The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-08-23


An old Californian who knew Aull
and his famous prison when both were
in their prime, and spent much time
with Aull and his flock OF desperadoes
years ago. gave the following interest
ing account OF both the other day.
THE fact that such an outbreak as
that reported Is possible at Folsom
now" he said, "is proof positive to me
that since AulI passed away there has
been no one to take his place and keep
. the institution up to the high mark
he set. In Aulls time such an out
/ break would have been possible for
few minutes had there been any pris-
oners desperate enough to make the
attempt. but at least a dozen new
graves would nave had to be dug the
next day for the dead.
"AulI was a remarkable old man. He
was as gentle and soft-hearted a man
as ever lived. but that jail was his
idol. and he would have killed a thous-
and men before he would allow an es-
cape to mar it's good reputation.
1T was he who refused to have
walls about the prison. He said he
could keep any number of men, no
matter how desperate they were, with
out the protection OF walls. and,
though IL cost much blood for him to
prove 1t. he proved 1t In the end.
"AuII had a system for keeping pris-
oners In the first place on all the
watch towers he had gatling guns.
These guns were arranged so that they
covered every possible avenue OF es-
cape. so that no matter how serious
an uprising came. the fire of at least
one gun could be turned on the spot
where II was worst
NO man who couldn't use rifle
with skill could remain at Folsom I'M
der Aull. as a keeper. once every
week the keepers were obliged to prove
their efficiency at the target. and IL
man fell below IS out of a possible
100 three times he was dismissed FROM
the service OF the prison.
Now Aull got the most desperate
kind OF men as prisoners There were
train robbers. murderers. outlaws
bandits. every kind of Western GRIM
inaI. and almost all OF them men who
came to him for life, or for terms 50
long that there was little chance or
their ever finishing them. They were
men who had very little to lose in
skIrmish for liberty and therefore they
had to be handled with the greatest
care. They were men who constantly
plotted some means OF escape. and IL
had TO be firmly impressed upon them
that death. certain death. was the re-
suit OF even an attempt to get away.
AT any rate. that was the theory
that AulI held. and how he carried out
his theory makes the mountaineering
chapter in the history OF this remarka-
bic man and his remarkable prison
When a man came to Folsom for Hte
or n long sentence. Aull would take
him into his Office. invite him TO sit
down and talk to him Ike this;
Pete. I reckon you figure on es-
Gaping from here sooner or later, ana
NAV be taking some OF the other boys
with YOU Now, Pete, / want TO ten
Won I haven't the slightest objection
TO you trying.
There's no bread and water oiet
in this prison and no dark Gems. anu
when a man tries to get aV-' ir'P
here and we get him back. Pete we
either bury him or we treat airn just
as well as we ever did. Mlst OF thN
time we bury him, Pete
Z" There's a few men working out
there in the yard. Pete, with red sr'rIs
on. Those are some fellows who have
made attempts to get away and nave
been brought back. When that rap
pens we put red shirts on tfsm.
Now, II you'll take little walk
with me. Pete. I'll show you some OF
the other fellows that we brought
back and didn't have to put red shirts
on and then old Aull would He MS
man out and stroll through the grav'-
yard with him.
The man would read the inscriptions