, second, or third
time sent, the date of each escape, the date
of each return of escaped convicts, The date
of all pardons and by whom pardoned, the
date Of discharge Of each prisoner who serv-
od ont tha farm Of his santanca .fha data of