The San Francisco call., 1898-03-11

SACRAMENTO, March 10-A coun- terfeiter's layout has been discovered at Folsom within the State prison walls, the last spot on earth where one would look for the illegal minting of -' Uncle Sam's coin. If there is a place in the broad universe where neither or, .9a-xt--gify TOT 5cn1and for the nse of money arises 1t is within the walls of the State prison; at least such is the general impression of people who are without experience with criminals. To those who have had dealings with men sentenced to long terms of imprison- bnent for the commission of crime 1t is known that there is no passion or de- sire stronger than the predilection of a prisoner to carry upon his person some small amount of money. On the part of many it becomes a mania. and they will resort to all sorts of devices and any kind of a subterfuge to withhold a few pieces of coin from the Warden upon entering the prison. Secretary Smith, in speaking of this peculiarity on the part of prisoners, once said to The Call correspondent:
 You would be surprised to know what difficulty we have in securing money from the prisoners who are brought here No second termer ever comes without an endeavor to conceal upon his person some bit of money. l have known them to have five-dollar pieces covered with cloth and sewed upon their vests as buttons. They con- in hair r6 ears. and we are not always successful in obtaining possession of 1t. Not long ago I brought s75 worth of books for our library with money found around the prison grounds-money that had been hidden by convicts or carried in, notwithstanding the precaution we take to relieve all the prisoners of every cent they have upon their per son when entering for registration
 But while it may not be astonish- ing to find this overwhelming desire on the mart of convicts to conceal their snare change, there is probably no nrison in the United States where the criminals successfully operated and circulated bogus coin, manufactured within the prison walls uiioel tiie very eyes of the officers.
 
 Tally whose station is at the rock crushing plant, has had his susplclohs aroused by the peculiar conduct ol some of the prisoners under ms con trol. At first he thought these whlsper- ings and signals were carried on Ill tne manning of some scheme to smugele III on,urn. This is a very common mat ter at the prison, and only last weeh Guard Lamphry burned ten pounds oi the drug which had been surreptlllouS' ly brought within the conhnes-
 After three or four days Of Watcnlhe Jallv informed Superintendent Iaylor and both became convinced that some deeper plot was being laid, ana they became more deternined than ever U ascertain the cause of so mucn suP- pressed excitement among the conVlcls
 Yesterday they were rewarded. some time during the morning Jaliy Nh- formed Taylor that there was some thing wrong in the engine room lay Tor gathered about him Guards Jaliy and Silak, and the three made rush for the engine room. Convicts Cayhe and Brown were encountered, and as the officers rushed in both conV1cts leaped through window in the engine room and ran to the tank of the ca nal. which was within a short distance , of the engine house One of the guards followed them. while the others pro- ceeded to inspect the engine room.
 As the convicts reached the edge of '' the canal there was a splash of muddy water. The crucible and dies they had
 
 sion of those in pursuit. The quick