The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-11-12
THE JAIL WORKSHOP.
Hearing by the Board of Prison In
spectors Yesterday.
The County commissioners and
Sheriff Make Statements
OF Their Respective Positions in re.
gard to the Controversy.


the County Commissioners, and Sheriff True
and his son, Mr.. Norman True The hearing
was informal partaking of nature of gem
eral discussion in which the parties to the
controversy presented their views and the in
spectors asked such questions as they
deemed necessary to get at the facts.
Mr. Chaplin stated the position of the
Commissioners as to their claim of the right
OF appointment, as has been already pub
llshed The Commissioners then stated that
there was now no contract for the work of
the prisoners. The Commissioners idea in
leasing the Jail is to get new dollar for an
old dollar, or in other words, they intend to
have the shop run so as to give employment
tosthe men and pay expenses. If the shop is
closed until January the county will be at
no loss.
| In reply to a question by Colonel Osgood,
Mr.. Chaplin said that in the commissioners
| view of the overseer's duties he was to be
locked into the workshop with the men and
have nothing to do with the safety of the
| prisoners.
Sheriff True cited section "a, chapter So
Revised Statutes, as the authority under
which he acted, and Mr.. Chaplin stated that
sections II and 49, He said that he regarded
this as the only provision of the statutes COW
ering the case. The law cited by the Sheriff
does not apply to this position as the over
seer is not responsible for the safe keeping
of the prisoners; but is required to make
monthly report to the County Commissioners
of the character and amount of labor per-
formed and the department of the men. The
Commissioners do not regard him as a keep
er but an officer to look after the county's in
| terests.
Mr. Norman True stated that the overseer
made duplicate report to the sheriff.
| Sheriff True stated in regard to the dis
crepancy mentioned by Ethe Commissioners,
in their published statement, as existing be-
tween the amounts charged for the board of
prisoners at work in the shop, sent them by
Mr.. Norman True, the bookkeeper at the
jail, and the returns of the overseer, that
the discrepancy was caused by the different
methods of figuring employed by Mr.. Nutter
who received the returns from Mr.. Pennell,
the overseer, and that used at the jail. Mr.
| Nutter, in his figures counted out the last
day of a sentence. which the jailer has count
| ed in as a working day. The board of pris-
oners at labor is twenty-five cents a week
more than for those who are not so employed.
A prisoner on the last day of his term is
not required to work, but this day has
been considered as his last working day,
In keeping the books at the Jail, so that when
Mr.. Nutter threw il out he made difference
OF about three cents on each prisoner.
Mr.. Chaplin stated that in the accounts
between the Sheriff and Commissioners for
board there were $30.01 unaccounted for. The
oyerseer is the only man whom the Commits
sloners have from whom to get information
| as to the labor performed in the workshop.
Mr.. Bean-l understand board to be charg-
ed Tor the last day when prisoners do not en-
ter the shop, so that there would be dis
crepancy between the accounts of the taller
and oyerseer.
Sheriff True-We did not reckon parts Of
days or weeks. The Sheriff then said that
he understood the whole controversy to have
arisen from the appointment of Mr.. Greedy.
lie said that he had told the Commissioners
| his position, and had declined to turn the
/ men into the shop under Mr.. Greedy. Mr.
True said that he did not think it courteous
LOT the commissioners to usurp apoHer
| which they had not discovered for six wears
| as belonging to them. He had offered to
| leave the matter to the decision of any com
| petent person, and said that if the Commits
| sloners would bring him the written opinion
| OF any reliable attorney to the effect that the
Sheriff Is not responsible for the prisoners
while In the workshop, he would turn the
men In under any man they might select He
knew Mr.. Greedy had had little experience
| with the class OF mem confined in the jail
| and as he would be very busy from this
time in winding up his affairs at the close of
his term of Office he did not feel disposed to
assume the responsibility of trying a new
man. When Mr.. Pennell called ON the
Sheriff for the purpose of giving up his keys,
ne consented to stay until the first of Janu-
| airy, the Sheriff not considering that he had
any right to appoint him for longer time.
custody, while in every part of the Jail and
| stated that the overseer had charge of OPEN
| ing and shutting the doors.
MIR. Chaplin stated that the question of
Keys was first brought to the attention of the
| Commissioners by complaint made by
| Sheriff Sawyer that the 0verseer of the
| workshop had key. A demand was made
Tor the key and rule established that the
oyerseer should have no control over the
men other than in the matter of their deport.
ment while at work. Mr.. Chaplin added
that Mr.. True did not claim his right to APP
point until after the appointment of Mr.
Greedy was made.
In response to a question by Col. Osgood,
Sheriff True said that he did not know of
the, appointment until after it had been
made.
Messrs. Nutter and Prince mentioned the
fact that two appointments had been made
by the Commissioners to fiji the Office dur
ing Sheriff Irue's term and he had made no
protest until this last appointment of Mr.
Greedy.
Sheriff True said that when he came into
ofhce, he found Mr.. Henry Hale in the posi-
ton Of overseer. Mr.. Hale told Mr.. True
tnat ne had always been appointed by the
sheriff until after Mr.. True came into office.
Mr.. Hale was reappointed under Mr.: Dresser
m L hat had hoe
done under Sheriff Sawyer. When Mr.,
True took his office, Hale went to him and
sad that the Commissioners wanted him to
retain his position as oyerseer and that he
would be glad to do so if agreeable to the
sheriff. the appointment of Mr. PennelI
| Sheriff True said was also satisfactory to
him. The Sheriff said all he asks is to have
an experienced man in the shop and sthat he
mad offered to pay the difference in salary
| himself.
Mr.. Chaplin said that during the past year
the Commissioners had found it necessary to
suspend MI; Penneli for putting green boy
in charge of the shop to take his place but
had reinstated Mr.. Pennell when he promis-
ed not to repeat the offense
Mr.; Prince There wasIno complaint from
the sheriff then.
Sheriff True-I didn't know of the occur
renee.
The matter of key being in possession
OF the engineer and the escape of prisoner
some time ago, the engineer letting him out
Wy mistake, was Drought up. Inc Commits
sloners said that the engineer had the KEY
| as matter Of accommodation. Mr.. Prince
said that if the sheriff had taken the prison.
er's Sunday clothes away from him he would
| never have escaped.
| Mr.. Norman True said it was pretty hard
| to take away mans clothes when you had
nothing else to give him.
The Commissioners denied that any such
| state OF affairs existed at the time
Mr.. Bean spoke of the regulations adopted
In other prisons in regard to watching the
men, etc.
Mr.. Prince said that application had been
made by Mr.. True's son for the position of
oyerseer and that Sheriff True had first men
toned his son for the place.
Mr.. Nutter said that Mr.. True had ask
ed him for the place and he had brought the
matter before the Board
Mr.. Norman True said that he had not
asked for the place, but had said that if there
was to be change he should like to talk
with the Commissioners
Sheriff True said that Norman had told
him that If there was to be vacancy in the
place Of overseer at the end of the year.as he
should be out of job, he wished his father
would mention him to the Commissioners.