Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-15
TIE STATE PRISON INVESTIGATION AT
FOLSOM

TIE STATE PRISON INVESTIGATION AT
FOLSOM.
The State Board of Prison Directors INST
at Folsom Branch Prison yesterday morning
| in regular session. Tee chief business before
the Board was the investigation of the charges
| brought against Warden McComb by P. NJ
! Sullivan, a Folsom attorney. Prior to the
investigation of the charges, the Board heard
| the petitions of three prisoners who desired
combinations of sentence or restoration of
| forfeited credits.
Director Van Fleet offered resolution pro-
viding for the transfer of 100 prisoners from
San Quentin to the Folsom Prison. He
claimed that there are several hundred pris-
oners unemployed st San Quentin, while
there is plenty of work for them at Folsom.
Director Boggs opposed the resolution, on
the ground that most of the prisoners now
idle at San Q zenith will shortly be employed
there. He thought it would be unjust to
time.
Van Fleet urged that the men are needed
st Folsom and not ct San Quentin, and their
labor should be utilized.
Director Robbins favored the transfer of
| the prisoners.
Director Hendricks spoke in favor of the
the transfer. but thought that further consid-
Grafton Of the matter should lie postponed
! for the present and resumed at the next meet.
ing Of the B BARD at San Quentin. He hoped
to see persons of difsrene grades of crimes
subjected to different modes of treatment,
and ne desired to see some steps taken TO
separate prisoners and sffOrd opportunities
for reformation. He was aware that more
men are wanted st Folsom, and would like
to have transfer made.
| After some further discussion, Director
Boggs moved to postpone the matter until the
! next meeting at San Quentin. Carried
The Board then proceeded to the IGvestigs-
ton Of the charges against the Warden. The
prosecution was represented by p. NJ. Sulli.
van, j. H. Mckune and A c. Hinkson.
| General McComb had ss attorneys David
| Mcclure and Matt. +. johnson. The investi.
cation began at II o'clock, and the amended
and additional charges were read. They
charge, in brief, that Warden McComb's ad-
ministrstion of the prison has been chsrsc
| terized by inconpetency, extravaganza,
usurpation of power, felony, etc.
| Mcclure entered general and specific
denial to each of the charges, and read a let
| ter on the subject from the Attorney General.
The letter was addressed to Chairman Boggs,
and laid down the rule governing the Direct.
ors in matters of this kind, stating that it was
not obligatory on the Directors to enter upon
an extensive and dilstory examination, such
as would be had before the Governor in sim
liar csses.
Counsel discussed the matter of adopting
mode of procedure, Mr.. Mcclure suggest.
ing that, as the Board has full discretion, it
might be well to have the Investigation con-
fined to the acts Of the Warden during his
incumbency under the present Board
Mr.. Hinkson, fof the complainant, said the
charges referred to acts committed prior to
the incumbency of the present Board and he
did not believe the latter would confine in.
quiry to the few months of their sdministra-
ton.
McKune, also for the prosecution, argued
in the same strain.
Chairman Bo9gs stated that he believed it
to be tie sentiment of the Board that some
inquiry should be made into acts of the War.
den prior to the incumbency of the present
Board-that is. so far as such acts had connec.
ton with subsequent events embraced in the
charges. He thought that persons who claim
to have known Of illegal acts on the part of
the Warden, committed two or three years
ago, should have made their charges at the
time snd not waited until discharged from
the employ of the Warden, which latter fact
would seem to disclose pers nal PR judice.
johnson, for the defense, said his eide
should object to all testimony of an prevalent
character. Hs did not think this proceeding
should be for the purpose of paDdering to the
desire of a curious public or scandal-mongers.
He thought the only point at issue was for
the Board to satisfy itself IS to whether or
not General McComb ia proper person to
be retained as Warden of the prison.
The Board then went into executive session
to consider the matter of adopting a course
Of procedure, and decided that the inquiry
should be sufficiently broad to embrace all
matters of importance touching the compe.
tency of the Warden.
At u o'clock the prosecution called War
den McComb as the first witness.
Mckune began to question him on his
knowledge of penology, which Chairman
Boggs checked, saying that the Board which
appointed General D1cComb was fully salts
| fed as to his competency a penologist.
| Warden McComb testified as to matters
connected with the charge that the Captain
of the Guard, Chambers, had been allowed to
| leave the prison for the purpose of election
eeriDg. He said Chambers had been allowed
to visit his home. Witness knew nothing
about Chambers alleged electioneerinp. As
| to the allegation of having retained portions
of salaries of attaches for campaign purposes,
he simply knew that employees had subscribed
their names for certain sums through au at.
tache, which sums were paid over to him and
forwarded to the Republican State Central
Committee-something over $500 altogether.
| The collections were made at the request of
said committee. Witness admitted that there
once seemed to be evidence that car had
been burglarized by men from the prison, but
it had been sscertained that the burglary was
committed by Cinnamon. Had never paid,
&c. IA, - H.,
At this stage of the proceedings Mr.. Nc
Clure objected to the prosecution making
witness of McComb. Charges had been
made, and if complainant could prove them
let him do so.
The Chair ruled that General McComb
need not testify further at this time.
J. B. Smith, former guard, told what he
knew about the levying of political assess
ments. The clerk informed the men when
they came to get their salaries that there was
no compulsion as to their paying the assess
ments, but witness paid his portion. Some
weeks after the Warden told him he had been
charged with being drunk while on duty.
Witness said he had no defense to make, and
the Warden told him he must submit to the
rule and resign, but would be given reason
able time Witness declined to tender his
resignation, and was told by Captain
Towle that be was then discharged for
insolence. Warden McCOmb paid witness
out of his own pocket the twelve dollars
witness had paid as campaign money. Wit
ness had known of prisoners being allowed |
outside the lines night and day, but not eff
the prison grounds. This was in the harvest |
season. Know of men having escaped while |
permitted to do service as TRUSTEES. Saw pris- |
oner Paul shoot a cow on the grounds |
Couldn't say how he got the gun. Couldn's |
say how often the Warden visited the prison |
ers' cells. Witness named four attaches who
had expressed poor opinions of Captain |
Chambers. Three or four persons regarded |
Chambers as lazy, incompetent and untruth-
full. Never informed General McComb of |
the feeling against Chambers. These were |
witness statements on direct examination.
Robert Harrison, who was guard in 1882, |
testified to having seen prisoner Paul with |
shotgun one evening heard firing, ard that |
Paul was shooting live stock. Saw the same |
prisoner quarter of mile from the prison,
on the chicken ranch. He was allowed to |
drive wagon to and from Folsom. Paul |
was pardoned by the Governor. Don't know |
that prisoners were allowed outside without |
prison parb Being cross examined, witness |