The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-03-15
THE WAY THEY DID 1T


matters SO that his tools and satellites
should receive much pelf from the +!
State Golfers:
In the course of our Investigations
we have discovered d number oil
vouchers drawn in favor OF various
officers and employees of the prison
for services in pursuing escaped con-
victs. Heavy bills OF expense have
been incurred in this way, and gener-
ally without any corresponding benc-
fit to the State. There are very few
instances where captures have been
made by these pursuiDg parties. But
aside from this weare OF the opinion
that the Superintendent has no legal
authority 10 incur expenses OF this
description. The Law provides only
one way in which that officer can
rightly expend money for the re-
capture of escaped coDyicts. That
provision is found on page $50 of the
" General Laws Of Oregon" and is as
follows:
"SEcrIoS Z. The Superintendent
shall have authority to offer rewards
and pay expenses for the apprehension
and safe-keeping and return Of all es-
capped prisoners"
We see nothing in this empowering
him TO send the officers and the EN-
ployees Of the Penitentiary on hong
pursuits Of fugitiyes. The proper du-
ties of those officers and employees
are to be discharged in and about the
prison. Thief-taking is no legitimate
branch Of their business. If it were
otherwise the Superintendent might
easily double the force employed at
the Penitentiary, for there are always
some convicts at large and it would
take at least as many men TO act "a
pursuing parties after these as it
would to guard those that remained.
We find also that the late Superin-
tendent, in very many instances, aud
tied and allowed bills for drugs, and
other articles amounting to hundreds
of dollars, wherein no items were
specified but the whole sum was in
Guided under the very general charge
| of sundries" One such bill was
that of NJ. X. Cox & Co, amounting
TO about $3.50, 90. Of course the al
lnwance of such accounts by the Su
perlntendent would in any case be q
gross breach of duty But aside from
that it was in the instances referred
10 direct violation of law Ths
statute on this subject many be found
on page S36, ct seq, of the g General
Laws of Oregon" and is as follows:
"SEcTIoN IA. All accounts for sup
plies for the Penitentary or prisoner.
shall specify the items, and shall bs
audited by the Superintendent anC
certified by him." etc.
With this provision before him ";
cannot see how Superintendent Berr,
could with any regard whatever fo
his duty as an officer, audit and certif,
accounts in which hundreds of dollar
were charged against the State a
''sundries. The necessity for stric
enforcement OF this section OF the Law
is vital. Indeed under the presen
system of procuring supplies for tn
Penitentiary it is almost the onl,
safeguard the State has for the pro
tection OF its interests in this Iarticu
lar. The law gives the Superintend
ent the right TO audit his own account
and TO have the Secretary draw wal
rants for their payment, noEe,as ucLen.
Ii then he is permitted to have hi
purchases of supplies covered up i
his vouchers as sundries,n he is give
) unlimited authority over the apprt
priations made for the conduct oil th
,, prison, and can administer them as h
pleases, without any fair opportunit
Tor the ivestigation of his acts, eve
after they are done. 1t behooves tn
people of the State to see il therefor
that, if the Superintendent is to e.
; pend the money provided for runnin
the Penitentiary, just as he choose
he shall at least have his accounts
: such condition tnat it can be to-
hoso that money has been used. III
is to buy whatever he pleases at Il
public expense, let the State have,
. all events, the melancholy satisfactic
y of knowing what he has bought aft,
}. the purchase is made.
u Another fault in the managemel
of the affairs the Penitentiary by Il
late Superintendent, to which we dee
It it right to call attention, was his ne
If lect to take proper security in cas-
}, where he sold brick on credit, and h
n failure to collect promptly the inte
II est and principal of such debts.
i appears from the testimony of n
d Watkinds, the present Superinten
ent, found on pages 129, Is and Il
Is of Book II, that Major Berry, on i
r tiring from Office turned over to hi
h notes and accounts belonging to L
d. State, which, without reckoning I
a interest. amounted in the aggrega
d to s11,547 Is IN gold. Two or thr
5. Inf these notes had been signed by $
,e cnrities as we'll as the principal del
in ors. With these exceptions no sec
Or rity whatever had been taken, so
as we could learn, for the payment
these claims: Mr.. Watkinds testifi
that he regarded .some of them
We good, and some as worthless Y
a. are i4nlined to think, too, from I
IN appearance of the schedule of the
r. given by him in his deposition, tn
de his Judgment as to their value W
a. pretty accurate. With the excepti
an of S170 90 of interest which had be
er paid on one of these notes, not Q
"a cent had been ever been collect
r. on any of these. claims at the til
re of Major Berry's retirement frc
ed office, although some of them b
ur been. outstanding throughout