Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-09
STATE PRISON INQUIRY.
TIE PRISON AT FOLSOM VISITED yEsrER
DAY By THE COMMISSION.
Thorough Investigation of Manag e.
ment-The Employment of Prisoners
Their Habits, Vices, Etc.


went TO Folsom yesterday on the mornin
train, and spent the day making a careful
and thorough investigation of all the affair
connected with the prison at that place. Al
the various departments and parts of the in
stitution were visited and inspected. with
view to obtain accurate information of it
success or defects. In the commissary de
partment the quality of supplies, methods o
purchasing, the character of contracts, tn
prices paid, the bills of purchase, and books
were all critically examined. The cost o
maintenance of the prison was carefully in
quired into, as also its adaptability in con
struction and location for its purposes. The
cells were inspected throughout the building,
the age of the youngest convicts ascertained,
and many of them conversed with. The
various methods in which the prisoners are
employed was considered, and the guard sys
tenn. While upon the subject some of the
guard stations were visited, and an exhibition
was given of the range and accuracy of a
Lowell swivel gun, which bears upon all
parts of the grounds, and which is similar in
construction and effect to the Gatling gun.
THE CONVICT LABOR CONTRACT.
Testimony of the officers and others was
taken with reference to supplying convict
labor under the contract existing between
the Natoma Water and Mining Company
and the State. Upon this subject Warden
Pockman gave testimony, in answer to Chair.
man Mills, as follows:
Question. efforts have been made
towards employment of prison convict labor
upon the Natoma canal works, in accordance
with its contract with the State?
Answer.-NoDe, so far as / know.
Gould they be used there safely?
A.-Yes, they could be worked without
any difficulty, but it would require little
more guard force.
Q.-What class Of prisoners would you re-
quire for the work?
Al think we could furnish 100 now from
those we have.
Q.-How much would you need to increase
the guard to place the 100 men at work for
the Natoma Company?
A.-Not more than two or three.
Q-Do you think that in the whole con-
Wet list of California $50 men could be Sc
lected that could be safely and proftably
used upon the canal, that would be good
laborers and require but little guard?
Al do. think 1 could safely under
,
as soon as we can get the men together. I
think $50 men could be proftably worked by
the State under the contract.
Q.-Have you the facilities for keeping til q
men here that should be employed.
Ayes we have the facilities to take care
of the men.
Mr. Watt-Would it be profitable to
work so many men in this way?
Alt would be, so far as the State is con-
cerned but / do not know what profit it
would be to the canal company. The men
could be properly worked.
Q.-How many more guards than you now
have would be required to enable you to
work that number of men then?
Ave have nineteen guards here now,
and it would take three or four more. The
prisoners are here now, and they are doing
nothing. By a further expenditure of say
$500 per mouth, for four more guards, the
$50 men could be worked under the contract,
producing 40 income to the State. This,
Warden Pockman further stated, would be
developing the water power which flows past
the prison grounds. and thereby enable its
being proftably used in future in connection
with other methods of employing the con
victs' labor.
Mr.. Salisbury, the foreman Of the men, or
superintendent, testified in relation to the
labor of the prisoners. and that they were
now, so far as employed, at work upon the
sewer in the canyon by the prison, which i;
to carry the water of the canyon and the
sewage from the prison. In reply to ques-
ticns by Mr.. Mills, as to whether or not the
prisoners could be safely and pro6tably en-
ployed upon the canal work, under the con-
Company. he replied:
T think tha men can he worked there
safely and proftably to the State, but it
would necessitate the employment of more
guards.
Q.-How many more guards do you think
would be needed to work 800 or $50 more
therei
Att would take probably four more
than are now employed. Of course all
prisoners could not be put upon this work,
but | have no doubt that as many as 35(
could be selected from the two prisons. and
they could be employed with profit to the
State in this manner.
He also stated that several of the prisoners
from employment about the prison, had be.
come proficient as carpenters, plasterers and
timers, and can take up those occupations
and obtain a livelihood when released.
The same subject was testified to by 3.
Chambers Captain Of the Guard, in answer
TO interrogatories similarly propounded. He
stated that with a slight increase in the
guard, $50 convicts could be applied
upon the contract with the Natoma Com
pany. 1t would not take, he said, more than
six mora guards, and would be desirable and
profitable upon the part of the Stste.
P. T. Dolan, Captain of the Watch, wal
also examined, and upon this subject his tes
timony was to the same effect in relation tc
the employment of men upon the canal an6
under the contract, as those above given
He thought not more than four more guards
would be required for that purpose.
It was ascertained by the testimony of thi
Warden that the prisoners were allowed Il
see the daily papers. and many of them sub
8 ribbed for Them. II has been the custom t.
allow convicts this liberty, but he thought il
would be better to have papers entirely ex
cluded. There is no regularly employed
moral instructor at this prison. Authority
was given By the Board short time ago t
employ the services of some person in Thu
direction at cost not to exceed $50 pei
month, but no one has been employed. DIR
Cox at one time came up and remained six o.
eight days visiting the men, conversing witt
them ana giving them tracts, and he though
the result was beneficial to the men.
GENERAL PRISON MATTERS.
Warden Pockman testified in relation t,
the health of the prisoners, and thought i
very good. There had been some slight dis
orders, but nothing extensive. He stated
that there were only two in the sick-roou
now, and the average bal not been more thar
six or seven.
Upon being questioned as to the politica
predictions Of the employees at the prison
the Warden stated that he could tell a
TO only part of the men. He had neve
asked them. His presumption was that they
were mostly Republicans. but he had Learned
that three or four of them, at least, wer
Democrats.
There had been no political assessment
levied or paid by any Of the officers or EN-
ployes of this prison. 1t was talked o
last fall at one time, or understood that al
assessment was being made at the otbe
prison, and the question was talked OF b,
some of the employees whether the sam
ought not to be done at Folsom, but he SAT-
no; there was to be no assessment levied o
paid there, and there was none.
A thorough investigation was made b.
examination of the officers, as to the matte
of their appointment and the influence exer
cised in relation thereto.
DIR. Grover was examined at length In rela
ton to the health of the prisoners, and hi
report made in October last, by which a yer,
high per cent. of sickness was reported. Dur
ing the examination upon this subject it wa
ELECTED that large percentage of the case
referred to was diarrhea, caused by eatiD
beans that the food was cooked by steam
and when it had stood short time it woul
become sour, or sufficiently changed to pre-
| duce the result named and this was the pfir