Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-01

70 him.
THE REPOHTs or THE EXPERTS
UPON THE STATE PRISON AT
FAIRS.
From the Virginia and Carson pa.
pers We have received . synopsis Of
the reports Of the two experts who
were appointed to examine into the at.
fairs of the State Prison, but we can
discern nothing in either Of them
which in our opinion would justify US
In ~retracting or ever modifying any
portion of the remarks we made in
last Saturdays issue. On the other
hand, our predictions in regard to
the position occupied by Eldridge are
more than verified by that g%entleman's
so-called report, which is in fact
nothing more nor less than a criticism
upon the voluminous report of his col
league and q lame defense of the indi-
vidual whose official acts he was en-
ployed to investigate. MIR. Eldridge
was for some time the book-keeper at
the prison, and the fact that his own
accounts cut . considerable figure in
the subject of investigation should
have prevented the board from select
ing him for the position; for if there
was anything wrong in the accounts it
could hardly be expected that the
person who perpetrated the frauds
would exercise much industry in ex-
posing them. From the published
portions OF the reports We opine that
no fair-minded person will deny that
Governor Bradley IA fully justified
in making the charges against the
Warden and in insisting upon an in
vestigation. The following comments
from the Virginia Chronicle upon the
leading points developed by the in
vestigation. strike us IS being particu-
larly pertinent, just and sensible:
"Hanford's report shows the Warden
had been in the habit of keeping a pri-
vate account with the prisoners-sell-
ing them butter, sugar, tobacco, ETC., on
his own account, they paying therefor
with money received from friends,
or earned in leisure hours by making
small articles Of handiwork. No c
counts were kept by which it could
be demonstrated whether or not
the prisoners were fairly dealt
with. Hyman declared that all
goods thus sold by him to the prison.
ers were purchased with his private
money; yet, when called upon to pro-
duce the bills for these alleged private
purchases, he was unable to do so. A
very significant circumstance is that
the stores paid for by the State are
found to be short in quantity about
equal to that sold by Hyman to the
prisoners "on private account"
Another significant fact is that when
Hyman was called upon to deliver the
prison books to the experts, he pre-
tended to have done SO, and i'll pres
once Of the Board declared that the ex-
perts had examined all Of the books.
Expert Hanford then asked If there
was not . book kept of "over-task
work " in the boot and shoe shop, and
the Warden was reluctantly forced to
admit that there was such q book. This
book proved the amoun Of ~over-task
work to have been largely in excess OF
that shown by Hyman's sworn re-
ports, thus squarely giving the lie to
those documents.
Eldridge, it appears, deferred MAX
ing any report until he had read Han
ford's, aftsr which he prepared, not q
report, but merely q criticism Of Han
ford's report. He does not, however,
dispute any Of the statistical informa'
ton OF his mors industrious colleague
but assault the conclusions drawn by the
latter. Mr.. Eldridge seems to have
forgotten that he was employed to col
lect certain facts, and not to draw con-
illusions or pass judgment. Upon thil
point, however, n Mr.. Hanford statss
the Commissioners and the public In
general will draw their own conclus.
ions, and va feel certain that the gen
eral verdict will be IN Endorsement o
the courss pursued by Governor Brad
lev and . demand for an immediate
change In the management Of thu
prison."
TEE "OLD BoYs"M SEssIoN.-Tht
society OF Pacific Coast Pioneers ct Viz
ginia City had . grand jollihcation Les
ThuEsday evening. The exercises con
sisted OF eating and drinking, speech
n~Itu s,ru;uu douNiu0. and haViUl