Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-23
details or items. and amounts Of annual ad.


| stock on hand: and whereas, there is no Off
cial report OF the amount of salaries or COM
pensation to the several officers and employ
ees connected with said prison; and whereas,
the salaries, or amount of compensation paid
to several officers is not fixed by law, but lett
to the discretion Of the inspectors of said
prison, and no report or official document
shows the sum, or sums allowed by said in
spectors salary or compensation TO said
| officers; and whereas, it appears by the mes
sage OF the Governor that a serious loss to
the property Of the State occurred by rea-
son Of fire some time after the account OF
stock and property at said prison had been
last taken: and whereas, charges have been
made, and published in some OF the leading
newspapers Of the State, showing that the
State prison is 10y no means Il source OF reve-
nue. 10 the State, or self sustaining, aud that
no account or report OF the amount OF sala'
ries or compensation paid to officers or EN-
ployees of said prison has appeared and
whereas, it appears by the acts and resolves
for the last ten years that large appropria-
tons have been made from the Treasury in
favor Of said prison, and no detailed account
OF the expenditures OF said moneys has been
communicated to the Legislature, therefore.
| ORDERED, That - he q committee Of
this House, whose duty it shall be to investi-
gate all the affairs OF said prison connected
with the management thereof since the first
| day OF January, 1861, 70 ascertain the num-
! Der ard names OF ali persons Tor each year
since that date, connected with the manage
men. OF said institution, or in any way en-
| ployed and paid officers and employees
thereof. Also i'll what caIacity employed, and
| the amount of compensation or salary pad
annually to each Of them. Whether any OH
cels or persons have been employed without
authority OF law; the amount annually paid
into the treasury from said prison; the amount
annually appropriated and paid IN favor OF
said prison during said last ten years, together
with the manner in which appropriations have
been expended, and for what purpose. Also,
what improvements have been made; the
time and cause or origin OF said FIRE, and cir
cumstances connected Herewith. Whether
it occurred before or after the account OF stock
ana property had been last taken by the in
spectors; the amount of all property and
stock belonging to the State at said prison,
and the use made thereof, as near rs may be
ascertanod, for each OF the last ten years
since January LIST, 1861. And also the amount
OF all such property and stock. and the uses
thereof, now on hand, giving in full and de-
tail the several items, together with the pres
cnt cash value thereof. Also to inquire into
the sanitary condition of said prison and the
treatment of the inmates thereof. And the
said committee have authority to send for per-
sons and all books and papers in their judg-
ment deemed necessary, and be directed and
in structed to report on the aforesaid matters
as soon may be.
The question of who should constitute the
committee arising, Mr.. TALBOT suggested the
names Of Messrs. Bryant, Parker, Robbins,
| Mckinney, kalloch, kimball and Halves, 10
inserted in the blank
Mr. KNowLToN suggested that if this meant
business, and the matter was to be examined,
that three men could do all necessary to be
done quite as eXpedtiously, and quite as well
as larger committee. lie believed that If
the property there was to be examined, some
gentleman acquainted with the manufacturing
of carriages should be upon the committee
and two or three gentlemen who are familiar
with business, with such man, could, III his
judgment, investigate in less time, as
thoroughly, and with less expense than a
committee OF seven. He thought the gentle
man from East Machas (Mr. Talbot would
be very good man as chairman.
Mr.. TALBOT was little surprised by the in
situation thrown out by his brother knowl-
tor, eff this means business" he thought
there was no need of the word ''if;" he in
tended to discharge his duties to his constitu
ents, and with due regard for the interest
of the whole State. He was surprised at
something more; he was surprised that for
years we have had the message of our Gov
ernor stating this fact, and conveying the idea
to the people of this State, (Which he accep-
ted himself that this prison was paying
institution; he was surprised, if the message
Of the Executive Of this State, and with it the
accompanying reports of the Treasurer and
Of the Inspectors of the State Prison, gave no
more satisfactory account Of the details, by
which the Governor could arrive at such a
conclusion, than we have had before us, that
the majority OF this House, for their own
safety, had not ordered an investigation long
ago. He was also surprised that to the char
ges in the two or three leading Republican
papers, in regard to the affairs of that insti-
tuition, there had been no reply whatever
These charges furnish sufficient grounds for
the majority of the House, (who are response
bic for the care and interests of the State) to
order an Investigation, and see whether they
are true or not. He had confidence enough
in the Executive of the State to believe that
| he did not wish to have those charges stand
ing in the newspapers in the manner in which
they now do, and that it was for his interest
to have full and fair investigation. 1t was
also for the interest Of every officer connected
with the prison to have the Investigation, and
he hoped the reports circulated might prove
false. The order had been offered after
consultation with large number of the mem
bers of the House, and it "means business.
Mr.. kELLoCH, as a representative of the
district in which is contained this public in
sti:ution, felt it his duty to his constituents
and to the State, to say a word in favor of
the measure introduced. 1t was not sufficient
for him to go into details, but it was enough
for him to know that since 1852 there had
been drawn from the State Treasury upwards
of 5000, 900 and placed in this institution, and
that no actual evidence in the reports of the
prison substantating the fact Off it was
fac) that there had been any profits to the
State from that institution Certainly there
was some reason for an investigation Of the
matters pertaining to the institution. AT
home there was a public opinion against the
officers of the prison, from which he drew
conclusions that the affairs were not properly
administered in the interests of the State. He
had no doubt that much in the newspapers re-
fleeing upon the character Of the officers of
the institution, was true, for certainly they
had not been denied, either by the admins
trative officers of the prison, or any one else
in the State to his knowledge. In the light
Of these facts, he trusted that an Investigation
of the affairs of the prison would be had. If