The San Francisco call., 1897-11-14
COuVICTS OUT
ON PAROLE
Prison Directors Find Great
Good Comes From the
System.
It Is the Making of Many
Honest Citizens, so
They Say,
More Jute Ordered From India to
Prevent Running Short-Ben-
nett at Work.

There were several matters of interest
before the Board of State Prison Direc-
tors who met yesterday at San Quentin.
Lack of quorum prevented the board
from taking up any of the petitions for
parole, OF which there are many.
Warden Hale in his report to the board
stated that during the three years the
system has been in operation, but one
prisoner has conducted himself in such a
manner as to make his recall necessary.
At the present time there are about sixty
men out on parole from San Quentin and
about forty from Folsom. Warden Hale
read the monthly reports that the ticket
of-leave men are required to make OF
themselves, substantated by the Sheriff
or constable of the place in which they. re-
side, and these letters showed that nearly
every one of them is engaged in some
legitimate calling. Those who are not
have sickness for their excuse. Many of
these men have several hundred dollars
TO their account, money earned since their
probationary release.
From all that | can hear" said the
Warden. "these men are leading honest
and worthy lives, and the board has not
been imposed upon in granting them
that which will make them useful and
trustworthy citizens"
The mem bers of the board are convinced
OF this, and it is their desire to release as
many as are deserving of the considera-
tion. In this matter they are taking
every precaation. AS one Of the directors
said, they desire to save as many as possi-
bic from following criminal lives by CIV
ing them chance to reform, and al the
same time save the State from large ex-
pense for their keeping.
Warden Hale has recently returned from
the East, and during his trip he visited
nearly every penitentiary of note. He
reported that in nearly all the same sys-
tenn of management is pursued. There is !
but one place, he thought, where lhe sys- !
tenn Is better. and that is the Cherry Hill /
prison in Philadelphia. There conyicts |
are kept in solitary confinement and never |
allowed to speak 10 any one except their !
guards. They are even blindfolded upon |
entering the prison in order to keep them !
from knowing the plan of the building. !
Nowhere are the prisoners better fed |
than in this State. In some of the prisons !
visitors are adm tied to the workroom of |
the prisoners upon the payment of a !
small admission fee, which, considering |
the large mum bers who go, helps out to |
some extent in the expenses.
The Warden's report of the lutemill !
showed: Numter of grain bags on hand. !
!, 876, 500; mum Der sold durln the month, ]
4 258, 925; shipped, 4,102, 728: sold awaiting /
shipment, 156, 200; on hand available for |
sale, l, ,720, 300. Raw jute on hand in ware !
houses, 2Sl6 bales, which will run the |
mills until about March l, 1899. Jute /
contracted for to arrive, 5000 bales Com !
paraEve output of the jute m Ill for October: |
1893, 3C12 cuts grain baggIng; 1894, 1884; |
1885. 3640; 1896, 1850; 1897, 4022.
The amount of jute, as shown, will only |
next March and the !
way will keep the mill running until |
about February, 1898. Should anything !
happen to the sailing vessel that IS on the |
way the mill would nave to be shut down. |
To prevent anything like this from hap
pening the directors decided that as the
present price OF jute is lower than usual
it would be be tier 10 send on to India for |
another 1000 bales, TO be sent By steamer. |
The meeting of the directors brought
Joy to one man-WiIliam Edwards, or
BILLY" as he was Familiarity called for
the past twelve years. Fourteen years ago
q number of men congregated in a little
house several miles out from Auburn
Placer County, and liquor of the moon
shine order flowed freely. The orgy euded
in the killing of one man. The testimony
was that this man had Edwards in cor
ner humping him bruJally and that Ed
wards shot and killed his assallant. The
verdict was imprisonment for life, and as
Edwards was, and is still, young man,
the sentence was regarded, as severe
During his stay in prison Edwards has
been messenger in the Wardens Of
fee and a most exemplary prisoner
The cause OF his great JOY was that the
board decided to recommend that his sem
tence be commuted to twenty years. With
his good department credits he will be q
free man in fourteen months. Many
prominent citizens have interested them
luaa in n hoha oil