The Fremont County record., 1881-02-12
CANON. CITY, COLO, SATURDAY. FEBRUARY IL. 1891

Robt s. Lewis, S. NJ. Davis,
B. F.. Shaffer, Thos b. Robinson,
Frank Hartwell, j. II. Peabody,
s. IL. Boyd, Il. j. Frazier,
II. W. Sanders. And forty Others.
session all day. They gave the
officers an opportunity of seeing the
evidence. Throughout the entire
sitting Of that august body not one
solitary particle of evidence was
-.ducca which rejects in any man
,ler upon the management of the pen
iientiary. This is not a second hand
staten ent but comes direct to US from
members of the commissions. On
Tuesday morning Hon. GAZE left for
Denver in disgust that he was not
made chairman of the committee.
On that evening the committee ad-
journed sine die so far as Canon City
is Interested. They returned to Dem
yer on the nigh. train, intending
there to examine few more witness
es before making their report 10 the
legislature. That report will be
favorable, we are led to believe. for
this reason: On Tuesday evening,
in & general conversation in the com
nlittee roam. after the final adjourn
meut, Mr.. Peek said lie summed ur
the matter as follows: lie had come
to the conclusion that it was origin
ated By 4 few parties who were un-
able to hold place in the peniteati-
ary and by few disappointed poll
fiCians, unable to secure nomin-
ations, and who believed their defeat
was caused by officers aud guards at
the prison. Il another conversation
Mr.. Peck used about Size following
language: 81 lave given these par
ties" referring &c the complaining
witnesses, ''eYery op- ortrEity posi-
BILE to prove their charges and-yoI
see the result" We have it. also,
direct from the gentlemen who ex-
amined the books that every account
was absolutely correct and that those
accounts were booked IL excellent
shape. They recommend. however, &
different system of receiving books
which viii probably he attended to
For the benefit Of our citizens, who
have heard SO many tales about the
management of the penitentiary, we
the accusers' test timany-the portion
which was submitted to the riarage-
ment for examination and rebutt.e:
First-It was stated that Roetzsch,
the convict who escaped or the
morning of October 1st, 1859 had
carried of the key to the safe in the
warden's office and had taken from
that receptical the money belonging
to the convicts. The truth is, there
is 10 safe in the war(len's office oil
any other part of the prison. The
money brioHging to tie convicIs is
all deposited il. the bank aud is &C.
counted fer by the depaty warden to
the warde- a. the end of every
month.
Second-It was asserted that the
prison surgeon accommodated him
self 20 his Pleasure VIXEN called upon
TO visit that institution. DIR. Daw-
sou swore he never failed to go
promptly when informed that his
services were required, day or nighl.
Third-It was said the authorities
refused 10 supply proper food 20 a
fever patient, McGill. Tie prison
authorities swear they furnished con-
densed milk to him as soon as the
physician ordered it.
rth-Uncleauliuess of kitchen.
C. NJ. Frazier, an ex-guard, who was
in charge of that department for 100
DAYS, stated that he had cleaned out
of there, every day, from one to five
bushels OF cockroaches. This would
be AN average of 400 bushels of Geek
reaches, minimum Of lee bushels or
a maximum cf SEQ bushels of cock
reaches. The prison officers answer
cd that the guard had full charge of
the kitchen and it was his dCty to
keep it clean aud in order. If it was
not so the guard was to blame.
Fifth-It was charged that convicts
were permitted upon the streets.
This Is trIo. Convicts who have
nearly served their time are permit
ted 10 go upon errands for the prison.
As late as last Thursday night the
statemcn. was made that . prisoner
was seen on horsebecl, at eight
o'clock g. Ere. The night warden
swears positively ;aat 40 convict is
cut of the prison arter z. m. except
the one who works ct A[r. Felton's S
residence.
Sixth-it was asserted tha. Mr.. Me-
grue was absent about one-fourth of
bis time. The truth is MIR. Mesruc
was away altogether just two days
less than two months in two years.
Seventh-ln the report of the first
committee the following sentence oc-
ours: The shop used for the manu-
facture of boots and shoes is inade-
quate for the accommodation of the
workmcn and in our opinion should
be enlarged and be better lighted and
ventilated" The truth is the shop
is three stories in heighth, $50 feet
long and So feet in width. There
are f94 windows in this building.
At the present time there is an aver
age OF 40 men working there daily.
This gives each man space of 3Sxll4
feet and nearly three windows.
Eighth-rhat same committee also
reported ''The sanitary condition
of the prison is anything but salts
factory" The following letters are
excellent answers to that charge:
LEADvILLE, JAN, 25. 1881.
To the Editor Denver Republican:
The report of the visit of the legis-
latiye committee to the penitentiary.
as published in the Republican of
the a4.h inst, contains paragraph
that [ believe reflects very unjus,ly
on the prison physician, Dir. J. W..
Dawson.
As a member of committee of
the state board of health, appointed
to examine the sanitary condition Of