The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-29
MARTIN IS
QUESTIONED
AT TRENTON
Continued from First rage,

/ lAAdI thG 10 " 8A1AA1 AAbAA& A8&OAAAAA ~
be sworn to before moneys were paid. The
Comptroller had told Martin that he wanr-
ed detailed statements but he had not
| Unfinished them. He had the vouchers
now but the Comptroller said he did not
want vouchers but the money. The fault
for this situation lay with the Legislature
not furnishing enough money to run the
institution properly.
In reply to Mr.. Backes Captain Martin
said that no member Of any Legislative
committee has ever visited the institution
to ascertain its needs.
Relative to the employment of convict
labor at the refermatory Captain Martin
said there had never been more than 100
boys employed at any one trade.
Witness said that while the reformatory
was based on the theory that first Offend
ers should only be sent there, hardened
criminals were sent to him and had the
effect of debauching the boys. He had
been advised that he could not refuse to
take the hardened criminals. The fault
lay with the judges who sent him hard
ened criminals instead Of sending them to
the State prison. Regarding this wrong to
the institution, Captain Martin said that
the superintendent should be given the
power to refuse to take these criminals.
Boys are sent there from fifteen years old
to men at thirty-eight years. Governor
Murphy had advised the Reformatory
commission that the institution must re-
ceive all men or boys sent there.
1t was shown hat one man who testified
to being convicted twice of the crime of
sodomy had been sent to the reformatory,
and Mr.. Backes said that the committee
was impressed with this being wrong.
Captain Martin said that the same judge
sent the man to the reformatory twice
for the same crime. Captain Martin said
that the r~eformatory had really became
a penal institution, a State prison, through
Judges sending hardened criminals TO the
institution.
Relative to the labor at the reformatory,
Captain Martin testified that the work at
serving machines did not learn the inmates
any trade which would be useful to them
when they earned their control.
The Captain sad that it was necessary
to work the boys now to get enough
money for their support. Witness said
that this was a wrong system, that these
boyN should be taught trades, and the
State stand the expense of their mainte-
| nance. The institution was to reform, to
make useful men out Of maynard boys.
He had continually called attention to
these things in his reports.
Relative to supplies. Captain Martin
said they were purchased by competitive
AA1ill - - BC'DAbAt 1AAt1i No1A AAND 49,
lately been purchased by competitive bid
ding. after advertising. Captain Martin
said that in 1905 there was advertising and
competitive bidding, but he could not be
sure about 1906.
p. A. Galley, chief engineer OF the re-
formatory, first tests, and then everything
Is advertised. This was the situation in
1906. Witness could not be sure about 1906.
Turning to the necessities of life, Mr..
T1n-fra. k--.v. tLnA An hTa.rnr,Lo,. oC 100E
| there was paid a Railway dealer named
Mertons s7O6.5 80. but Captain Martin de-
clared this amount wNs made up Of many
items and no one item came up to the 5000
amount, beyond which the law required
advertising ard competitive bidding. At
the end Of every six months different deal
ers were asked prices. There is COMPETE
tive bidding. but not after ADVERTISING
declared Captain Martin. Groceries are
purchased the same way. No grocer has
a running account with the Institution,
no transaction running over $500 in one
an cunt.
rs this done to evadc the law?'' asked
Mr.. Backes.
NO" was the reply.
Captain Martin said he could not tell
WHAT the dietary was. although 1t was
changed from day 10 day. The chef told
him every day, but he did not charge his
hiiiu Win tnt 1ttihSs Ilb uiu Know IL WIS
changed from day to day, and no boy ever
knew IN advance what he was going to
get to eat. Mr.. Backes said the commit
tee was Of the opinion that h dietary
was poor, and asked the witness If he knew
1t was the practise for an officer to strike
an inmate down for asking for more food.
Captain Martin said no such thing ever
happened. Asked If this did not occur last
week, Captain Martin declared such was
not tha fnnt nh tE1o. - --
took the testimony Of one inmate against
another.
Mr.. Backes showed that according to the
rules Of the reformatory no boy can apply
for a change of employment to the super
intendent without being punished. He
asked witness if that was not the system
Of Peter the Great. The captain said the
rule was a dead letter in thA institution,
but had been established by the managers
and must stand until they rescinded it.
Regarding the appointing of officials Of
the institution. Captain Martin testified
that ex-senator Strong, of Middlesex
County, had made every possible effort to
1and every appointee, had tried to NEEDLE
with the institution in every way. But
he turned down Strong, and now Strong
loves him no more.
When Captain Martin came to the insti-
tuition he found it full of Mlddlesex County
men IN official capacities.
"All henchmen Of Dory Strong?" dueried
Mr.. Backes.
''Well, yes" replied the witness, as no
went on to say that he was trying to
get men as officials from all over the
State.
Regarding the contention of Mr.. Backes
that the institution is over-oflicered witness
testified to there being thirty men under
State pay in the laundry
1t was shown that the Institution wagon
went around Railway collecting the family
wash of all officers. the clothes of all such
families and laundered 1t free of all ex-
pense to them. This was part of their
wages. according to Captain Martin.
Witness said that the surplus veget-
ables from the reformatory farm were de-
livered to officers families. and that the
families OF Captain Martin and his sons
sonal calls.
Mr.. Backes brought out that Louis Fluid.
Of this city. had the contract for supply
Ing leather for shoes for the institution.
He declared the contract was won on fair
competition bidding.
Private officers get 1,350 n year; the as
sistants. $50. Expenses are paid by the
State every week. Regarding the early
history Of the r~eformatory. Captain Martin
sa.d the first commissioners built the large
dome. then afterward cells for inmates.
Mr.. Backes said he had gone over all the
books. but could not find a complet record
of early disbursements. He wanted to
know who could give that information, and
aptain Martin said he oould mott ta1I hfo,