Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-14
EX-SUPT. CAKES TESTIFIES
SPECIAL COMMITTEE INQUIRIES
INTO STATE PRISON AFFAIRS.
Lax Business Methods and Petty Graft
Admitted-Offica Use Convict La
Dor Free for Private Use-StartIinq
Disclosures Expected.


Disclosures Expected.
5 The special committee appointed by
: the last legislature consisting of
Charles Il. Spofford of Morrisvile, Col.
II. r. Brigham of Bakersfield and Gen.
, N.'G. Williams of Bellows Falls. in
Y company with Gov. Bell, met in Wind :
} sor Tuesday July IL, and made most
thorough inspection of the state prop
: erty. Lack of hotel accommodations
caused the committee to go to Bellows
Falls and AT the probate office il began.
wednesday morning. a series of hear
ings that, according to as good an au-
thorty as Gov. Bell. will probably de-
velop sensational disclosures of ma
, ture that will startle Vermont.
The hearing, Wednesday. was con-
} Quoted with all the formalities Of law.
GOV Bell was present and occasional
ly asked questions Attorney Cen
eral Fits conducted the examination,
He stated that all phases of the man
agement would be entered upon and
that every available witness would be
examined and that every effort would
be made to throw light on the abuses
said to have existed
Former Superintendent E. w. Cakes
took the stand Wednesday morning
He had for his counsel s. S. Palmer
and G. A. Davis. The financial laxity
at the prison in the past is being in
lvestigated first. and will undoubtedly
occupy the attention of the board for
some time.
Mr.. Oakes was appointed superin-
tendent in May. 1888 resigning last
March. While there he received 500
a month and living expenses. Mr..
| Oakes testified that his duties We're to
look after the prisoners the purchas-
| ing of supplies and other things. At
torney General Fits questioned the
witness very closely on the subject
of food supplies he had bought while
at the prison.
/ Ex-Supt. Oakes continually asserted
that he tried to purchase everything as
cheaply as possible, making many in
quiries of different firms. He said that
| on the average it took 1000 tons, of
coal to run the plant, which he bought
at the lowest possible prices. paying
about s4.45 a ton. Most of the other
supplies have been purchased in Bos-
ton and New York. No public adverts-
| ing has ever been employed. Convict
labor is contracted at present at Is
cents per day, and prisoners capable
of doing a good days work are en-
ployed
The superintendent has right to
keep conyicts. up to certain number.
working outside the prison in the
state. 1t was brought out that prison
officials have used convict labor for
their private USE the state receiving
no compensation, the witness testify
ing that Harpin of Windsor and his
brother. John G. Oakes, have done so
a number of times.
Upon being asked to state the meth
cd of keeping his accounts, witness
stated that all goods bought and all
money paid out, were entered in their
proper division, in daybook. and af-
terwards posted in ledger. A cash
book is kept, in which all money re-
ceived and paid out, and for salaries,
is put down. There is a shop book.
showing each days labor: record of
the officers and guards, showing the
number of prisoners working and the
conduct of the officers; a record Of the
conduct of all prisoners, their time or
sentence and discharge, terms of sem
tence and descriptions
The witness testified that allowance.
for good behavior was deducted from
the minimum sentence on the authorl-
ty of the directors.
In 1897 a book-keeper was hired to
care for all the books The reason for
this which Oakes gave, was that there
were more prisoners now than any
time since 1879 or 1880 and that never
before was the correspondence as great.
One of the most important points OF
evidence brought out was that the
wife, brother and son of Oakes had
been on the pay roll at some time or
other. John G. Oakes, a brother. was
employed for number of years as
guard. receiving $50. while others re-
ceived only S25. with nearly the same
duties. This was under the authority
Of the directors No one succeeded
him, the witness saying that the direc-
tors desired him to be economical.
The wife of the witness. he testified.
was entered on the pay roll in 1897 as
At that time he was Of
'ered a position in Hartford with much
higher salary. The enrolment of Mrs.
oakes as prison employe was intended
% increase the income of the witness.
nasmuch as the laws of the state pre-
yented the directors from raising his
alary. The witness said this might
lave been the reason. although the di-
ectors never told him so. He said his
yife's name. as a result of carelessness,
lever appeared on the public report.
irs Oakes received s25e per month,
With nearly the same duties as before.
lis son. Luther Oakes, was employed
He received $50 a month.
nd was required to guard the prison.
RS while they worked.
One of the most startling disclosures
-as the matter of telephone and tele-
raph bills. The witness stated that
ne state bills and his own had been
ept together ever since the telephone
as put in several years ago. However.
fter the visit of the legislative COM
int hn
asst bills: and. picking out what ne
,ought were his own expenses made
bill of them. but neglected to pay
lem.
He also stated that the state owes
i'm about 5000 i'm fees for conducting
ate prisoners to court. A few years
20. Auditor II. F. Graham ruled that
le SUPERINTENDENT should pay travel
q expenses out of his own pocket.
I'd then the state would pay him is
nts per mile each way which would
ore than cover expenses. In fact.
axes stated that there was always
oft If there was necessity OF re-
aiming longer than two days the
ate would pay the extra expense
.fore this the superintendent re-
ived nothing except his expenses.
Atty. Fits. during the examination.
arply questioned the ex-superintend-
[ about the reports that he had taken
ate mileages for his own use. sent
ate supplies to his daughter in
and used them at his cot
ge at Lake Sunapee. Mr. Oakes.
wever. emphatically denied the re-
rts but Ii was brought out that he
ew pay during his frequent vaca-
ms at his summer cottage. He had
lsed Director Woodfin for vacations
ice. he said. and got them He took
the cottage bread. butter. vegetables