New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-08-31
FROM ALBANY.
STATE PRISON MANAGEMENT.


tracted good share of public attention during the
past few yesrs-chiefy arising from matters con-
pected with the Aver Ore Bed, and the persistent
attempts of certain parties TO saddle that big swiDde
upon the State and pocket some hundred thousand
dollars of the money Of the people. As by set OF the
late Legislature, Commission was spponted to
settle that claim We are on the eve of its final
adjustment, and in q few weeks shall hesr the re-
port of the Commission. and shall then know how
much the nismansgemeDt of public officials, II not
something worse, has cost the State.
But another Commission, under another fct OF
the last Legislature, has developed the fac. AT
the Averl Mine is not the Only sources OF specoia-
ton in that quarter, and the further fact that :
ton, Chittenden Il Co. are not the only parties TO-
whose benefit and profit the State oblgiHsly estab-
lakes and maintains Clinton Prison.
Since Is53. j. ID. kibgsland and his partners
have been the contractors for the employ ment OF
convict labor At th.t Prison; and recent develop
meDts indicate that he has mad good time OF 1t
from that date to the present.
Those connected with our Legislatures for few
years pat may possibly recOlect the not unfre-
auent occurrence of bills for the relief of j. ID.
Kipeeland and it is not an improbable thing that
mary members may have voted to give relief to
said KiDgsland, without very clear idea oil the
nature of the grievance under which be l.00red.
suspect as much, as find some of these bills have
become laws by the unanimous vote OF the men,
beTs present.
The first act for his relief is short one, passed
in 1857, empowering the Inspectors to settle with
Kipgsland and in doing 30, to reduce the contract
price of convict labor from IS cents to 80 cents
DAY for each man making the trt1log difference OF
$50 per day on each hundred men, or $4,000 par
year. This reduction was to be made only on the
condition that kiDgsland abandoned forever all
claims against the State for damages sustained by
him on account of failure on the part OF the State
to erect blast furnace for his use ia lc56. As the
reduction was made, it is altogether probable
settlement was effected at that time.
But in 1859, Kingan again appeared before the
Legislature, demanding relief and as BY this time
the difficulty had become too great for the control
Of the Inspectors, law naming Theodore NJ.
Pomeroy of Cayugs, Victor G. Spencer OF Essex,
aid Wells s. Dickinson Of Franklin, as Com
missioners, was passed, under the paternal super
vision of Senator l.oveland, empowering the Com
missioDers to take testimony, settle the difference,
aud make decision in the that should be- hnal.
BY the terms of the Act, the contractor (Kings-
land), and the Agent aid Warden (Squres), upon
the part of the State unite in stipulation AL sub
missa, binding the parties TO acqulescence In the
decision and award of the Commission. This bav
ing been duly executed, the Commission met at the
Prison on tie 18th instant. The present Agent, Mr.
SquiTes, has been but short time in charge and
for that ressOo was probably not well posted as
was necessary. and in signing the stipulation and
submission required, knew nothing beyond some
recent claim of the cOntr actor, amounting to prob
ably six or seven thousand dollars. Ills surprise,
and that of the Chairman of the Commission, may
possibly be mag ined, when Kingslsnd presented his
claim, with item by item running back beyond the
date of the previous settlement, and amounting in
the aggregate to abou. one hundred and twenty
thous,D nd dollars. That you may understand it the
more readily, give you some OF the items:
Fer DAMAGES ,p.;siued By j. D. Kins.,nd cs.,ona;.
ns;I $500 IS mon n. a. 80 ~ roop,5 5, 600
From fsiure OF the State % provide blast
furnace, months at 81 80 per uoDth.......'.. ilS'
The other moiety Of bis claim was on account of
damages from the failure of the State to provide
him with cupOa furnace, kllns for the manutac-
ture Of charcoal, and bOuses in which to keep it,
rolling mill, and machine and other shops the
specific amount for each Of which am now unable
to procure.
Here, then, was pretty tx for Mr.. Squires and
the State he represented. lie mad entered into
stipulation by which claims unknown to him, and
unknown TO the Legislature must De submitted to
the sole arbitration and decision Of majority Of
three men, who, although not in collision with the
contractor might feel bound II award in favor of
claims, on technical grounds, which be WAS totally
unprepared and unable 10 meet, ADD thus the State
would be saddled with another large sum which he
and every other msn coDversant with the business
must feel morally certain to BE- uDjust.
Nor was Mr. Pomeroy Chairman of the Com.
mission, much happier. He knew nothing about
his colleagues, nor how they regarded it, but he
knew that if that claim was allowed it would faint
forever the reputation Cf every man connected
with it, whether coDsenting to it or not. Besides,
be sew around the Comm ssioD, a gathering of eX
Inspectors, ex-agents, and ex contractors, all evil
IDENTIFY interested 10 the support of the claim, which,
with other circumstances, made him suspicious
that il might be allowed Determined to prevent
such contamination if possible, he aud those
representing the State onsulted together aud came
to the CONCLUSION that their only way Of escape lay
through postpon ,ment. The act under which
tie Commission existet required the fnal award to
be made on or before September j but he sue
ceeded in getting Ill adjournment until some time
IN The present week, sno immediately came to this
city with Mr.. Squir-s aIi their couosel 10 consult
as 10 the best means 81 getting out of the dilemma.
Happily, way Of esc.pe suggested itself, which
was Immediately adoptst. 1t was, that the agent
should at once revoke 4ud withdraw the stipulation
and submission signed b. him, and refuse to pro-
coed further in the matter. This Mr.. Squires has
done, and the matter rests in this condition.
1t is said that although BY the terms of the con-
tracts heretofore In existence between kingslsnd
Il Co. and the Agent some $3.50, 900 are due 10
the State, il has realized only about $40 900; and
that the contractors expect by this claim TO cover
all back demands and realize handsome balance.
have taken come pains TO hunt up the contracts
made at different times between the parties, aud
the contract of l-53, under which these claims
arise. goes far in ny opinion to strengthen the im.
preston that toe Clinton Prison ID run by the State