The record-union., 1893-08-11
COST OF FEEDING PRISONERS.
Sheriff O'NeiI's Charges Compared
With His Predecessors.
The Supervisors Hear Statements From
Officials and Ex- -Officlals-What
the Prisoners Eat.

The supervisors Hear Statements From
Officials and Ex- x-OficlaIs-what
the Prisoners Eat.
The cost of feeding County Jail prison
ers was the subject of an animated dis
cussiOn before the Board of Supervisors
yesterday morning.
There was quite an attendance of Off
cials and ex- x-otficals who had been sum-
moned by the board to give information.
District Attorney Ryan asked most OF the
questions.
Ex-Under Sheriff Bugbey was the
first called upon. He stated that
he served under Sheriff O'Neil for three
months. He did the purchasing Of pro-
visions for the county prisoners for two
months under Sheriff O'NeiI. He
couldn't give the cost OF feeding prison.
ers without consulting his books.
''W here are they?'' asked District At
torney Ryan, who was conducting the
examination.
I'm the Sherih7s Office" replied the
witness.
the witness said that the expense for
feeding the prisoners was higher some
months than others. Potatoes sometimes
were as low as 35 cents a sack. At other
times they were worth 81 50 and 81 a sack.
during Sheriff StanIey's administration
he was Under Sheriff. The prisoners
were allowed one pound of meat day,
one pound OF bread, tea, coffee and sugar.
The sugar was given the members OF the
changing.
TEN CENTS A DAY.
What was the cost of feeding the pris-
oners?" was asked.
We'll, l approXimated for the year
1892, and ] think the prisoners were fed
for 10 cents day. This is the actual cost.
Then there is the cost of the jailers,
which is 500 month"
When asked if he would undertake to
contract to feed the County Jail prisoners
for ten cents a day Mr.. Bugbey said he
would not, as he was not working for
nothing.
supervisor Miller asked what was paid
for meats, and Mr.. Bugbey replied that
SIX cents pound was paid for fresh
meat and four and half to five and a
half cents for salt meat. The average
number of prisoners to be fed every
month was about fifty, and sometimes
sixty. In regard to the weight of bread,
each loaf was ordered made weighing ex-
actly one pound.
supervisor Todd asked if there was not
side table for certain prisoners, but Mr..
Bugbey said that was outside the Sher-
III cost in feeding the prisoners, and he
did not have TO be under any expense
whatever for perquisites to prisoners, as
they would have to pay the extra costs
themselves.
Chairman Morris on wanted to know if
twenty-five cents per head was nearer
than ten cents for feeding the prisoners.
MIR. Bugbey replied that he would not
take the contract for less than twenty
five cents per head per day.
LEE sTANLEY's OPINION.
Ex-Sheritf Stanley was next called,
and when asked what it cost to feed the
inmates OF the Jail during his term of Of
tlce said he had no accurate KNOWLEDGE of
the COST as Mr.. Bugbey was his book
keeper, and he did not bother himself
about 1t to any great extent, as he left the
buying OF provisions to him. Mr. Stan
ley said he was allowed twenty-five cents
per head for those who We're not en-
ployed. He gave three meals day to
those who were employed and two meals
to the prisoners who were UNEMPLOYED
He did not know how much profit was
made by him when ne was Sheriff in feed
ing prisoners, because the markets would
vary at times. The principal articles used
were meats, potatoes and bread, and
sometimes rice. Meat, bread and coffee
were dispensed for breakfast, and food of
ner.
Chairman Morrison stated that in con-
Quoting his restaurant he generally knew
how much he made and lost in his busi-
ness, and asked Mr.. Stanley if he had not
placed himself in the same position when
he was Sheriff.
MIR. Stanley, in answer to a question bv
Supervisor Jenkins as to whether he CON
sidered twenty-five cents a day for feed
ing each prisoner too much, replied that
it was not.
RooNEY's FIGURES.
Under Sheriff Stephen Rooney. being
called to testify, said he had never figured
on the cost of feeding the prisoners. but
supposed II was ID or l6 cents each. 1t
cost more in the spring, when potatoes
were high. The prisoners now receive
about the same kinds of food as were
supplied by Sheriff Stanley.
Mr.. Rooney in response to questions
by District Attorney Ryan, gave the
prices paid for meats, potatoes, coffee.
sugar and other groceries, as nearly as he
could remember. No separate expense
account tor feeding prisoners is Kept in
the office.
Mr.. Rooney said, in response to Mr..
Jenkins inquiry, that he would not nm
dertake to feed the prisoners for 10 cents
day each.
Sheriff .O'Neil said he had a list show
lHR WHdI OIner cOunIleS pttld Tor feeding
their prisoners, which he would like to
read.
Supervisor Todd could not see how
that would cut any figure in the matter
In some counties the Sheriffs might pay
their cooks SO month, and having but
few prisoners the cost per head would
be high.
Chairman Morrison-Does any mem
Der OF the board object to the Sheriff
reading the list?
Mr.. Todd object, on the ground that
it is incompetent, immaterial. irrelevant
and not material evidence in this case.
This was something OF a poser, but
Chairman Morrison recovered his equi-
librium shortly and said that unless the
board overruled him he would decide
that the Sheriff might read the list.
According to the list, as read by Sheriff
O'Neil, the rates paid by the counties
enumerated varied from twenty-five to
forty cents per prisoner.
This closed the evidence. and Suuer-
visor Todd said he had called the matter
up for the purpose of having the public
informed as TO the actual cost of feeding
the county prisoners. 1t had been re-
ported that the county had been paying
too much for the board Of its prisoners
that the Sheriff was making too much
money out of it, One ex-Sheriff He'll
bron) had declared this to be the case.
and it had occurred to him that the mat
ter was one the Supervisors should in
quire into. They had heard evidence on
the subject, and he moved that the matter
be taken under adyisement So ordered.
PRESS VOICE
Expressions About the NIilitia-Roads-
NIidwinter Fair-Etc.
Inf Tf i