Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-19
TIE STATE Ps1sos mArrER

The Removed Directors add to the His-
tory Of the state Prison Investigations
by addressing a Lengthy and LIVELY
Open Letter to the Governor.
George W. Schell. W. +. McNutt, A. H.
Chapman and J. H Neff late State Prison
Directors, have published an open letter Of
great length, addressed to Governor Stone.
man, in which they take issue with every
statement and finding be makes against them.
and several times charge the Governor with
misrepresenting the testimony and stating as
matters Of fact things not sustained by the
evidence. They point cut that tie late Dem
ocrstic Senate refused TO coufrn Democrat
whom Governor Perkins appointed as Prison
Commissioner, and charge chat is did SO be-
cause he was appointed by Republican
Governor. They charge the Governor with
being demsgogue in reciting certain correct
principles Of action, but In falling 90 be gov
erned By them. AS to the charge that the
Warden drew and retained a large Rum ap-
prcpria.ed to psy deficiencies, and only psid
the balance over when the Investigation was
about to begin, they say that the sum was
appropriated by Act Of Legislature to dis
charge all past dslinquencies. That such
claims were discharged as rapidly as sscer-
tanned and audited. and that the SUN OF
s., 600 remaining over for the time COM
planned of, was held to await the decision OF
the Attorney General as to the validity Of
certain claims made against the fund, ard so
son as it was rendered, and the case re-
ported to the Board, it ordered tire balance
returned to the State Treasury, and it was
done, and every cent accounted for, and that
while said balance remained on hand it was
deposited in the Bank of Nevada to the credit
of the State Prisons of California snd that all
these facts appeared before the Governor by
the testimony of unimpeached witnesses,
They deny that the water claim preferred to
the Board against the deficiency fund was a
"pretext," but say it was a genuine claim, and
that documentary and orGl proof OF that fact
was made to the Governor. They challenge
cir ation Of any proof that the Directors were
neglected. Of duty. They deny that it was
proven that the Directors procured the Wsr-
| dsn to waive bis right to the appointment or
| discharge Of subOrdinates. They charge thst
the Governor travelled outside the record TO
refer to the Commission appointed by Gov
eruor Perkins to inquire into State Prison
management, and hold that no proof was
taken regarding that Commission, or any
"scandel" which it Is alleged il unsGrthed;
that out Of thilt teen charges before that Cone
| mission but one was held to ba proven, and
! that was with reference to the charge that
| the Directors sought to irtiusnce the Warden
/ Ia bis appointment OF cub 1dinste5 that es
| to that charge the prepoDdersnca Of evidencs
is against it, and it was preferred by dis-
charged emplcys; that the charge that there
was made up monthly payroll, and money
| to its full amount drawn, though most Of the
employes had already been partly paid by
| orders on the Commissary, even if true,
amounts to nothing, because such drafts cn
ths C0mmisssry were always deducted from
the employees due, the balance ascertained.
and the money left over was used to discharge
| legitimate obligations in behalf of the State.
and that the sums appeared promptly and
! fully on the Wsrden's cash account, and
| full account Of all the disbursements ap.
psared in the quarterly reports; that these
facts were proven before the Governor, il
being shown that where employees drew
supplies from tbs Commissary, when the
money was drawn from the State to pay the
employees, the amount paid by supplies wac
deducted from the salary due, and that sum
used to restore the goods 30 drawn, and that
in this process there wss no wrong, snd that
it was safe and preferable to paying the en-
ploye in full, and having him then pay the
Commissary for bis supplies. They deny
emphaticslly that it WIS proven, or is true in
fact, that the Warden and Clerk drew sums
! of money in excess of salaries, or that any
sums they drew were unaccounted for, or
that thsy ever oyerdrew their accounts, or
Improperly uteH lDOlty VI tuo Dbatct aLu
they charge the Governor, regarding this
| finding, with misleading the reader. They
| deny wropg regarding the yacht-building
charge, and enter upon an elaborate explana-
! tion as to that matter by quoting the testi-
mouy of the Clerk and the Warden. They
declare that the State was fully paid for the
lumber used in the yacht and water wheel,
and that the Directors investigated the mat
| ter relative to these articles. That relative
I b. Hyoi,I-ro-sr,r, 1o1 az fha
prison, il was approved BY expert Lauren Il.
| Crane, aad that as the Governor admits it
showed 10 fraud, it was therefore no cause
| for removal. That recording the charge rel
alive to cantrac;irg for jute at oEe prics and
pas lag for it ut another sn6 higher price, the
| testimony showed that the CONTRACT wss kept
as to price, end that the testimony is con-
| Nary TO the fn6irg That the other minor
allegations ia the findings are void Of truth.
The "open letter closes with some bitter
ref sctions upon the Governor relative to
"sagsrness for the feast of spoils."