Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1906-09-08
PENITENTIARY REPORT


port TO condemn and the less Is there ID Is on which 90
base furious assault % lhe Albuquerque morning
paper
Export testimony Ia Is expected 20 be ~ favor
81 iha parts to the hy whom thc expert ia ems
poycd aud paid thls reason expert testimony
% character has ons been discfedited BY Az Inn
partial thinkofa they iuow That the expert -
employed 20 give the very Testimony which is wanted
aud has been agreed upon But the reports Of acooun-
ants have heretofore pecn considered reliable 20
much The purpose for which they are employed ~
that Of simply asceftauing and Reporting facts
Unfortunately this s uot the csse IN this peniieniiatg
report No, only q o parie-tho act Of one party 70
iho absence Of tho olher-but Is manesty and gross-
ly PARTISAN labored effort 90 establish pfe-aocopten
conclusion By the gkilful manipulation Of ngurca the
result is the exhibition OF conditions but the abored
effort 10 rander plausible certain desired conclusions
This vlow OF THE Citizen u based upon a number o.
considerations few only nt which need De given
Cn The report q dated August so isVe
and in Che BODY 81 the document appear
I'VE statements roiioraiions. afhdavits. ETC. %
show that Mr. Bursum owed She teuiov 500
shlch had been paid by bis predecessor Mr. 1orgman
and enormously credited to Mr Bursum A an neon
splouous pace the end Of the report appears cor
rocton stating that Mr. nuaum had discovered this er-
ror himself voluntarily forwarded the money 20 tae
treasurer July a. 1906 than one month before
che report ls dated
tal Several references are made 10 the vital necessity
OF ropruducine certain important Journal while from
foolnoie the end Of the report appears that the book
sent 20 superintendent lreliord BY MT bufeum on
July a. isU6neary two months prior 10 the dae Of 'he
report
ts The Colorado springs expert tatea the affidavit Of
a foreman OF tlo clay bank man who upon hia own
oath admits that he carried only Ia bis head accounts
covering q period OF months and involving haaafedg Of
dollars to show that Mr. nursum has absiracted from
penltentay funds the munihcen sum OF $500 during
che years
tD A comparison Is made between the earning uuder
Mr Buraum and the earnings under Superintendent
Trelford Il Is stated that Mr. nursuma earnings for the
seven years OF his administration averaged about $1,000
MONTH and that earnings for the year 1905 averaged
si.GO3 per MONTH that the earnings rpm the came
sources under superintendent Treord for three months
April 10 10 Juy iS 1906 amounted 70 sslsst per
month Possibly says the Optic. The accountant was
aware least he neglected 10 state that The brick
plant which Is the principal source OF earnings was not
fully equipped until about TIRES years aso ana that
has been operated during the winter months ~
other words the three months 81 continuous operation
under Captain Trolford compared with the seven years
under Mr. Bursum, for the FIRST years Of which the plant
vas not completed during the remaining years or
which the plant only during the summer u rs
evident that the accountant forgot 70 mention that
tho receipts Of the superintendent have been the
result OF contracts secured BY Mr. bursuu and with ma
chinory and materials he supplied.
hut the strongest reiutaion Of this partisan report
lies Ia the reputation and achievements Of the man at
tackled. r. ~. Pierce Of Las Vegas, president Of the
board Of pontenary commissioners did hut voice the
opinion Of every impartial man Ia New Mexico when he
said.
n have carefully checked over the statement printed
Ia taat paper examining G. Item by itep Even con-
STRUNG tho figures there given strongly as posaipe
against Mr nursum. / unable 90 nnd any shortage
a
Il 20 surprising that expert could find e;fors OF
such an amount account covering aeMn years
and including oxpedituro Of some $4,000 4 year, ana
II such discrepancy does in fact exist Il y undoubtedly
due 70 inadvertence error IN boohkelpng For my
part believe that the accounts ~ NJ huraum are alb
aoutey straight and that 10 any Investigation at wh'ea
he aas opportunity TO be heard all apparent impropr
etlea will be satisfactorily explained
Every one knows that Mr. Rursum took hold oi tae
penitentary at a time when Ct wreck from every
possible point OF View and when d seemed Impossible
10 put a sound business basis Nevertheless, he
succeeded in building up a model peral Institution that
wlihstod the sorutiny Of who have made penuogy
life study They declared that Il stood very near u
the head of an she federal state and territorial
prisons IN tho United States According even to the re-
Port under consideration. no increased the conyicts
earnings IN six years from 81 goo ~ $4,000 year,
gain Of thousand per cent lie Introduced economies
until cost only about 40 cents per day for edng ana
80 pcr prisoner per day maintain the institution
build famoEa scenic highway 90 contribute material
and labor 90 public institutions 20 the value Of tens Of
thousands Of dollars 20 create permanent improvements
including magnificent brick manufacturing plant, be-
sides ai nodontas and cost Of management This rec
ord not be duplicated from the report Of any other
penal institution In the United states, A. the same
time convlcs earnings amounted 30 over $3.50 year
each Including halt the blind the crippled the ds-
ablod che weak aud the lazy. This Is record that
speaks for itself But than this are the meth
Of discipline he introduced that have brought fruitful
results In not only governing the institution but Ia ~
forming its inmates.
Finally the honesty and integrity Of AR. BuTaum
stands high his ability and faithfulness They are
not doubted BY any business man IN New Mexico The
Citizen has aud again during the past praised
M BurHum and His management Of the territorial pons-
tcnary and q finds nothing IN the socaed expert re-
port which u 10 revise is opinion 10 deny that
Mr d OF the strongest and cleanoat men a.
the political life Of New Mexico today, that his personal
honesty Is above suspicion and that HIS unsclhahnea'
Tor the welfare OF his party and this territory mol
be questioned successfully hy amy one.
The republican territorial central committee waici
assembled la this clay today consists Of nfy-oHe mem
each from the twenty ave counties and one
the territory al large more thoroughly repre-
sentative body of could not be ASocted IN New
Mcxloo. a body they would do honor 20 any stat
In the great American Union. The Citizen welcome