The San Francisco call., 1897-10-20
THE ADMISSIOI OF VISITORS.
The Branch Penitentiary at Fol-
som Is Not a Popular
Institution.
ACROSS THE BAY MUCH PREFERRED.
Judges Always Importuned to SEN
tence Offenders to the Marin
County Prison.
ACROSS THE BAY MUCH PREFERRED.

The Legislature at the last session ap-
propriated for the support of the San
Quentin State prison for two years the
sum of 5000, 000 An additional sum Of
$120, 900 was appropriated for salaries OF
officers and employees OF the San Quentin
prison for two years. The aggregate al
lowsnce of 1920 900 is a pretty large sum
of money to be taken from the taxpayers
but there would be no complaint if the
institution was conducted to punish
rather than please criminals.
The number of convlcts at the San
Quentin prison in round numbers is 1900
Many of them, after conviction, were sent
there by request. The prospect of serving
q term at Folsom prison is not pleasant
to the criminal mind, hence requests of
the convicted, backed by the influence OF
counsel, are put forward to get San Quen-
tin designated as the place OF seryitude.
An ex-Judge of one of the departments
of the criminal courIs in this city said on
this subject yesterday: "While 1 was on
the bench l was reques ted in nearly every
instance OF sentence to send the convicted
man to San Quentin. l am told that life
In that prison is much easier than penal
sePvitude in Folsom. Criminals prefer
the climate on the bay to that of the foot
hills in Sacramento County. The sum-
mer weather a Folsom is not at all agree
able to the convicts. Again, the convicts
at Folsom are in sense isolated. The
place is so far from San Francisco that
the convicts. cannot see their friends and
acquainiances as often as they like. The
chances of escape from the Folsom insti-
tuition are remote. Even if the fugitive
gets beyond the quarries or across the
American River, the path to freedom is
not clear.
mo; l do not know as a matter of fact
that plum is smuggled to the convicts at
San Quentin, but am informed that the
prisoners there bave comparatively easy
life. AS between the two prisons l know
that all The conviots prefer San Quent tin.
/ should say that Folsom is a penitentiary
where criminals are punished and San
Quentin an easy-going institution where
they are simply detained and permitted
TO lead lazy life. do not subscribe to
the belief that prisons should be main
tained to reform criminals. To my mind
the prison should be a place of punish
ment for crime-a place where the convict
should be compelled to work. To many
of them work is the greatest punishment
that could be inflicted"
1t is com mon talk among men who are
familiar with the way affairs are con-
Quoted at the institution across the bay
that San Quentin is more of a pleasure
resort than a penitentiary. Rules regard
ing the reception of visitors are not very
strict in the main, and sucn as are m ade
are frequently relaxed to accom- m cd te
the guests inside. Il the supplies fur
nished by contract do not come up to the
mark of the specification as to quality the
guests of the State make a great roar and
better food is at once provided. The fact
Is that the convicts in San Quentin prison
are better clothed, better nourished and
more considerably treated than so pei
cent of the working population of the
State. 1t is not surprising. therefore. that
the hardened criminal should appeal to
the Judge 10 be sentenced TO San Quentin
where the life is free from the hard ship of
toll, and where all the necessIlies and
some of the luXuries OF life are provided al
the expense of the taxpayers.
There is hardly room to doubt the cor
rectness of reports that prisoners acros.
the bay do get supplies of opium from the