Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-21
HARPIN TELLS HIS STORY
Ex.wARpEN OF PRISON BEFORE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
His Testimony contradicts that OF
Supt. Cakes and 10 Detrimental to
That offieiai-A Recess Taken until
Early in August.

Stunt. Cakes and 10 Detrimental to
That offieiai-A Recess Taken until
Early in August.
L. b. Harpin of Windsor, former
warden at the state prison, discharged
by ex-Supt. cakes for reasons which
Cakes has never made public, testi-
fled before the investigating committee
in the hearing on state prison affairs
at Bellows Falls Friday, July IA. The
import of his story was exactly con-
trary to that of Former Superintend-
ent +. w. Cakes who had previously
testified. At the close of the days
session the committee adjourned untii
sometime early In August.
At the morning session y. Z. tut
tie of Rutland was examined. he was
satisfied that Cakes was conducting
the prison as economically as posi-
BILE, nor was he aware that John g.
cakes. his brother, was paid too much
In regard to Mrs. Cakes. the witness
produced a letter from NJ. o. Perkins.
resident director to the effect that
Mr.. cakes had received call TO a
higher salaried position In Hartford
and asking his opinion as to how ne
might be retained. Upon consulting
his attorney. Mr.. futile found that
under the statutes his salary could not
be increased. At a meeting or the
board it was their unanimous opinion
that since. by law, the superintendent
had a right to employ an assistant,
and since Mrs. Cakes had been per-
forming duties not required OF her
as wife of the superintendent. her
name might be put on the pay roll.
Witness spoke at length on the con-
Wet labor contract, saying that under
the new contract. at ~ cents per
hour and later at rs cents, the state
had a profit Of $4,000, even though II
furnished light and power, while I'M
der the 5O-cent contract the annual
deficit was $4,000. The pay for contract
labor and other income is paid TO the
superintendent. Mr. futile never
doubted but what the money was all
accounted for. The auditor. he un-
derstood, always checked the ac-
counts.
The next witness was Edward ..
|Harpin of Windsor, warden from 1883
to 1905 He testified that Parker. di-
rector then. first approached MN
about the place, telling him he had
no doubt but what it was a good
opening for him. When asked II ne
had ever written letters to friends or
the governor about taking Mr. Cakes
place he said he had written to them,
hut never tried to GUST Oakes MT
Cakes was great friend OF Or. Brew
ster of Windsor and after taxing the
Mace as warden, Mr.. Harpin also be-
came friendly with the doctor. The
witness thought this might have been
a cause for i'll feeling between them
because of oakes's jealousy
Mr.. Harpin said he did not know
about Mrs. Oakes's name being on the
paw roll until informed by the ma
iron. He said she did not understand
she performed any extra service eX-
cent when two or three prisoners We're
sick. The matter was laughed about
among the officials and servants. She
was reported to be an lnVaiu, ana
was so considered and he was told she
didn't even make her own bed. Wit
ness said that he said nothing to the
directors about removing her name,
and denied having anything to DO
about causing the investigation in the
winter and was much surprised when
summoned to appear at Montpelier.
He testified that he took one menu
|orandum with him about mileages.
which Hutchinson. the prison clerk,
gave him. Mr.. Harpin said he suspect
ed Cakes was dishonest about state
mileages, because at one time ne MN
self was sent to Waterbury with q
prisoner, using $50 miles out OF q
| thousand. A short time afterward
Harpin had occasion to go again. but
had a new book and cannot recall
that any one was sent on the railroads
on state business from the prison IN
1.-THE mean time. The mileages were
kept where no one but Cakes had &C
cess to them, and no record mas Deen
kept as to what use they were put 70.
The prison had little use for Il. q. NJ
mileages, as prisoners were almost m
yariably taken to Waterbury on the
Central Vermont. 1t was the purpose
Of the witness to use this memoran-
dunn to back up what he said. he
considered cakes dishonest in these
transactions.
Mr.. Harpin said he told Judge AL
bee a director then, about his sus-
picions among other things, and that
Mr.. Perkins resident director. could
not help but know about them. Ihat
very morning witness said he packed
nine chickens to give to Mr. Cakes 10
take to Sunapee, and told Judge Al
bee of it, Cakes had been over there
and had come back to get his daughter
Witness had seen meat in large guam
titles going into the house just be-
house in their absence and there was
Inc reason why supplies should have
been taken into the house. This was
all q matter of comment among the
lofficers The matron told of one time
when they had taken three boxes of
butter. four pounds in a box and SUI
posed they had taken it there with
| them They often brought or sent
their washing home for the conVlcts
| to do.
He also testified that DR.. Burbage OF
Woodstock, son-in-law of Cakes
snent one-half of his time at Wind
sor where he had an office. staying
with the superintendent and did not
think he ever paid any board. rms
was probably during two or three
months one summer. Witness also
said that he had seen pans of meat
going into the house just before they
went to visit the daughter at WOOD
stock. Mrs Richardson, employed
there said to witness that When any
| of the family decided to go there 1t
was 'hurrah boys to get ready IN
fact. they literally cleaned out the
house when they went She also said
that she saw the daughter just before
ending a visit at Windsor go down
cellar and get cans of meat and take
them to her room.
Witness also heard Hutchinson say
that Cakes took packages OF stamped
envelopes belonging to the state, ana
gave them to his family to use while
away. The state convicts also used
to perform labor for his brother. at
one time setting out a field OF cab
bages, tending them, gathering them
and taking them to prison in a prison
wagon, when they We're sold to the
state. At one time convict told wit
ness he had set out LOO plants that
day. To his knowledge the state was
never paid.