Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-23

prison, not being willing to trust himself in
position where he would has e an opportunit.
of carrying out his threats.
The man who was held in solitary confine
ment until ne became maniac " as stated q
be Chinamar, who, for attempting to es
cape, was put in solitary confnem ent. HI
acted as if crazy. The Warden thought hi
was feigning insanity. but the doctor differed
with him, and on the latter's advice the Chi
naman was taken out of the cell, when his
craziness soon disappeared. He was only in
solitary confinement about twenty days.
OTHER PARTIES INTERVIEWED.
Having made his defense against the
charges the Warden suggested to your cor
respondent that he interview other parties,
offering him every facility for inter-
course with either officers or convicts.
Mr.. Cummings, instructor in morals. was
found in his school-room. On being in.
formed of the nature of the charges against
the Warden, he said he wished to say nothing
about them. He was dependent upon hiH
salary for living, and should have nothing
to cay on the sutjectunles calledupon by COM
petent authority to make oath on the subject.
Regarding his own position, his Office was not
really recognized and established by the
Board of Directors, but had existed under
him and his predecessors rather on suffer
ance. A committee Of the Board
had under consideration the question
of formally recognizing the Office. His
business was to instruct those of the con.
victs who desired to look after their mental
and moral welfare, and to officiate as Chap
lain on the fifth Sunday in any month. On
other Sundays the Chsplaincy was assumed
alternately, without salary, by one Catholic
priest, one Methodist and two Presbyterian
clergymen. He hoped to obtain the position
of permanent Chaplain, and believed the
Board had the question under consideration.
He referred to ex-pbysician Cary as an ex-
cellent man, but of delicate health and nerv-
GUS organization.
THE TURNKEY's TESTIMONY.
A. G. Herman, the turnkey, was next inter-
viewed. Regarding the disposition of the gate
money, be explained that the Warden
had nothing to do with it; that he collected
it himself and turned it over to MIR. Ellis,
whence it went to the library fund. The
presence Of money among prisoners was a
fruitful source of evil, against which they
had to be constantly on their guard. Mr..
Ellis is the constitutional officer, and not un-
der tie control of the Warden, but of the
Board of Directors. Never knew the War
den to drink considered all charges to that
effec. false. DR.. Cary had charged the War.
den with drunkenness. Cary was a very un-
comfortable man to set along with he inter
fered in matters outside of his department !;
wanted to run The prison thought every
oody but himself was thief; was
a good square nan, but dyspeptic,
and hard to get along with. AS
to Mr.. Cummings, it was common talk of
the prison that it was bis habit to intercede
with Governor Perkins fer pardops, commu-
tations, etc., the prisoners giving him money
for SO doing. Convicts generally considered
that he was on the make. Tyranny was as
far from the Warcen's character as night
from day. a kirder-hearted man never was
in the prison. He was positive, decided,
outspoken man, but lenient in his treatment
Of prisoners, ard punishment was much less
common than formerly. The Warden goes
over the prison among the convicts freely at
all hours, which no other previous Warden
ever dared to do. But he is strict and de-
cided in his management of the prison. In
short he is 50 the boss" lie did lot owe his
appointment to the Warden.
OTHER EVIDENCE.
hr. Edgar, Captain of the Yard, was from
Warden Ames' county, San Mateo. Had
known him twenty years never knew him
to be drinking man was man of forceful
character and good executive abilities, one
who made both friends ard enemies. In
general he corroborates Hennan's favorable
opinion of the Warden's character and adj
ministratiop, and as also did Mr. Coburn,
the lower tekeeper.
Mr.. Berry, Commissary Of the prison, was
absent. His assistant, Mr.. Giikesop, agreed
with Herman in Lis estimate Of Dr. Cary.
As to Mr.. Cummings, he thought the Ward
en- had been very lenient with him thak he
had no properly-recognized position, but that
his complaint should be to the Directors
thought the Warden did drink little when
he first took charge Of the prison. though
never to such an extent as to render him un-
fit for business and that latterly he seemed
to have dropped the use of liquor altogether.
Mr. Perkins, Captain Of Guard, had but
very little to say. he had 10 complaint to
make of the Warden's treatment of him. II
he had, he would resign. He had nothing to
say about his relations towards the others.
as for DR.. Cary, he had never interfered
with lin.
DIR. CARY TELLS HIS STORY.
On his return to the city. your correspond.
ent had the good fortune to meet On the boat
Dr. Cary, who had been setting up some IN.
finished business at San Qaentin, Ga open.
ing the subject to him, DR.. Cary replied al
considerable length, though not in a very
direct manner. He promised that he resigned
mainly on account Of overwork. On taking
charge, he found that by far theg greater amount
Of prescriptions ordered by his predecessor
had been narcotics and stimulapts. such as
opium, chloral hydrate and cannabis Indicus,
or hasheesh, which his predecessors had evi
IDENTIFY found the easiest remedies for allay
ing the pains and weaknesses of the prison
ers. He had instituted q reform in that di
rection, and under his administration tn,
yearly drug bill had been reduced from s., 00t
to 81 900 in round numbers, and the moral.
of the convicts improved; that many Of tn,
crimes committed in the prison had beer
dcne under the influence of those drugs; tina
under his predecessors there hsd been a grea
deal Of malingering; that be had reduced
the number of convicts off duty from
IL or II per cent. to about II pc
cent, but that the work necessar,
to accomplish it had broken hin
down. He claimed that in the reduced drui
bill and increased labor of convicts he ha,
saved the State $4,000 or 5000. He ha,
made up report embodying the facts abov
related, but though the Directors favored it
publication, the Warden objected on tn
ground that it might be considered reheo
ton upon the Democratic management, ge
M a row, and bring down the Legislature