The morning call., 1892-02-14
MEETING OF
THE DIRECTORS.
A Claim TO Twenty Acres of San
Quentin Tidal Lands.
Special Counsel Retained TO Fight the Suit,
The New Jute-Mill-An Urgent Case
for Pardon.

The State Board OF Prison Directors held its
monthly meeting at san Quentin yesterday after
noon. There were present Directors Charles
SOHntag, Irwin c. Stump and j. IL. Nef, Mr..
Stump presiding.
A communication was reaa from w. H. H.
Hart, Attorney General, in which he advised
that Mr. Schell be retained special counsel on
behalf OF the board 10 defend it In the action en-
titled Crooks VS.. Craig This action is not pro-
ceeding Of the crooks now In enforced sOiOurn at
San Quentin, but one Instituted by the heirs of
the Crooks estate TO recover twenty acres OF
tidal lands at San Quentin IN possession OF the
State OF California by virtue OF deed OF gift.
HISTORY OF THE SUIT
The history Of tie transaction which blossoms
in tile litigation begins with the sale by William
c. Coleman OF ninety acres OF tidal lands at San
Quentin to the State for $500 purchased under
tie authority of tns act of the Legislature. Cole
man decided twenty acres, In addition 10 the
ninety acres, without any consideration. The
Crooks estate, which has succeeded to the right
of Coleman in The premises desires the return of
these twenty acres, or Its equivalent ia gold coin
OF The United States. The legal qIeStiO Gus
vOlved Ia the resistance of this demand are Of
such abs!ruse character that Attorney General
Hart feels the need of auxiliary counsel a need
that IS intensified by the fact that Mr.. Hart. as
lie ayers In his communication, Is compelled 10
60 south for about three weeks, aud also at the
present time has his hands pretty full. He, there
fore, thinks il best for the Board of Prison
Schell conditional upon paying that gentleman
$3.50 more il he can satisfy the court that deed
Without valuable consideration VIII hold good
In California, or that the Crooks have been mis-
Informed IN regard 10 the allegation In thelr COM
plant.
THE WATER FRONT INVOLVED.
The Attorney General further suggests that as
the case involves the water front OF the prison
grounds it ought 10 be carefully considered. He
states that he VIII render such assistance as he
can, and Will personally attend TO the Injunction
Sacramento V.
ferred TO Mariu County or not.
! he only doubt suggested by the Attorney
General was as 10 whether MIR. Schel's fees
could be paid out of the prison funds. He gave
no intlmatiOn that the line OF defense was TO be
that citizen could not bring suit against the
State, but this lnVutuerable State shield was CON-
siderately disclosed 10 the reporters by the gen-
tlemanIy secretary, the prison clerk.
Mr.. Sonntags motion 10 employ Mr. Schel as
advised and on the terms stated was adopted.
WARDEN HALE's REPORT
Warden Hale reported that work was COM
menced on February l on tie new wall, extend
ing the present west wall OF the jute-mill. The
work. he said, was under the fOremanship Of Mr..
Arnolt, who was recommended by Mir. Thomas
Higgins the man who had charge OF putting up
the IleSent jute-ni, ArnOu was also Endorsed
and recommended by MI Wade who did the
brick work at The lone school, and these gen.
tlemeE," SAID Warden Hale, were Endorsed by
your President, colonel de Pue" The work the
Warden reported 10 be progressing very salts.
faclOTy under Mr.. Arnotts fOremanshp, the
cOnvlcts doing remarkably good and faithful
w
menced In earnest the work on the new lute
wall. After a careful examination aud cOnsulta-
tion Wi b CAPTAIN Edgar and Mr.. Higgins the
conclusion was reached that the best plan to
adopt will be that OF raising The present south
wall Of tile old lute mill to sufficient height to
answer the double purpose OF the jute wall as
we'll as Of guard wall.
HORSES AND EXTINGUIsHERs.
Warden Hale reported further that as there
was arge amount of eXcaVating aud hauling
away of the debris from the same to be done,
aisO lumber,
new mill, il would be necessary for him to pur-
chase at least four work horses aud he requested
an order 10 that effect. He was now, he said,
using two extra horses employed temporarily
from the brick yard.
lie also reported that several prisoners desired
10 come b fore the board for The purpose Of hav.
| Ing their credits restored.
lie mmended the purchase OF some suita-
| bic hand observation-disclosures. There WAS nothing
OF the kind IN The ju,e-mlll, and as they had but
| one Waterman at night lie thought it a very I'M
| pOriant matter.
GARCIAS APPLICATION.
az beg TO call your al tentiun," the Warden said,
"to HE application OF Vicente Garcia, who made
! application some time ago for fecomm ndatiOn
! for a pardon. AL the suggestion OF one OF the
| members OF your honorable BODY have had Mi.
Romero, one OF the guards, take some interest In
! tile matter He has had veral conversations
! with Garcia, and has also written TO prominent
| Spanish people IN Ventura. and he Is deSr0uS or
coming before your honorable body and making
| statement"
| The Warden was authorized on motion OF Di-
to exceed 500 EACH and four observation-disclosures
| at a cost not To exceed $40 each.
| WHAT'S IN A NAME.
| An application for appointment as Superin-
| endent OF the new jute-nhll from Paterson,
| n. j., signed by John China was read and or.
| dered placed on file. The name seemed to i'm
| press the board too suggestive OF the diScour-
aging fact that California had all the China Johns
| size could endure al the present time.
! The clerk was directed 10 inform the RlsdOn
| Iron Works that they were at liberty In putting
| In proposals To supply machinery for the new
! iufe-mill to bid on the whole equipment or on
! parts thereof.
| The sum total of the audited bills amounted to
| $13.364 "a, Including $457 20 on account OF the
| new jute-mill.
| APPLICATIONS FOR PARDoNS.
| batch OF applications for pardonS referred
| by Governor M rkham TO the board for their
| recommendations, was on the table. 1t was con-
| eluded 10 defer their consideration until the
| next monthly meeting. When a larger attendance
| of Directors is likely TO be had. There was one
| application excepted from this conclusion, which
| the board deemed OF such merit that there was
| not only unaulmlty In recommending the pardon.
| but the clerk was Instructed 10 telegraph at once
TO the Governor the merclful action OF the
| board.
| JOHN LoosMoRE's STORY.
The case was that of bright young man from