The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-05-20
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
GREEDY FOR SPOILS!
Why Governor Foraker Chang
ed the Management of the
Ohio Penitentiary.
Hon. D. G. Goldman, One of the
Bounced Managers, Throws
Light on the Situation.

been bounced from the board OF
managers of the o. P. Is it so?''
This interrogatory was put to Major
d, e. Goldman here this morning.
"HelIo yourself! Bounced? Yes,
indeed. The Governor wasted no
ceremony in my case"
"What did the Governor say to you?
Have you his communication with
YOU? I would like to see it, if you
have no objections"
"Very well. Here it is, short and
sweet"
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR,
COLUMBUS, o., May 8, 1886.
DEAR SIR: You are hereby notified
that you have been by me this day re,
moved from the office of manager of
the Ohio penitentiary, for the reason
that in my judgment the best interests
of the institution so require.
Very truly yours, etc,
J. b. FORAKER.
"No mistakipg the purpose and in
tent of that document, is there ?"
queried the Major,
"Should say not. How is it. though?
Were you not appointed for five years?
Is your tlIuo Out, any way
"Yes, Governor Hoadly appointed
me a manager to serve five pears, from
April l, 1885. I reminded Governor
Foraker of this, in acknowledging the
receipt of his letter."
You have written the Governor,
then?"
"Yes."
SIS your reply strictly cenfidential?"
mo: lust as soon you would know
what / said as not. Come into the
office, and I'll show you a copy of it."
OFFICE OF THE DIAMOND GLASS Co.
| RAvENNA, o., May 10, 1886. !
Governor j. B. Foraker:
| DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 8th
inst, notifying me of my removal
from the board of managers of the
Ohio penitentiary, duly received. AL,
though appointed by your distinguish
ed predecessor for five years, and nav.
ing still four years unserved, permit
me to thank you for relieving me of a
duty that has been in every sense dis
tasteful to me. should have tender
ed my resignation, had you so request.
ed, as did the Republican members of
the board. I take it that your action
in this case was induced from q desire
to promote "civil service reform 1t
| is to be hoped that the new manage
mept NAV be able to make the peni.
tentiary a paying institution by the
employment of sixteen hundred un'
skilled and vicious convicts, when the
most enterprising manufacturers OF
the state, under the depressed condi'
ton of the manufacturing interests OF
the country for the past two years have
been unable to conduct their business
at profit, with an abundance of hon
est, skilled labor at their command.
Respectfully yours,
/ D. c. GOODMAN.
"You were in Columbus last week
were you notw The papers say you
took French leave in the night
like the Senators, to break quorum
Is this trueP'
"Yes, 1 was at the regular meeting
of the board on the 5th inst. L found
that great pressure was being brought
, to bear to remove the Warden. 4ot
will understand that the Warden ap
points all the subordinate officials, i'll
cluding guards. 1t was therefore nee
| essary to the Republicans that the ap
pointing power be in their hands"
"Did the board seem inclined tt
; take revolutionary measures to accom-
plish this result ?''
"Only a minority of them. Tht
Warden is appointed for four years
and removable for cause, eniy, ane
!, this must be other than political, un
: der the law. The old board were o
the unanimous opinion that no reason
fable cause could be assigned for hi
removal, he being a thoroughly hOE
est, industrious and competent man.
s. What caused the rumpus, then p
"The extraordinary pressure bro't t.
bear upon the state administration 10y
= the hungriest crowd of heeiers it ha
, been my lot to see, The city was full
of them. The Mel House had th'
appearance of a state convention, anC
: the main object of attack seemed to b.
!. the penitentiary. Pm sure ! do no
overstate it when l say that five hun
dred office seekers We're in Columbus
on the 5th inst"
1.-The board as constituted at you
last meeting was Republican i'll ma
, jority, wasn't it? If so, why didn'
, they remove the Warden 2"
q 81. Because they could find no rea
sonable grounds upon which to bas
his removal.
: "2. Because it takes the who'll
board of five members, all being pres
ent, to make legal quorum for tn
. dismissal or appointment of the War
den. / found during the day that Ger
i. tain trumped up charges were ikel,
D to be made against the Warden. mere
ly as an excuse to remove him. So
took advantage of a telegram calling
me home, and my departure thu
, broke the quorum so there is tina
much foundation for the 'Frencl
$ leave alluded to.
1.-The board has been accused of ex
p travagance in the management of tn
penitentiary. How is that"
"When the board took possession
under the present law they found moth
: ing but the bare walls, the prisoner
1 and the vermin,' as was forcibly an
!, truthfully said by one of the guards
The buildings were in a tumble-dowl
Q condition, and everything in an un
, buildings had been condemned b.
. committees Of the legislature, an,
! were absolutely unsafe to be occupied
q We found that the state had been pay
r ing the city of Columbus SIS. 900 yea
f for water for the penitentiary. Th
new managers Immediately set t
: work to remedy this condition of al
I fairs. The prisoners had to be recloth
o ed, as they were in rags and filth
4 Four new and extensive building
have been constructed in place of thos
those torn down. A system of water
D works has been constructed at a cos
= of $4,000, which returns a revenue t
r the state instead of an annual outla
of S. 900, and supplies an abundanc
of good water to the penitentiary. Th
o cells have been renovated and the vel
i min cleaned out. and everything ha