Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-02

SAN FRANCISCO, August 1st.-The State
Prison Investigating Committee reassembled
this morning at the office of the Prison Di.
rectors, 410 Kearny street.
POLITICAL ASSESSMENT.
J. V. Ellis, the clerk of the San Quentin
Prison, was recalled, and testified relative to
an assessment levied at San Quentin during
the last Presidential campaign for political
purposes. He stated that some of the officers
got together and had "a kind of talk The
result of this talk was that they decided
tolevy an assessment of 20 per cent. of one
months salary on all the employees of the
prison who were willing to psy it. Witness,
while approving of the assessment, and con.
tributing TO it himself, refused ia collect it,
and consequently could not state exactly the
total amount contributed knew, hewever.
that one month it had footed up over $500,
and admitted, when interrogated by the
Chairman of the Commission, who claimed
to know the exact amount, that 1t aggregated
about $3.50. His understanding was that the
contributions were voluntary. The Demo-
Gratis as well as the Republicans had willingly
contributed their quota and worked for Gar
field while they voted for Hancock. There
were only three men connected with the
institution who had declined to subscribe.
One resigned shortly after, and second was
discharged. The fate of the third was not
inquired into. Witness avowed that he voted
for what he considered the best men, ire
spective of party, and in the contest between
Haight and Gorham had voted for the for
mer, and would do so again if an opportunity
offered. He admitted that his legal residence
was in San Francisco, but being connected
with the prison he felt intere sted in seeing it
go Republican.
A DIRECToRs MILEAGE CHARGES.
Director Everson was next recalled and in
terrogated with reference to the trips which
he had made from Oakland to Etna Springs
in July 1881, and for which he had charged
the State twenty cents o mile In re-.
sponse to the inquiries of the Commissioners
as TO what business of the State took him to
and from the Springs, the witness said that
residing there temporarily with his family he
deemed it his residence and hence considered
that it came within the scope of the law.
By way of illustration, the Commissioners
asked him if he went down to San Diego with
his family, and was called by the business of
the State to San Quentin, would he consider
the former place his residence, and charge
twenty cents mile!
Witness replied in the affirmative. His
voucher containing the charge cited was ap-
proved by Directors Chapman and McNutt
He did not remember asking their opinion as
to the constitutionality of his bill against the
State, nor did he think they knew what his
charge was.
The fact was here elected by the Chairman
that Directors McNutt and Chapman had
approved Director Everscn's bill. Directors
Eyerson and Chapman had approved Nc
Nuts bill, and Directors McNutt and Ever
son had approved Chapman's bill; also, that
during the same month Director Chapman
had charged the State 20 cents q mile from
Powelltou, twenty miles from Chico, where he
had saw-mill. Warden Ames audited
these vouchers.
The witness said that he did not examine
them, but had sufficient confidence in the Di-
rectors to certify to them without 60 doing.
The witness stated that be wished to explain
travelling from San Francisco to Folsom, had
charged for $50 miles, and he (the witness), in
travelling the same distance, had charged only
for 800. He accounted fer this difference in
mileage by saying that he had gone by way
of Bantas and returned by way of Benicia,
while DIR. McNutt had taken the longer route
both ways.
The Chairman informed witness that the
vouchers showed that both had travelled the
same route.
Witness said there must be an error in the
voucher.
Witness was next asked to explain why in
one month he had charged the State 90 cents
a mile for eleven trips from Oakland to San
Francisco and return.
The witness replied that committee work
in San francisco was the occasion for these
charges. He did business in San Francisco
and lived in Oakland. He did not remember
testified that the negotiations for the pur.
chase of the brick lands were conducted by a
committee of the Board; did not know at
whose instance the Legislature had appropr;
ated $4,000 for the purchase of the land !;
did not recollect when the Board entered into
a contract for the purchase of the jute ma
chinery.
THE BOARDS SECRETARY.
Jerome Spaulding, Secretary Of the Board,
was asked TO read that part of the minutes
which referred to this transaction. The only
reference to this transaction which the Secre-
tary could find in the minutes was motion
made by MIR. Eyerson, and carried by the
Board, that it proceed forthwith to contract
with the firm of Fairbarn Kennedy & Nay
lor, of Leeds, England, for the purchase of
jute machinary to cost $4,000.
THE CONTRACT WITH THE WATER COMPANY
Mr.. Everson was next examined with
reference to the contract between the State
and the Natoma Water Company. He
thought the contract was as good as when
written. II. 2. Livermore had agreed to pay
the State fifty cents a day each for the labor
of $50 convicts, to be employed on canal.
The only reason this work was not proceeded
with was that the improvements of the
prison were not complete.
DIR. cARY's APPOINTMENT.
After recess, Jerome Spaulding, Secretary
Of the Board, was examined with reference to
the letter written by him to DIR. Cary, mott
flying the latter that he had been appointed
by the Board Resident Physician of San
Quentin Prison He testified that no action
had been taken by the Board justifying him
in writing such letter, and did not re-
member that be had said. Effected
by the Board" He had written the
letter at Mr.. Everson's request.
He had investigated the matter thor
oughly, and found no record in the min
utes of any such action Of the Board. The
statement contained in the letter was an
error. Mr.. Everson explained that he had
merely asked the Secretary to notify DR..