The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-08-01
PRISON
GUARDED
BETTER
Efficiency of Guard System
Being Promoted
Sensational Report About
Break Leaks Out

Some material improvements in the
efficiency of the guards and the sys-
tenn of guarding at the state peniten-
tiary have been inaugurated since the
escape of Tracy and Merrill In the
first place. the number of guards has
been increased slightly, as has al
ready been announced in The Journal,
and the day guards have all been
equipped with modern 30-3O rifles to
replace the antiquated firearms that
were formerly in use at the prison.
The night guards carry shotguns,
loaded with buckshot. These weapons
are considered more effective at night
than a rife. With a charge of buck
shot. there is greater liability, In the
darkness, of hitting the enemy.
Rifle practice, which had been
abandoned, has been resumed under
Second Warden Dilley. Several of the
guards have become quite accurate in
lut use vi llu'o AZ u ulobahN' VI ""'
yards.
Plans have about been formed for n
movable target The reason assigned
for discontinuing target practice was
the lack of funds on the part of the
state to purchase ammunition, and the
unwillingness of the guards them
selves to assume the expense.
Greater precaution is also taken to
defeat outside interference Formerly
during the noon hour when the prls.
oners were locked In their cells, not n
guard was left on the walls, and 1t
would not have been an oyerhazardous
undertaking most any time TO have
scaled the walls and deposited fire
arms and other missiles within the
prison enclosure. with the improved
system Of guarding that has been es'
tablished, any further intrusions ara
made almost impossible.
Why Have Ladders There2
In this connection. journal re-
porter, while conversing with prom
inent citizen this morning, was asked
the following pertinent query: why
on earth. after having constructed a
tall brick wall enclosure for the prison
yards, did the penitentiary officials pro
vide ladders within available reach Of
the convicts In the foundry building. by
the aid of which the scaling OF the
walls at any point was an easy taskY'
The question is a difficult one TO an.
swer, but brings out one fact in con
nection with the escape Of Tracy and
Merrill, that has not yet received much
attention The citizen referred to
contends that but for these ladders,
the escape of the two desperadoes,
which probably might not have been
defeated, would have been the more
difhcult and more probable Of failure.
A New Guard Post
The construction OF new guard
post on the east wall of the prison en-
closure is In progress. This will re-
duce the distance between the guard
posts there TO about $50 feet, where
before the posts on this section OF the
wall were 700 feet apart.
Were Guards Hding2
The report has gained circulation
that when Second Warden Dilley and
Turnkey Mccormick mounted the pen.
itentiary wall surrounding the enclos.
ure. on the morning OF the escape OF
Tracy and Merrill that they found
two of the guards hiding themselves
behind the stone wall on the foot
bridge. and. although armed, they were
making no effort TO intercept the es-
cape of the two cOnvicts. While this
report could not be Officially con
hmed. the rumor has just leaked out,
and il SIS known that the prison man
agement has been suppressing the
story There must be something In
the report, for. upon request. one OF
the two guards gave his resignation,
and Il is alleged that the other man
does not have any mortgage on his