Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-07-15
TERRITORIAL PRISON.
A Fat Take For Dishonest
Officials.
Attorney General Heney Inter-
viewed on the Late APP
pointinent.

A CITIZEN reporter called on General
Heney last Tuesday and Che following
conversation took place, to wit:
Question by reporter. Did you read
the editorial about the t-rritori4l prison
In last nights CITIZEN?
Answer by General Heney. did sId
| regret very much that the matter has
been publicly discussed. / have no idea
how it got out as lave refrained from
saying anything to anyone but my most
intimate friends.
Q. Have you any obi C ion to stating
you views on the subject, General.
A. Since the matter has become pub
lie property l viii say this much. There
is no quarrel or misunderstanding
whatever between Governor Hughes
and myself We differ on the question
of the appointment of a superintendent
OF the territorial prison, however. The
governor desired to appoint Thomas
Gates al once, but the investigation of
prison affairs made by Mr.. Meade and
myself led me to the conclusion that II
would b5 unwIse to appolot Mr.. Gates
until We had completed the invesuga-
tiQns now be ng carried on by Auditor
Boone and Expert Heney, If at all.
was forced TO this conclusion by finding
that the system OF accounts at the
prison and the receiving and disburse-
ment of supplies since the first day it
Vas opened for the reception OF prison
ers. have been carried on IN such loose
manner as to brand nearly every official
charged by law with these duties as
either utterly Incompetent or grossly
and inexcusably negl gent. If not crImi-
nal. A large amount Of stealing and
fraudulent and corrupt practices took
place during the former adm .nistration
of Mr.. Gates, and biie | have no rea-
son 10 suppose that ne participated IN
the unlawful gains, / consider his APP
polntment exceedingly unwise until a
thorough investigation OF these frauds
and stealngs places the blame where II
justly belongs. / have no candidate for
the prison superint9ndency and have
10 interest to subservs other than the
pubic welfare.
Q. What do you thiHk of Mr.. Gates
qualifications for the place aside from
the objection Just stated:
:. Upon that question have moth
ing TO say 10 the public except that l
am opposed generally 10 the appoint
ment Of any professional gambler or
saloon keeper ID pos ton such as that,
and especially IN view of the platform.
l IN ght call it, upon which Governor
Hughes appointment was secured.
have no personal knowledge of the o.
cG patton Of Mr.. Gates during the past
twenty years, but as Governor Hughes
has known him intimately during ali of
this time | presume be has satisfied
himself that the charges preferred
against Mr.. Gates on this score are IN
founded as he has frequently expressed
the same views | have iuss enunciaied.
The maintenance OF the prison cost
twice as much as any other territorial
institution, and the leakage heretofore
existing there has been sufficient to run
the territory behind and thus compe
ua to pay interest on territorial warrants.
The superintendent supervises all pur
chases add distribution of supplies and
he ought TO be a man of fac executive
ability as well as of splendid business
II such man can be secured
| predict that the administration of
Governor Hughes Will place the terri
tory Oh cash basis. Ia a short time
territorial warrants viii he paid when
presented instead OF bearing interest
FOR more than two years as at present.
If / car aid in bringing this about ]
shall have Satisfied my every ambition.
Aside from myself, Governor Hughes
has chosen an exceptionally fine set Of
officers and | sincerely trust he will
make no mistake in the last position re-
naming u be filled. Mr. Meade pre-
pared a system OF accounts and set Of
rules for the prison while ne was super |
which in my judgment viii |
act as a perfect check on dishonesty |
among prison officials in the future. The |
manner of keeping the accounts will |
enable the prison commits toner's to dis |
cover fraud # the use the very lowest |
degree of care, and no official can steal |
without the knowledge OF other officials |
whose duty would require them to ex- |
pose the fact. Had such a system been |
adopted when the institution was |
founded the stealings of George Stew
Ems, McInernay aud others never could |
nave taken place. | do not care to say |
more Of this matter at present. Good |
lay.
Whereat the CITIZEN man bowed low
md retired.