Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-19
STATE PRISON MANAGEMENT.
Report of the Senate Committee Of Inve
LEGATION.

Report of the Senate Committee of Inves-
iigation.
Jus! before the adjournment of the Leeis-
lature on Saturday night the following re-
port OF the investigation into the manage
ment of the State Prisons was presented to
the Senate:
To The Honorable he Soaate Of he STATE Of Caii-
toraid; The committee appointed to investigate
the charges against the management Of state
Prison affairs were vely much hampered IN
their eXertions by the extreme brevity of time
allowed them aud the pressure of other busl-
ness. Personally, attended many OF the meet
ings ard examined the Warden and others.
The investigation about to be held by the Gov
ernor ought to bring the facts more prominently
before the lubhc | believe that while the
Warden OF San Quentin, General McCopb. has
much executive ability, and has plsced the
! penitentiGry in very attractive eonoition that
| yet It Is not conducted as contemplated in the
! Constitution. Two of the Directors, men of un-
/ doubted honesty, have, in my Judgment, been
| ignored by their associates, and the patronage
| pertaining 70 the Office has been distributed
/ among party managers, where it was thought il
would 90 the most good-to the Walden and
! his immediate friends. There is much evidence
| in the nature OF circumstances, well as some
positive declarations, that a combination to this
| end existed in the Board of Directors Two of
| the number never got any patronage. nor did
| they have any knowledge of the methods en-
| ployed in its distribution
The letters oi General NcComb prove that he
was in favor OF always putting things, TO use
| his own language, IL - exhibition shape" In
several OF his communications he betrayed
/ great anxiety lest his books should be investi-
| gated. This, he says, was for the purpose OF
Stimulating his friend. Nj Chambers, for he de-
| clares 1t was in the nature of an application OF
ginger" 10 that subordinate. As these two
gentlemen are very intimate friends anu dis
| posed 10 think that the confidential statements
| passing between them were intended to be uu-
| derstood as they were a'ed and were meant in
| q mi
/ larity OF the items contained in the page which
| was in some way taken from the COPY book and
another page which was lett there, as to the ma.
| ture OF work cone and expenses incurred, and
| the equally singular variation in the sum sisted
! opposite these items eylnced a character of
| bookkeeping suggestive at least of the grosSest
carelessness. That the items were not intended
/ to be mere estimated values OF assets is suffi-
| ciently shown by the item regarding the new
| house, which is hunorously called au annex "
| This house is charged at less than its actual
cost, because ! am convinced that it cost over
$500, and yet the estimate as appearing in the
pages mentioned, is not based upon the mere
| value of the house. for II is certainly worth as
stated by General MeComb, So 0l0. Nothing
| which the committee was able 10 do could pro-
| cure figures which showed the cost of the an
mex. system of booS kes ping which so re-
| suits is not 10 be commended, and would not be
| permitted in an ordinary corner grocery prop
! erly cordu ted
1t might be remarked parenthetically HAT the
new house was called an - ann Y. 20 nat the
| money expended on it could be spent under the
! head OF general repairs IN the same sense hat
| the Patsec Il ! gFss repair Of the i4inas ~,
views are in general similar TO those reached by
! the Assembly ceami-tee, except IS otherwise
| stated here. Judging from General &CCOmh's
| remarks with reference 10 Chaplain Hill, / o.
not think he considers the moral side + priSor
management particu srly ino p9rtaut
whether night shift in the jate mill is or is
| not prohtab ble cannot say he evidence be-
| lore the comm ttee was net conclusive eli her
| way. | believe that the great water power
| being developed al OlsOm should he utilized 50
| that our Prisoners NAV manufacture ut least
one half OF the grain bags used in this State
and that such bags should BE- sold 10 the farmer
81 a very small rofit l might remark that l
| think the time viii come when public senti-
ment VIII require useful trades 70 be taught the
| convlcis, though al present the sentiment seems
to be IN the opposite direction. l do nt mean
that servile labor OF that or any other sort
should be brought into competition with the
| honest, struggling Caucasian, but the criminal
should be instructed so that upon his emanci-
| patton he might be Of use TO the community,
| and not a source of suspicion and "a occs sion
! OF watchiuluesS 70 The peace officers
This report ha- been di'.tate' in the greatest
| haste conclude ny expressing the belief that
| the prison should be governed 10y well paid Di-
rectors. Respectful submitted,
STEPHEN VI. WHITE
l fully agree IN The conclusions reached in
! the foregoi- < report. -. G. GoUCHEg
Chairman ON lIttee on Prisons aid Prison
| Buildings