The record-union., 1899-08-18
The CHAIN GANG AGAIN.
THE s'MAJoR" HAD SOMETHING
TO DO WITH 1T.
An Agreement Made by Supervisors
Between Meetings Of the
Board.

At yesterdays meeting of the Board
of Supervisors, George l.. Hughes, at
torney for the State Commission III
Lunacy, appeared and requested that
action be taken on the several claims
against the county for the support OF
insane persons committed. to the Stock
ton and Napa Insane Asylums from
Sacramento County.
The aggregated claims amounted 10
over $4,000, but upon examination 1t
was found that the statute of limlta-
ton had run against many of them,
and that they were no longer legal
claims against the county District At
torney Baker and Attorney Hughes re-
Gently examined and segregated the
legal claims, amounting to $1,OI4, and
it was to these that Attorney Hughes
referred.
Assistant District Attorney Wach-
horst was called and explained the SIT
uation to the satisfaction of the mem
bers present-Curtis, Gillis and Jenkins.
The question of the approval of the
segregated claims went over until TINS
morning.
On motion of Gillis, he and Jenkins
retired to examine plans and spec1f1ca-
tions for a steel vault for the Treasur-
er's office, presented by two san FRAN
cisco firms. Two hours were consumed
by them in the examination, and when
they finally returned their report was
postponed until this morning.
Captain Zittinger and Lieutenant
Ruhstaller of Company G, and
Captain Kay, Company E, Sec
ond Infantry, N. G. c., appeared
for the purpose of requesting the Su-
pervisors to make a donation from the
immigration fund to assist in trans
porting the two companies to San
Francisco to take part in the celebra-
ton of the return of the California
troops from Manila on the 25th in
slant
Assistant District Attorney Wach-
horst informed Chairman Curtis that
there was nothing to hinder the board
making such appropriation from the
fund if the members desired so to do.
Owing to the protracted absence from
the room of Jenkins and Gillfs the
matter went over until this morning.
1t was after ) o'clock when Messrs.
Gillis and Jenkins returned, and Sher-
iff Johnson, who had been patiently
waiting, informed the board that owing
to the fact that prices of provisions
were so high and prisoners so few, it
was hard to break even" when sup
plying the latter with food at 10 cents
per meal He said that since the board
had made it's order reducing the al
lowance from 12Ia to 10 cents per meal,
potatoes, beans and meat had all gone
up, and only bread could be had as
cheaply as then He requested that
the order be revoked and that the al
lowance be increased to 1215 cents per
meal, as formerly.
Sheriff Johnson said he had only
about thirty prisoners in the County
Jail-a remarkably low number-and
that he had that morning sent four
teen or fifteen of them out in the chain
gang.
Then Jenkins took the floor. He look
ed suspiciously around and then said
he had understood that the board had
adopted a resolution abOlishing the
chaingang
When was hateresolution rescinded,
and by whom?" inquired Jenkins.
Chairman Curtis said he believed it
had been agreed last Tuesday that the
chaingang should be reinstated, and
that the Major (McLaughlin) had
had something to do with it,
Well" returned Jenkins, Il didn't
agree to such a thing, and the board
was not in session on Tuesday last
The chaingang was abolished by vote
of this board. and ! am of the opinion
that it can be reinstated only by such
vote" He said that in view of the ad-
vance in prices he did not deem the re-
quest of Sheriff Johnson to have the
allowance per meal raised an unreason-
able one, but he protested against any
one member resembling the action OF
the board and again starting the chain
gang
Neither Curtis nor Gillis had aught
to say. and Sheriff Johnson suggested
that the board was depressing some
what. He again said that he had but
thirty-two or thirty-three prisoners in
Jail, and found it difficult to provide
food for so small a number at the
price fixed by the board
"Oh. that's all right" said Jenkins;
prisoners viii come in fast enough
when they learn that the chaingang
has been re-established and that they
will get three square meals per day"
Sheriff Johnson said he did not think
the chaingang was drawing card.
Jenkins said that while he had no OBJ
lection to making an allowance suitable
TO feed the prisoners. he should advise
deferring action until there was fuller
attendance.
There hasn't been a sack of pota-
toes bought for the County Hospital in
two months" said Gillis. with an ex-
preston as though a point was being
scored.
yes. and I call that a shame and 6
disgrace" said Curtis.
Jenkins agreed with Curtis, and the
chaingang and its re-establishmenr
having been properly lost in the
shuttle, Sheriff Johnson's request was
laid over until Mclaughlin or Morri-
son or both should be present.
A communication received by Super
visor Curtis from the Chairman of the
Yolo County Board was read, announc'
ing that a special meeting of that body
had been called for Wednesday next tC