Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-09-22
MORE PRISON TESTIMONY
HEARING OF INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE At WINDSOR.

HEARING OF INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE At WINDSOR.
Contractor A. e. Mann . Witness
Says oskss Was Seldom to Be
Found-aarpin Was Good Officer
John oakss Denies Scandal.
A short hearing was held before
General Williams and Mr.. Brigham OF
the prison investigating committee AZ
Tn wardens Office In the states
prison AT Windsor Monday, September
is. Governor Bell. Attorney General
Fits, Judge c. $. Palmer and gilbert
A. Davis, counsel for ex-Superintend-
.ent Cakes. and Enright Buck, coun-
sci for ID. Harpin. were present. Inc
only witnesses called We're Arthur ~,
Mann, who has the contract for the
employment of the convict labor under
the firm name of A. f. Mann a Co.,
and John Cakes, brother OF ex-
Superintendent cakes.
Mr.. Mann. who lives In Windsor
about eight months In the year testi-
fled that he had had contract for
the convict labor since 1895. The
present contract expires next May.
work and has certain power lights
and heat furnished him. He de-
scribed his relations with Superin-
tendent Cakes, Warden Harpin and
the directors, saying that the war
den visited the inside shop about ev-
cry day while Superintendent Oakes
would not go into the shop more than
three or four times year to the WIT
ness's knowledge. Mr.. Mann said he
thought the superintendent ought 10
visit the shop oftener than he did 10
keep in touch with affairs. He him
self was in about every day that ne
was in town.
He also told of his unsuccessful ell
forts to meet the directors at various
times, through Mr.. Cakes. to urge
some small repairs and at one time
to put electric lights in the upper
floor of the inside shop and notning
resulted from his efforts. He de-
scribed an interview with the resident
director when he asked permission 10
build some stairs on the outside OF
the shon for the benefit Of the female
employees and was told that II was
impossible to allow 1t to be done.
The fact was brought out by the
commissioners that there were no
fire escapes on the three story build
ing used by him. built upon iand
owned by the state. He said that the
discipline of the prison was good and
he gave the credit to Mr.. Harplh.
who, he said, was tactful in his man
agement of prisoners, attentive 10
business and always to be found.
He wrote a letter to Governor Bell
January 10. 1906. recommending the
appointment of Mr.. Harpin as super
intendent should Mr.. Cakes resign
He did not say anything to the direc-
tors about the appointment. He saio
his recommendations of Harpln were
on his own authority, and unsolicited.
Witness did not know of any graft
nor how the institution was run Dy
the superintendent except as ne op-
served the affairs of the inside SHOP
as above stated.
He created a mild sensation when
he said that he had used his innu-
ence with Mr.. Harpin and Mr.: Oakes
TO get an interview for a friend OF
his. a Boston reporter, with Mary ROC
ers and had failed. He said ne nao
nothing to do about getting a local re-
porter in for the same paper ana ulu
not know Miss Batchelder. He never
heard Of her until after the inter-
view was published.
Mr.. Mann said the trusty convicts
were given more liberty than they
ought to have.
John cakes, who worked under
SUPERINTENDENT Cakes in 1881 for a
few months and again from 1854 70
1901 described his duties In detaii
while an employee Of this institution
and told of his packing vegetables for
his brother in a trunk to take 70 Like
Sunapee several times. He DID not
know of any chickens or meat pehs
taken over there. He had picked a
20 q
the state grounds but that was all
He, had used his brothers mileage 10
travel on. He supposed this was KEPT
In a drawer with the state mileages'
Some of the convicts had hoed oul
some cabbages in his own yard TWO vi
three times and he had known 0!
conyicts working at Mr. Harplns anu
no account made OF II. a., >,
He had a raise in July from szo ~
$50 per month in 1895 because t le
thought he was worth more ana ne
had more responsibility than the otn-
err guards and could make more out
side This was procured by asking
the superintendent.
Mr. cakes denied the story OF undue
intimacy with a female empioye az
testified to by an ex-guard at the near
ing in Boston He said that as a mem
Der of the firm of Deane q Oakes mt
had sold supplies to the state prisoI
and had got no better prices tnat
were charged local liverymen, VINO
bought grain, ETC.. in large quantities
In Mr.. Oakes's opinion the cost o.
CARRYING on the farm with CONVEX
labor would be about the same al
with free hired labor. His methoo o.
testifying was strikingly like that O
his brother, his memory was poor ane
his testimony brought out little OF I'M
portance.
ATTORNEY General Fits announced
that he would go to Burlington Tues
dav night to assist in the William!
murder trial on Wednesday and dit
NOT know when the investigation
would be resumed. Contrary TO INT
general expectation. Mrs. Mary Rog
ers was not brought before the com
mittee, it being decided to hold a fur
Their session when it is probable ina
her connection with the prison scan
daI will be thoroughly ventilated
Nearly all the evidence relating u
prison graft is now in and at the mex
session it is expected that further al
legged acts of immortality will be in
vestigated
Charged with Disappointing Funds
A. j. Ferris of Swanton and Boston
Mass, president of the Peoples Ma
tional bank of Swanton at the TIM
when it went into the hands of re
ceiver, August 10. 1904. was arrested