Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-12
wsRpKs MccoMB's 1svEs1raArIos.

WSkDKd McCoMB'S lsVEslt9AIl0N.
Prison Commissioners were present yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock, st the State Prison st
Folsom, to consider the charges preferred
against the Warden, General John McCcmb,
by P. NJ. Sullivan, of Folsom. The CON-
plainant was represented by Add. c. Hink-
son, CT Sacramento, and the Warden by
David Mcclure, of San Francisco, and Matt.
F. johnson, of Sacramento.
The complainant announced that his wit
nesses were not all present, and argued for
continuance, that other witnesses, from re-
mote parts os the State, might be procured.
After some discussion, the Board decided
not to take any action until an affidavit stat
ing the grounds for continuance was present.
ed, and took q recess until 1 O'Clock to give
complainant opportunity to prepare it.
General McComb has fled the following ss
his answer to the charges preferred:
To the Honorable State Board Of Prison Directors
Gentlemen In answer to the charge and specf-
cations preferred against me on the 18th OF January
by Mr.. NJ. Sullivan attorney, residing in Folsom
Sacramento C UNITY California make reply tina:
the charge is false, and that the motive made
apparent by the fact that copy OF the complaint
vas furnished to the press Tor publication, after
notice had been given by the Chairman Of your
honorable Board that early day would be set for
the hearing of the charges
To Charge F.rst-Ihat have been guilty of mis-
conduct incompetency. neglect OF duty, intolerable
extravaganza, felony and msdemeanor, plead mot
guilty"
10 Specification First-I plead az not guilty" The
first part Of the specification alleges that guards
have been intoxicated at their posts of duty,
which acts of intoxication were known to me, and
the guards have been discharged, required by
law. This deny. Whenever it has come to nay
knowledge that guard has been intoxicated while
on dutv have directed is discharge. The second
part Of the specif ;atsn alleges that opium is
used by the prisoners to an alarming extent, and
that reasonable Of diligence would prevent the
introduction of opium. deny that opium is used
to alarming extent that there is lack OF dill
gence.
To Specification Second plead "Not guilty"
AS to tine superficial aud comparatively valueless
character Of the larger portion of TIE work done at
the prison, l call the attention OF your honorable
Board to the fact that there any architects
plans for the completion Of the prison grounds,
which were rugged, irregular and unsghtly when |
entered up the duties OF Warden. and that by
dIligent use Of the labor OF the prisoners, have
been nabled 30 make the grounds assume q pre-
sentabe appearance with very little outlay when
compared with the cost OF producing the like result
by any other means. Work in the quarry has been
diligently pushed as an incentive to clear out the
waste so to uncover a body of good granite,
took contract from the Capitol Commissioners to
furnish the stone for the Capitol fence accepting
payment the small balance OF money remaining in
the fund for building the fence. The State received
the benefit Of the labor in obtaining the material
for completing the Enclosure for the magnificent
Capitol Park and the value OF the States quarry was
enhanced by the production OF the blocks which it
was alleged coud not be obtained from the prison
quarry nor from any of the prison quarres in this
district. In addition to carrying out this work,
and while building the immense culvert which runs
through the prison yard, and while grading
the ward, | have paid eleven thousand
days labor to the Natoma Water and Mining Com
pany, part of the purchase price of the land
which the prison is situated, and to aid in the
sruction OF the canal which is to furnish free water
power to the prison forever When the Natoma
Water and Mining Company stopped work the
canal on account Of q misunderstanding with the
Directors to the construction OF the terms Of the
deed and it became necessary to secure a sale for
the product OF the quarry, in order to probably
employ the labor OF the prisoners, ceeded in
obtaining contract to furnish the stone for inclos-
ing the lot of Hon. Imts G. Fair in San Francisco
on the principal residence street Of that city, where
the beauty OF the stone is daily brought to the
tice of thousands OF people. The contract not only
brings good revenue to the prison. but the prison
ers have been stimulated to do good work and ae-
quire knowledge of tr=de; they have all learned
very rapidly-some of them can easily as much
as 81 per day.
To Specification Third plead "not gu lty" Am
charged with being absent nearly one-haf the time.
This is wholly false.
To Specification Fourth plead "not guilty" 1t
aliegeu that, WLen tne arueD account Kept
separate, the personal expenses ran from $500 to
$500 per month. The books will show that this is
false.
To Specification Fifth plead "not guilty" 1t is
alleged that the crime of felony was commit ed
during the political campaign Of the year 1852, in
that J I'm McCOmb collected, or caused to be COL
lected and kept and retained two per cent. of the
yearly salaries OF the subordinate officers employed
at the Prison, making an aggregate OF over $500.
This alleged is said to be contrary to and in viO
lati of Section second laws Of the State Of Cali.
fornia 1871 nd 1872 p'ge 95l, an Act entitled An
Act protect the wages Of labor and the salary and
kept retained per cent oil the salaries of the
subordinate officers employed at the Prison. kept
or retained any other sum due to them, or that
hindered prevented them from receiving that
to which they were justly entitled. AID deny that
| have in any wav contravened or violated Section
Second of "An Act to protect the wages OF labor
aud the salary aud fees Of subordinate officers"
To Specification sixth | plead "not guilty"
deny that on or about the LIST OF June, 1882 set
tied with T. c. Grace for injury to trespassiug stock
by paying him 500 and giving him a note for $500
said alleged note not paid when due, and when
it paid, it was paid out Of money that belonged
to the State OF California, and not out Of my money
that of any other person. deny that gave to
T. G. Grace my note for $500, for any other sum,
or that a note to T. C. Grace for $500 or for any
other sum- was paid out of the money that belonged
to the Safe of California.
Gentlemen Of the Beard, | have the honor to sub
nit the foregoing my reply to the charge and
specifications presented by Mr. 2. NJ. Sullivan, and
challenge his proof. Very respectfully
JOHN MCCOMB, Warden.
Folsom, February II, 1854.