Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-15
cArrAIN A,ros, RErIRrNExr.

| CAPTAIN AMOS RETIREMENT.
Today Marshal Parsons attention
was called to the statement alleged
to have been made by Captain Amos
regarding the latter's retirement
from the office OF acting warden Of
the penitentiary, and he was re-
quested to give his version Of the
affair.
81 do not care, = said the marshal,
"to say anything on the subject.
Captain Amos went east yesterday,
and the statements he has made, il
the story Of the Tribune is correct,
tell their own tale. Any person
who reads them can see the alb
suriity OF the position the captain
has taken, and l think he viii be
sorry for il when lie has had time TO
reflect
"What was there about the en-
plOyment Of F. j. Stark a. a guard
that Captain Amos objected to?''
THAT was just this. Stark was a
guard before Captain Amos came
here. Some time ago he received n
letter that his father was very i'll.
Then he got a telegram asking him
TO come at once. He showed the
letter and telegram to Captain
Amos, and asked If he could have
his old place as guard when he re-
turned. The captain said he thought
50. but that Stark would have TO see
me. Captain Amos told me, and
said that Stark was the best guari
al the 'pen,' 50 he was promised his
position when he came hack.
And now is where the whole
trouble began. twas when Amos
boy let that prisoner Leland get
away. / told his father that lie
could not hold the important posi-
ton Of taking prisoners 10 ami from
the penilentiary, but as he could /
not get anything else 10 do, ! said |
he could 90 rs guard on the hack /
wall. where he would be on service !
in the day time. The boy would \
not go, and l positively declined 10 /
let him act where he would I
let other prisoners escape. Then his |
father got mad. Stark came back at 1
this juucture. Captain Amos 1
wanted his son to have the place
which Stark had held, and refused. |
Then the captains anger became 4
greater. audfit finally resulted in
his resignation.
"But one OF the allegations made
against you i that you allowed the
guards 10 talk 20 yOu?"
''Of course / did. Any man who
- IL u
pIltrcat him civiliy. Pm not above
being talked TO because | hire n
guard at the peuiteniiary.'
Captain Amos also complains
that you never made him warden,
but that his title was guard and act
ing warden"
That is true, hut could not
change the statute. The law makes
the marshal the warden Of the
penitentiary aud lie assigns n guard
10 do duty rs acting warden. The
law governs that"
"He says the bargains for the
penitentiary supplies are all made
by the marshal, and that he never .
knew their cost"
Whenever lac bought anything.
/ told him 20 DO 20 at the best ad-
vantage. As 10 my accounts, l did
not submit them to him, for l was
not employed by him. There is a
man appointed to check of goods,
look over the accounts, etc, and he
does it,"
what about Stark being a rebel,
and about the guards ut the pen
being 'uarepentant rebels as Mr..
Amos says?'
'.Why stack, is n young nlan,and
wasn't born till after the Rebellion.
As TO the others, there isn't n rebel
lmong them. and a number are
Grand Army men,"
show is Il about Captain Amos
assertion that you are not a Chris
ian and n gentleman2,
''Well, rs 10 that you have heard
The story about a man having to
move out OF neighborhOOd to get
good neighbors, ard then wishing
70 get back because he was worse of.
Well, the captain has gone. But it
was not 50 mulch him as his boy"
''Did you take any steps about his
Unlawful acts regarding prisoners?"
"Well, / don't want to say any
hing about that
''But you know Of the complaints
hat have been made?''
eyes, but IL was the boy, and rs
[ said, relieved him from the posi-
ton. and the father did not like it.
That was the mostof the trouble." T.
s'YOu are aware though, that
the-e was dissatisfaction among the
guards, and know Of the causes
s'Yes, l knew that the best guards
we're about 20 leave because he was
% abrupt and unkind 10 them. They ,
III offered their designations once,
,ut | requested them to go on a
while longer. But as TO that part Of
he affair have nothing to say. l
hink Captain Amos madea mistake
n the affair, and also by rushing
nto print but DO not desire TO say
further about him. 1 wish
aim well, and have not the slightest
lnfricndliness for him."