Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-08-27
COAST ADvcES.
lowed to Administer Hopkins
Millions - What the California
state Prison Investigation De-
velOped.

SAN Francisco, Aug. 26.-The Probate
Court rendered a decision removing Mrs.
Hopkins from the administration Of Mark
Hopkins estate, this morning.
SAN Francisco, August 25.-The report
of the Commission Of Inquiry into the
State Prison affairs was presented to the
Governor to-day, and published in the city
evening papers. 1t first discusses the po-
litical aspect of the prison management and
declares the Board of Directors usurping
the powers belonging to the Warden in the
appointment of officers and employees, and
that the Warden c~ovenanted with the
Board in violation of the constitutional
provisions. Much i%nharmony and insub.
ordination resulted from the interference Of
the Board. It Institutes comparisons with
the cost of the prison management of Cali.
fornia and other States, and shows that to
make appearances Of econmy, things have
been charged to other accounts that should
have been charged to the maintenance OF
the prison. 1t then discusses the charac-
ter of the prisons of California and their in.
huence on crime, and find they tend to pro.
luce and increase crime. The exercise Of
executive clemency by the present Gov
ernor was declared a wise and judicious
system. Legal Communication Of sentence
was found to be thoroughly vicious in its
effects. The proposition to establish q juts
factory was considered at length and
strongly reprobated. The manner Of con-
tracing for the jute machinery was de-
clared unbusiness-like and illegal, and jus.
tifying severe criticism. The mileage Of
the directors aggregated to the present
time over S12, 900. The action Of Director
Everson, in basing mileage charges to Fol.
som from San Francisco, and to San
Quentin from Oakland is OF a character
that shows a conscious purpose on his
part to increase his claims for
mileage. The report gives the opinion OF
the Attorney General, declaring the law
giving the salary and mileage to directors
as unconstitutional. The purchase of brick
land was commended as a fact. but the
method OF purchase was condemned. The
administration of the Board concerning the
Folsom branch prison is condemned. It is
recommended that all commitments be
made to San Quentin, and drawn to other
prisons as proper classification may require.
The Folsom prison should be made o penal
institutions; San Quentin Q nformatory.
The prisoners should not be liable to rear.
rest on indictment at the gate Of the prison
on their discharge. 1t recommends for the
present the associate-silent system, instead
of the conRregate system now practiced,
with . view to separate the silent system.
In the future c~onvicts should learn useful
trades, and q superintendent of labor should
be appointed. The charges made by the
San Jose Mercury are treated at length,
and held not to be established, except as re.
CARDS the boasting of the constitutional
rights by the Warden, and liberties allowed
convict Tenson. A number of irregular.
tiles in the management Of the prison are
condemned; then follows q general com.
parative review Of the various penal sys-
TENS and institutions, in which many re-
forms are suggested. The existing system
and administration of California prisons is
strongly condemned, and especially the
partisan political feature. The general tone
of the report is eondemnatory Of the prison
System and the administration by the di.
rectors and warden. Notwithstanding it's
the report Is condensed and direct In
style and method, and follows in every par.
the outline given by the Governor
in his letter Of appointment and ~instruo.
tions. The report occupies about twenty
newspaper columns, and the transcript Of
testimony which accompanies 1t covers 8, 100
pages Of legal cap.