Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-06-07
A Tran slator's Imagination.
Yuma Times. l

Noriega, Emilio Leivas, Santiago Lo- peg, and Lauterio Pima, in which the Warden of the Territorial Prison is | sharply criticised for alleged discrimin- ation against Mexican prisoners. The signers of the communication, re- sponsible Mexican residents of this county, visited the institution by in- | vitation and personally interviewed the convicts. In their letter they simply set forth the statements of those with whom they conversed but The Times believes that the inform ants purposely misled their visitors.
 This paper discusses the matter only with the purpose of correcting mis- taken impressions. It has never in any manner whatever received favors from the Democratic Prison Commis- sioners. On the contrary it has not even been granted an opportunity to compete by bidding for the penitenti- tiary advertising and printing, requesting permission, the same being turned over to the Yuma Sentinel which having no reason to lower prices in the absence of competition, calmly charged and received "for pub fishing proceedings and advertising for bids etc, ,' in A single quarter Clan. l to Mar. 3l, 1s90) the respectable sum of $554.40. And, yet, despite the apparent unfairness, we are not so constituted as to quietly allow it to pass unquestioned, knowing it to be undeserved, and unwarranted attack upon a public institution. The Times, accordingly, will endeavor to correct the misapprehension of its Phenix contemporary, which we believe due to accident and not to willful or mali cious reconciliation.
 "The food was bad, they said, and lUdS giUen them in short measure"
 The portion in italics in denied by Mir. Noriega, the author of the letter, he stating that it is fiction evolved from the translator's imagination. As a matter of fact food has always been supplied abundantly and it's whole someness is attested by the healthy condition of the inmates.
 Clothing is furnished with the ut most scantiness, and they had ire quently to wait at least six months for pair of trousers, and even when they get them the garments are ia bad condition" Here, again, the words in italics are supplied by the versatile translator. The cloth is furnished by the contractors and is of superior quality and weight. Two suits Of clothes are furnished yearly
 to each individual which should prove sufficient with proper use. That they
 must "wait six months for 8 pair of
 trousers" is unmitigated rot, for the
 prisoners are simply expected to make
 pair last six months. Is there any
 thing unreasonable about thatH Be
 sides, the authors of the letter do not
 make any such assertion, showing
 plainly that the immortal translator
 has again got in his work.
 "The prisoners are not even allowed
 tobacco, and when they asked for the
 most necessary articles are told by the
 prison officials that the Territory owes
 them money and that there is not sui
 icient for their necessary expens
 es."
 Speaking in a strictly legal sense
 nothing is stipulated by law towards
 furnishing tobacco. But the majority
 if not all, do obtain it, all the same
 from the proceeds of the sale of canes
 boxes, laces, etc., made in theil
 spare time. The latter part of tht
 paragraph quoted is inexcusably fool
 ish. The payment or non-paymen
 of official salaries have nothing what
 ever to do with the purchase of neces sary supplies, these being furnished
 by the merchants under contract anC
 in quantities to suit. The issue is de
 cidedly forced.
 "Some of the prisoners have beer put at making adobes, and over thes are put American bosses, notwithstand ing that latter are entirely ignoran l of the trade"
 It is true that an American boss . is placed over the adobe makers, bu this boss is the Prison official calle, the Yard-master. The above point are, however, insignificant when com pared with the stress placed upon tn incarceration of one Manuel Barelai "This prisoner had served out hi time but few days before that tim had expired he was taken out and pu to work at the Superintendent's hous While Barelas was there the Superir 5 tendent missed a watch and suspectin the prisoner put him in dark cell cal ] ed the 'rattlesnake room.' I Barelas implored the other prisoner
 to draw up a petition to the authoritie I for if he was guilty he d. l sired to be properly tried, and if nc e guilty, he wanted to be released as h t had served out his time."
 e Without the usual allowance u credits for good behavior, Barelas wi V have served his term in May 1891 n with them his time was out only o e May 9th of the present year. Abol E nine months ago (long before the e. d piration of his sentence, allowing a T. credits,) while working at the Supe .e intendent's house, he was suspectt Il of stealing valuable watch belongir n to the Warden. After thorough i T. vestigation the evidence was so owe b. whelming against the prisoner tn
 he was confined in the dark cell as y. punishment. The matter was brougl
 before the Board of Commissions
 officially, who, after due consideratio in decreed the forfeiture of credits as a. usual in such cases. Thus, witho le forfeiture Barelas' time could not ha 70 been out until the 9th of la i'd month, while with it, it is not out u lg til next year.
 T. A comparison of the letter publish e. by H Fronterizo, and its alleged trar " lation as printed by the Rep.tblico 1t shows important changed totally i as compatible with the intents and { is sertions of the Mexican gentlem of who signed the original docume e, The translation, therefore, is unjust ct these gentlemen as well as to t. ne prison officials.
 GU Cotton in California.
 Id A strong effort is being made nt the cotton mills about the bay, sa lis the San Jose Mercury, to induce t '9, farmers of California to go into t