Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-18
FINDS PRISONS
OVERCROWDED
JUDGE WILBUR SEES NEED OF
REFORM
YOUNG BOY SENTENCED TO so
YEARS IN PENITENTIARY
Shocking Cases Discovered by supe-
rlor Court Jurist, Who Has Re-
turned from Inspecting
Penal Institutions

state:
A nineteen-year-old boy serving a Atty
year sentence at San Quentin for burglary
A number Of boys under the age of eigh-
teen serving terms of various lengths at San
Quentin.
A sixteen year-OId boy at lone where he
had been transferred from Folsom to which
place he had been sentenced by Central
California judge to serve fifty years for
burglary.
Oyercrowded conditions at both Folsom
and San Quentin, which are to be relieved as
soon as buildings can be erected.
FIourishing condition of industrial school
at lone and general contentment of its In
mates.
Crowded but improving conditions OF the
institution at EIdridge for the feeble minded.
Judge Curtis D. Wilbur of the SUI
perior court has returned from a trip
throughout the state, during which
he visited the various penal inst1tu-
lions and reformatories and attended
the dedicatory exercises at lone. Adj
| hitting there is some tendency toward
reform. Judge Wilbur declares condi-
lions are bad generally, and In telling
of the case of a young boy VINO was
sentenced to fifty years in the peniten-
tiary he expressed severe condemna-
ton.
"Governor Gillett' and our party took
a. special train at Sacramento and
were carried to lone" said Judge VIII
bur yesterday, "where we were driven
to the Preston School of Industry. we
were met at the entrance to the
grounds by the boys, who formed IN
line in front of the governors car
- | oI1a1 70 aSGpmhlX
which had been recently completed and
where dedication ceremonies were held
soon after our arrival.
CATER the dedication each judge
sought his boys, gathered them around
him and talked to them. l saw all OF
my boys, and with but single ex-
ception all reported they were ooihs
we'll and were contented.
at desire to say few words In re-
gard to the assembly hall. The building
is a. fine one and all the work was done
by the boys, who made the cohcrSte
blocks and erected the building. The
assembly hall is on the second noor'
and the basement is fitted up as d
gymnasium.
Favors Juvenile Bill
1--WE left on a special train for sac
ramento and after arriving there nad
chat with Governor Gillett about the
| l.
last Juvenile court act because ne dld
NOT have time to look 1t over, but
stated he was heartily In favor or the
pronosed reforms and would be glad
to have another Juvenile court bill IN
troduced in the legislature.
There are 1907 prisoners conf1ned IN
Folsom. which was originally built for
900. The average room or cell is about
fen feet square, where from two to six
men are confined twelve hours out or
the tWenty-four. This condition VIII be
relieved lust as soon as the new build
ing can be built. The proposed addi-
ton will accommodate 500 men.
1.-THE prisoners are at work quarry
ing stone and blasting for the founda-
ton of this new building. They also
are at work on a wall to be erected
around three sides of the prison. Inc
lev waters of the American river flow
near the prison and it is unnecessary
to have a wall there, as the water IS 50
cold that those who have attempted to
escape by swimming 1t have taken
cramps and drowned.
Work Is Hard
"The work at Folsom is hard, the
men working in the quarries drilling
and blasting rock and working at the
rock crushing machine, but there are
: some of the prisoners who work In the
| DriSOn, in the Kitchen, whiting oii IAO
, table and in the laundry.
"Each prisoner is allowed to care for
a small garden, which they take care
= of each morning before going to the
worl, in the quarry. The men are al
lowed to eat the products of their gar
dens.
mThe prisoners are engaged in erect
ing a building which they call the
J bug house. where the criminal insane
} will be confined.
, "While at Folsom I learned Of the
) severe punishment in the way of
fftv.year sentence given to 16-year-
old bov for robbery by a central Cali
fornia Judge It seems the boy was
persuaded by former convict to COM
nit a robbery Both were brought to
trial and each sentenced to fifty years
!, Imprisonment. After the lad was taken
: to the prison he cried continually for
a several days, when he was sent to
y Ione'
Judge Wilbur visited the California
a home for the care and training of the
r feeble minded children, which name is
: misleading, as the institution cares for
. adults as well as children. He found
t. the institution improving, but IN
v crowded condition, $50 people being
cared for there He said the legis-
lature is taking notice of the home and
is rendering assistance. The buildings
are on a tract of 1900 acres and is in
a beautiful section
After leaving Eldridge he went to
> San Quentin, where he found 100 pris-
, oners confined in the building which
was built for 700.
In Jute Mill
st was surprised at the size of the
5 jute MILL" said Judge Wilbur. From
the raw jute which is shipped direct
. from Calcutta the men manufacture
I $4,000 sacks a day. These sacks are
sold to the farmers for 1-2 cents each.
81 saw the gallows where the con-
demned are executed, and had the sys-
tenn explained to me by one of the men
who helps make the necessary arrange
ments for executions"
Judge Wilbur was given a piece of
rope that was used to hang Morris
Buck, who was put to death for thu
murder of Mrs Canfield
/ The crowded condition at San Quen-
! tin will be relieved to certain extent
when the proposed building to accom-
modate 700 prisoners is erected.
During my visit to San Quentin"
said Judge Wilbur, Il saw boy of 10