Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-25
STATE PRISON INVESTIGATION.
General McComb arrives Unexpectedly
and Testifiea Refora The Camuittesa.

the door department, who testified that q man
named Daley, employed in the shop, he'd said
he could get no relief in the hospital He was
persuaded TO get pass, and started te go to the
hospital, but the next the witness knew of him
he was found dead in the alley. Deceased had
said that unless he got relief he would do away
with himself DR.. Durant was in charge of the
hospital at that time. DR.. Fuller attended
patients in Dr. Durants absence. The hair OF
deceased prisoner had come otzs in spots pre-
vious TO his committing suicide. Witness
thought he was demented. Medicine could not
help him. In reply TO a question BY Nj. Storke.
witness said he had not known any instance
of the prison physician refusing to treat sick
prisoners who made proper application Wit
ness had been at san Queusin ten years. DR..
Fuller is the druggist at the prison. Witness
had not publicly expressed his condemnation
OF The treatment given sick prisoners.
CRANKY ALLEY.
A. G. Harrison, foreman of the door depart
ment at san Quentin, testified that deceased
prisoner had asked fer and received pass to
The hospital on several occasions One day pris
oner asked for a certain patent medicine not
kept at the prison. Afterward Mr.. Boell had
gotten it for him. Prisoner had killed himself
by throwing himself from the fourth story.
Witness thought a good many of the prisoners
were partially insane. That kind are kept in
Cranky Alley" The prisoners kept there
were treated the same as in other parts of the
prison. The crsnks were generally put at
scsyenger work. About 500 out of the 1900
convicLs are at work in the jute mills, sash and
door factory and machine shop. The foremen
and are appointed by the Directors, usually
upon the Recommendation of the contractors
The-output of products of San Quentin is very
small compared with the totals for the whole
State.
MORE FROM BoELL
Witness Boell again took the stand and testi-
fed that the output of the sash and door factory
at San Quentin was SO small that it did not in
ttuence the rate of wages paid IN factories else
where in the State. The contractors who use
convict labor have TO pay almost as much in
the long run for production outside manu-
facturers do. The sash and door factory al San
Quentin yields the State about $4,000 profit
each year. The old Directors had about de-
-cided TO close the factory, but the new admins
tration came in, and it was continued running
but it was understood that 1t was to be closed
down on March LIST. The stock is exhausted
and no orders have b-en given for new sup
plies.
PAUL TALKS OF FOLSOM.
Captain NJ. Paul, Turnkey at Folsom for the
last four years, took the stand and testified that
General John McComb was Warden at the time
witness went there. For the first two months
witness was gatekeeper, then roustabout, an
also inspector o. food and supplies sent TO pris-
oners Very often the mutton sent by the Sac
ramento contractor was not good not fit to eat,
in fact. The potatoes also were bad, being the
refuse OF the Sacramento market. Bread and
beef averaged better, although once in while
lllt DutcQeI WOuiu TlllS III u ststk WulCn was
not very good. During three years John Nc
Comb, Jr., was the commissary, but he did not
attend To his duties. One Of the convicts super
attended the cutting up of the meats Witness
had i'll May, 1887, sent for young McComb TO in
spect some meat which was spoiled. for the
purpose of having it condemned, but McComb
was in bed and refused to get up and inspect
the meat, sending word that witness uld1ither
accept it or let it alone.
GUzzLING GUARDS.
,arS
w. Nixon, who was appointed by Director VIII
kins OF SAN Rafael The guard was lying on a
bench and could not be awakened. His pistol
was taken away from him and he was carried
away to sleep it Off He was not discharged, but
was taken from night duty and put on day duty.
There was guard named Dick HeiDrich-a
Sacramento man-who got drunk one night and
threatened to whip the second watch-chiei
and ail-but he was not discharged The War
den had the power to discharge guards. The
Warden never inspected the prison until about
the time of the Filcher investigation. General
McComb attended to the office and left the de
tails of the routine to Captain Chambers and
Captain Murphy.
In answer to questions by Mr.. Coombs, witness
stated that Warden Aull does not allow drunk
enncss among the employees OF the prison, being
very strict in that respect.
SOME HARD CITIZENS.
