Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-08
T4g LEGISLATURE.
The State Prison Committees report
The Senate Spend the Whole Day upon
it-Agrsement on the Appropriation
Bill-Appoiutments by the Governor.

The State Prison Committees Report
The Senate Spend the Whole Day upon
it-Agrsement on the Appropriation
Bill-Appointments by the Governor.
The Senate on yesterday spent the whole day dig
cussing the report of the Committee State Pris-
ons, the debate being one OF The most excited and
interesting of the session.
The Senate met at 10 A. u, President Daggett in
the chair.
Kellogg introduced resolution, which was
adopted, suspending the rules for the day and ar.
ranging the business Of the day in this form Pre-
sentaton OF petitions reports Of standing commit
tees, reports OF select committees, including COM
mittees conference; messages from the Governor,
messages from the Assembly reading OF bills on the
third reading special file, reading Of bills on the
second reading special file, reading OF bills on the
first reading special file, unfinished business (con-
clusion Of reading of municipal government bilD,
county government bill, Governors appointment OF
Harbor Commissioner reading of bills on third
reading general file, ETC.
The Committee OF Conference on the appropria-
ton bill reported that they could not agree with the
Assembly committee in regard to the appropriation
for the State Prison at San Quentin and asked to be
discharged.
The committee was discharged, and, on motion,
the President authorized TO appoint Committee Of
mttee from the Assembly upon the same PROPOSE
ton. The President subsequently appointed
Murphy, English and Cox.
TAYLOR moved the adoption Of the report Of the
Committee on State Prisons relative to the invest
cation into the management Of the State Prison at
San Quentin.
Reuter- made lengthy and incisye speech
against the adoption of the report citing passages
in the testimony, and claiming that the testimony
did not sustain the report. He was constantly in.
terrupted by points of order, but managed to hold
the floor and denounced the action OF the Demo
cratic majority OF the committee in round terms.
He said that number Of Democratic members had
signed minority report, but the "whip had been
cracked and down they went
Perry and Reuter- then presented minority re-
port dissenting entirely from the report OF the ma
jority.
Cross said that il the Senate adopted the report,
they Endorsed the truth Of every allegation ia the
rerort and the recommendations in the report. He
had been intimately acquainted for some years with
Directors Schell, Nef and Chapman, and il those
men had done what this report says they have done
then they could settle down to the proposition that
an honest prison management in the State OF Cal.
ifornia is an mpossibilIty. If those gentlemen had
given their time to the State during all these months
and years without compensation they were more
patriotic than the members OF the Senate, who
would not be willing to ser the State for even
thirty days without compensation
Perry spoke against the adoption OF the report
He said that the committee did not see fit to exam
inc the Directors, or allow them to appear before
the committee and answer or explain away the
charges against them.
Cox spoke in favor OF adopting the report. he
ella med that there nothing In he report against
Direc or Nef The committee had examined into
this matter fully, and he believed fsirly and the
testimony and report ought to be sent to the Gov
ernor for review by him. He believed in standing
up to his duty in the matter, and should do so by
his vote.
Reddy, Chairman of the Committee on State
Prisons, made lengthy speech in favor Of the re-
port, citing the testimony and pointing out the
grounds upon which the committee had reported as
they did. There was no doubt thst there had beer
gross negligence in the management OF the affair:
Of the State Prisons He claimed that it was proven
by the evidence that Ames, Berry and Ellis had
taken property belonging to the State. They had
not charged themselves with it until they dis
covered by the Committee of Investigation APP
pointed by Governor Perkins, when they made the
entries in their books. What thief would not be
willing to give up his plumber, when detected il he
could thereby escape punishment. There was moth
ing in the evidence which contradicted the report in
any respect.
Reuter- reiterated his statement that the evidence
did not sustain the conclusions in the report. He
claimed that there was partisan feeling in the nves
tigaion and said the question frequently asked
of witnesses, What are your politics |? "How
many Republicans were employedF' "How many
DemocratsF' He insisted that this was only fight
for spoil5.
ssSpencer of Stanisaus surprised at the position
of the minority. He had supposed that the commit.
tee had been given the credit by all, of conducting
fair examination. the evidence had cost the State
several hundred dollars and it ought to be sent to
the Governor and preserved in the archives If his
office. The evidence showed that two of the Direct
took part iii the Irregularities
Kellogg was in favor of sending in the evidence
and report to the Governor, but he would not vote
for the adoption of the report, because the report
contained certain statements which he did not con-
slider there sufficient evidence before the Senate
TO warrant.
Mcclure made an able speech against the adop-
ton Of the report The testimony had not been
printed and the Senator's had had no opportunity Of
examining it. Some 1900 pages Of testimony had
been taken and never printed. He cited the report
of the Assembly committee statements favorable to
the management Of the State Prisons. 1t was IN.
fair ask the Senate to ndorse the report without
an opportunity to examine the testimony. The tes-
timony and report ought to 90 70 the Governor but
the Senate ought not TO adopt the report He moved
an amendment to the motion OF Taylor the fol-
lowing:
ResOLred, That the evidence upon which the ma
jority report OF the Committee State Prisons and
Prison Buildings has been founded, and a copy OF
the report, be transmitted to his tXceency, George
Stoneman, Governor OF the State OF California and
request his action thereon.
Whitney made long speech against the adoption
OF the report.
Reddy had commenced to reply when the Senate
took recess.
message was received from the Governor an
nouncing the following appointments p A. For.
roster as Commissioner OF Immigration vice Charles
D. Bunker George I Marye, Regent of the Uni
versity, vice Leland Stanford, resigned Arthur
Rodgers, he5enb OF the University, VICE N. Greene
Curtis, resigned Port Wardens-Chare5 Thorne,
otto Rivers aid George Cummings.
After recess another message was received from
the Governor, stating that having approved A. b.
1856 relating to the Board of State Harbor Commits
sioners. he had appointed the following Board OF
State Harbor Commissioners: William irwin, of
Sskiyou for four ears A C. Paulsell, OF San Joa
quin, for three years; and John Il. Wise, Of San
Francisco, for two years.
Reddy then resumed his argument in favor of the
adoption of the report of the Committee on State
Prisons in regard TO the management OF the State
Prisons, making an earnest and eloquent appeal to
the Senate sustain the committee in the eonscien
tious discharge of its duty.
Kellogg was in favor Of sending the report and
testimony to the Governor and allowing him to call
before him the Directors aud Warden and place
them upon their defense. If the Governor believed
that they were guilty of malfeaslnce in Office let
him remove them, as he had right to do Some OF
the Directors stood as high in the estimation of the
people Of this State as any Senator upon the floor
He favored the amendment offered by Mcclure
lie could not see what more any man could ask.
49, 4E4aCy