Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-08
PRISON DIRECTORs CHARGEs,
What One of the Directors Has to Say
Concerning the Bills Presented.

What One oil the directors Has TO Say
Concerning the Bills Presented.
There appeared in San Francisco paper
recently an itemiZed statement to the effect
that State Prison Directors have been max
ing overcharges against the State. As an
example, the bills of Director w. c. Van
Fleet, of this city, and John Boggs, of Co
lusa, were presented in itemized order
That of Mr. Van Fleets showed that from
December 20, 1888, to February 10, 1884, he
was allowed by the State Board of Exam
liners $164 30 for fares to Folsom and San
Quentin and expenses of trips, there being
twelve items showing six trips to San
Francisco, San Quentin and Folsom,
and expenses for eighteen days de-
voted to the business of the State
The article insists that the excess OF
charge is sos, and is arrived at by allowing
the passage fares, but fixing the expenses
at S. per day, and only that while at hotels.
Other Directors are charged with greater
overdraft A RECoRD-UNIoN representative
therefore set out to ascertain from Mr.. Van
Fleet the Directors view of the matter
with the following result:
Representative-MrV Van Fleet, have YOU
seen the article in the San Francisco Report
and the Eveni"g Bee charging that the
Prison Directors have overdrawn from the
State for expenses?
Mr.. Van Fleet-Yes, sir, and the article
surprised me.
R.-It is claimed you should charge but
So per day for expenses?
Answer-That is the way it is stated.
R.-Do the Directors receive any mileage
or salary?
A.-No, sir; only reasonable expenses
and no salary.
R-As one Director whose bill is item
lied, will you state why you drew the
sums named?
Al had concluded not to pay any
attention to the article, as it seemed
to me that any one understanding
the matter would see that it did not merit
reply; but since you have asked me,
will simply say, that under the law gov
erning the Board of Prison Directors, the
Directors are to be allowed their reasonable
travelling and other expenses while engaged
in performing the duties of their offices
The allowance of the expenses of the Di-
rectors is, under the law, left to the State
Board of Examiners composed of the Gov
ernor, Attorney-General and Secretary OF
State, who act as an auditing board i'll such
matters.
R-They have the power, then, to say
how you shall live; that is, what are rea-
sonable expenses while away from home
AYES, since the decision of the Su-
preme Court on the subject of the compen-
sation of the Directors, the old Board OF
Examiners and the present one have
allowed the Directors at the rate of 81 sc
per day as fair rate to cover their ex.
penses for every day while discharging
| their duty. Their construction of the law
has, | presume, been arrived at from the
advice of the AttOrneyGeneral, who is 8
member of the Board.
R.-Do | understand you that the BoarC
of Examiners have fixed the figure as {
reasonable sum?
A-That is the way they have construed
the law, and they are doubtless right.
R.-You think the sum not excessive?
Al do not think it excessive. 1t i:
| not probably the idea of the Board that {
Director shall live at the What Cheer
| House, or ride second class, or always foo
| it, or never ride to the depots or incur liv,
ing expenses while travelling, etc. They
certainly do not expect, nor does the State
wish, Directors to be out of pocket at al
by reason of travel and living abroad. Bust
ness of the Board often necessitates OUTLAWS
in attending to it here and there, that in the
ar llOt IllOiC tIldli DN lllt
| s. 30 per day. | am afraid the writer Of
the article would find it hard work to get
anyone to take a Directorship on the bare
allowance of 50 day for expenses when
| travelling, or at hotel and without con.
| sideration for even postage, or car fares and
other items; though | have no idea by that
| of treating of trivial affairs. | assume and
think any reasonable person should assume
| that the Examiners believed, in fixing ouI
expenses, that there are legitimate OUTLAWS
of expense incident to discharge of duty
that Directors are not expected tC
post up in account books to Il cent
Now that the matter is up let me add
that do not believe the Board of Directors
is composed of men who would be likely
to peculate at the expense of the State in
an amount so contemptibly small, or take
a dollar that they did not believe them
selves justly entitled to under the law.
know / have not done So and am satisfied
my colleagues have not. So far rs | am
concerned, if the State can get any
one to take my place who will
make his expenses less than the
amount we are allowed | will chcerfully
give way to the patriot. On behalf of my
colleagues, who are charged with greater
overdraftS than | am, | wish to say this
There are frequently occasions when indi-
vidual members of the Board are assigned
to duties, such as inspecting, committee
| work in the details of conducting the pris-
ons, etc, that requires the devotion OF
more time than is required Of the Board as
a body. That doubtless well accounts fol-
the difference in the bills of the Directors
but everything goes before the State Board
| of Examiners, and is audited by that
Board
R.-Will the Board of Directors consider
| this matter?
Al shall certainly take an early oppor.
tunitv of bringing it before them, and they
will doubtless consider it. Now, since you
are going to publish more about the mat
ter, do not, for one, propose to rest qui-
city under any imputations of irregular OF
improper conduct as Director.