A guard named Kelly had let a prisoner
escape in December, 1884, and two years Later
was. for that escape, discharged by Warden
MctOmD, VINO SO stated III the QlSclarge papers
Witness had known of prisoners being taken
outside to work on Captain Chambers private
ranch. a mile from the prison
Another guard, named Ben. Hanford, used to
get drunk, also his wife, and then they would
fight and arouse the neighborhood. When War
den Aull came in, Hanford said he would have
10 skin out. and did SO. His wife left soon af
terward.
Matt. Reddy, the notorious aw-bondsman
of San Francisco. was sent up to Folsom to aci
as guard He one night got drunk and in
sisted upon licking everybody he met. Nc
Comb ordered other guards to take Reddy and
deprive him of his pistol and put him to bed
Some OF the " TRUSTEES 4" were allowed to sleeT
outside the walls of the prison. They were al
short-term men
BAILEY MAS SOLID
Favoritism ives shown prisoners in some in
stances. old Bill Gregg, a convict, In a quarrel
struck another convict named Roger o'Meara
but never was brought TO account for it, al
though witness had made complaint.
A convict named Bailey, subsequently, trans
ferred to San Quentin, one day took bed Stat
and assaulted another prisoner named La Dow
out was not punished for it. Afterward La Dow
2,sot back at Galley with a pick handle. La Dow
was put on bead and water, but Bailey was
not.
on another occasion Bailey committed some
ofirnse and was put in solitary confinement on
bread and water, but Captain Murphy ordered
witness to slip food in to the prisoner at least
once a day, in such manner that the Other
convicts would lot know OF it.
Little Pete. the jury bribing Chinamsn, had
been allowed to retain his queue, By orders OF
Mecomb. Little Pete subsequently, told witness
that 1t had cost him considerable money to re
tain his queue and that if his money had been
used in the right place he never would have
been imprisoned at all.
cosTELI0s cAPERs.
A man named Costello. a clerk in Captain
Chambers office. used frequently to get drunk
Costello made his home with notorious woman
who lived near the prison grounds and who
Iised to smuggle opium in to the prisoners. Cos
tello was not discharged for these otfrnses. On
one occasion, when Costello was drunk, he
kicked out a window in the female department
Captains Chambers and Murphy used to keeI
these matters from the knowledge of Warden
McComb as much as possible.
The longest period of solitary confinement
that witness knew of was two years This was
the case of a man named Smith who had tried
to escape. Another man known as Blueskin "
was confined q year and a half for refusing 70
work. Blueskin' afterward became insane
and IS now in Stockton Asylum.
Witness stated that the administration oil
Warden Aull is very creditable. The prisoners
are more cheerful and contented than they were
partment is well managed and the convicLs are
we II fed and satisfied.
The committee, at O'clock, adjourned until
evening
GENERAL INCOME ARRIVES.
General John McComb having arrived in the
city about noon. Chairman Shanahan called the
committee together at $50 o'clock.
General McCcmb was sworn and took the
stand. Chairman shanahan produced bundle
Of letters, remarking that lie wished to give wit.
ness the fullest opportunity to explain every.
ID ng
anime the letters saying that it would only be
anticipating the proceedings 20 be he'd before
the Governor. He thought he should not be
called upon to 20 beyond the matters mentioned
In the subpoena and in the Assembly resolution
empowering the committee TO proceed With the
investigation.
ostrom suggested that If General Mccomb de
sired further time to give his testimony, II
should be granted.
until Monday evening for the purpose OF ar
ranging joint meeting with the senate com
Shanaban proposed that the committee &C
into executive session for the purpose of deefd
ing their future action.
Mathews thought an executive session was
not needed, and he objected TO. meeting jointly
with the Senate Committee
Storke did not wasn't TO delay the Investigation
fsut wished to proceed at once, as the time wa
.retting Snort and there were other important
COMMITTEE meetings next week.
General McComb reiterated his desire that he
be given time TO give his testimony before the
Assembly and Senate Committees IL joint ses-
sion SO as to avoid going over the same testi-
rnony twice. He stated that he wished TO make
his testimony thorough and complete as the in
Tes.igation proceeded. he thought 1t would be
only a waste of time for the Assembly Commit
tee 70 examine him upon the subject OF the
Chairman Shanshan sgain rendered him q