The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-29
PENITENTIARY OFFICIAL WHO
FIGURES IN THE REPORT ON
THE FOLSOM OUTBREAK.

Of your report: And we are impressed with
the necessity Of thorough reorganization at
Folsom Prison And 1 am very glad that
this is now engaging our your earnest and
continued attention and We (you) Will accom-
plish IL at the earliest possible moment" ]
have every faith in your sincerity in making
this statement and hope that circumstances
will not compel you to put off its accomplish
I am not disposed to agree with those who
harshly criticize the Warden. and those who
with him were prisoners in the hands Of the
cunvicts, for. under pain Of instant death at
the hands Of their desperate captors, ordering
the free guards not to fire upon the escapes.
Even the lives OF prison officials are sweet
and dear 70 them.
But. in my opinion too much censure cannot
be visited upon those guards and officials who
obeyed the order not TO resist the escaping
prisoners. Orders given by officials in the
hands Of cOnvicts are not the orders OF the
officials, but the orders OF. he convicts
guard who under these or anv other circurn-
stances, obeys the orders Of convic.s is guilty
Of the grossest breach OF discipline and de-
serving Of the severest censure. And | re-
peat. from the evidence taken before your
board IT appears 10 be that the whole prison
force, with few exceptions. at the point OF
the outbreak became thoroughly demoralized
and for the time being absolutely inethcient-
And in my judgment. 1t is not necessary to
consider whether or not they or any Of them,
were guilty Of cOwardice
In your report you have mentioned one or
two cases Of especially noteworthy AFFECT neg
lect Of duty by prison officials at the COM
most aggravated and aggravating. examples
of this appears to ME to be the case of the
guard who, mounted on horseback and armed
with a gun, rode up at the command of the
convicts and surrendered himself and his
weapon into their hands.
note. also, your recommendation that GER
tain convicts be granted executive clemency
as a reward for services rendered to the Of
fcials at the time Of the outbreak. You men
ton particularly Joseph Casey. a life-termer;
John Martinez. serving a twenty-year sentence
since 1875; Charles Abbott. second termer,
serving life sentence: o. c. Clark ninth
termer, serving twenty-year sentence. and
William Order, third-termer. serI ing five
year sentence. / shall certainly take heed of
your recommendations in these cases, and
agree with you that convicts who aid the
prison authorities to preserve order and prison
discipline should receive some reward for their
services.
also note your disapproval Of that unjust
bias which makes the public so ready to take
the part Of desperate men confined in prisons
for infractions of the law against the prison
officials when the latter are compelled TO take
decisive steps to control their charges and pre-
perate and abandoned many of the convicts
Thoroughly in your condemnation of that public
sentiment which, knowing nothing of the true
prison conditions refuses TO believe that harsh
measures are frequently necessary to disci-
pline those men who will stop at no brutality.
even murder, to wreak their vengeance upon
those who betray their plots and conspiracies.
to effect their escape from the charge of
those whom the law has put over them. With
you, I am convinced that those who come clos
est in contact with the convicts in our prisons
know best how to manage them 1t is always
safest I think. in human affairs to look out
for the best results in any particular matter
the hands of those who expert in it.
I note also. what you say about the neces-
sity Of so improving the two prisons TO per-
NIT the substitution for the present "congre-
gate system the more modern humane and
safer method whereby each prisoner shall be
separately confined. Your board has recon-
mended this change in system. I informed.
for legislative action But I agree with you
as to it's necessity and shall hope, with you.
that the Legislature, at its next session. may
make sufficient appropriations. both for this
and such other improvements as may appear to
be necessary.
I congratulate YOU upon this statement in
your report: For years your board has en-
deavored eliminate from the anagement
OF the State prisons any political influence or
interference. and that is its present aim We
are pleased to say that we have succeeded in
this TO a very great extent, and wish to ac-
knowledge our appreciation Of your expressed
desire 10 aid In this particular"
In conclusion, gentlemen of the board let me
say that it devolves upon you to conduct the af-
fairs of the prisons. 1 have every confidence
in your desire to so conduct them that no Just
criticism can flow to you. and that. so far as
possible. they may be made what they were in
tended to be viz: places of detention and pun
ishment for those who break the law and re-
formatories for such prisoners as may be ca
pable of reform. And OF your integrity and
capablity well and properly to manage the in
stitutions committed to your care l have no
doubt. GEORGE c. PARDEE
Governor of California