The San Francisco call., 1899-03-12
SHIELDS MAKES
A FUTILE PLEA
A VindicatiOn Meaning
Nothing.
THE GUARDS PlTEOUS APPEAL
WHY WARDEN HALE IS IN AN
AWKWARD POSITION.
THE GUARDS PlTEOUS APPEAL
Captain Edgar Becomes opportunely
Ill, While 'Stool Pigeon" Cooper
Is Sent to the Dungeon
as a Schemer.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

/ SAN QUENTIN PRISON, March IL
Guard J. +. Shields asked for a morsel Of
food and received a stone. The man who
was discharged from San Quentin prison
with a dark blot upon his escutcheon be-
cause a crafty felon had accused him of
SHINING had the courage to violate prece-
dent by appearing before the Board of
State Prison Directors yesterday and ask
ing for an investigation. He made no re-
quest for reinstatement; he uttered no
recriminations. His simple request was
that he be accorded an investigation.
With him came several witnesses whom
he expected to disprove the allegations
made by a convict stool pigeon" In
straightforward, manly way he told the
board that all he desired was to yindicate
himself of the charges that he had been
a party to the carrying of arms and
ammunition to prisoners and to SNUG
Cling opium into the penitentiary-
Gentlemen" he said, Il am a married
man and have little children who prattle
about my knee and call me father. do
not wish these little ones to grow up and
have it hurled into their faces that their
father connived at terrible crime II
this black stain is not washed OH my
name that is what will happen. Besides.
it is hard for dlshonored man to OBTAIN
work, and in order TO provide food, cIoIh-
ing and the common comforts OF Afe Tor
nv family work L must have. BRING
this man Cooper forward; hear his story,
hear mine and the proof 1 have to back
it up. Then judge between US.
Just five minutes were required lor
Shields to understand that he should have
had an attorney present, that ne was 10
be vindicated in d manner that leIt ms
case the same as before. Director WlIk-
ius didn't like the work that was done,
but he had to stand It. r5o,o at
"Gentlemen,'' said Warden Hale, ,, ,
wish to say that what Mr. Shields mas
asserted is unqualitiedly false. l have not
charged him with smuggling arms INTO
the prison, and told him would not take
a convfct's word. | discharged MIN pc
cause after this occurrence found thdt
he was not a good man to keep.
Director DeVlin took up the written re-
quest for an investigation and read IL 10
the board. Then he informed Shlelds that
as the Warden denied the making OF such
a. charge and refused to make one the
petition for an investigation was unneceS-
sarv. Director Wilkins said the Warden
had a perfect right to employ ana as
charge men as he saw flt' ana tnat IN
such matters the board had no JurlSdic-
tion; but in his opinion the desire OF the
guard for chance to clear his name was
ives nassfonately retorted Shields,
hut the Warden has said l smuggled
opium into the prison. want that IN
vestigated. l was up before him month
ago on that charge" e
necessary 1 can prove it by Captain Bir-
lem, Guard Alden and by convicts"
Then prove it,, hotIy demanded lei a6i,n1
into this prison a month ago and that you
knew it, If you knew it why did you Keep
me employed for thirty days after you
had proof 1 was concerned in crime?'
This was a body blow for which the
Warden had no guard. He hesitated, and
finally intimated that he might give ms
reasons later Devlin here came to the
rescue and said no request was made for
an investigation of the opium story IN the
written petition and it could not be con
sidered. AS for the @ other eShdggfe. SbiGf5s tnf ne
having smuggled arms into the 1nsutu-
ton. and therefore it was ridiculous
to ask for an investigation on that score.
At this Hale again grew excited. declaring
that when Cooper said he had twice given
Shields money he connected 1t with the
opium charge, and thought 1t time TO
Ing thai he put no faith in what the con-
vict had related to him
The incident was then closed by Direct
ors Fitzgerald, Hayes and Ray arranging
themselves on Devlins side. Shields had
to take his bitter pill in silence, and left
the room After the session was con-
came the most highly recommended of
any guard in the prison and that there
was no doubt he had the sympathy of all
the prison attaches. He also was willing
r. admit that nearly all the proof against
him rests on the word of a convict
There were other peculiar happenings
~ the meeting of the board. The case OF
tba eight convicts charged with a con-
sniracy to escape was laid over until the
Anril meeting on account of the alleged
opportune sickness Of Captain pt l. !. Edgar
Taken in conjunction with the fact that
the the same same meeting, this is considered sig,
nificant. 1t, is well known that Hale and
Edgar are intensely jea3Sus Gus Of each h 9th 9TH
eaas eT and ana RaVe and Dse there are not few at
San quentin and for that hat N %atteE else
VA it1' eynTess their belief that for campaign
nltu 81 ateriai The tale of Cooper is a good
thing and deserves to be "sh9yed along
4aIdeW that Cunning Cooper had handed
bim ffTaay largesized air gold brick by affirming
his intention to place Cooper n the the dun
6eeetirI of fhe Prison Board. For man
he'ise WSe is no o. Mason and yet confers thirty
third degrees of that order on his fellow
prisoners for 81 80 head this Will De