Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-11
ION STATE PRISON.
Committee Reports to Leg
isIatureAfterInvestigation.
Methods and Bookkeeping otthe
Institution Are Condemned.
Deficit Impossible Of Explanation
Because Of Haphazard Books.

| The report of the committee on State
Prison, after a visit to the institution,
has been made to the Legislature.
Condemnation of the method of talk
ing stock is made by the committee.
The report says: ANY warden who
takes charge Of this institution, by
manufacturing large quantities of
wagons, sleighs, brooms. furniture,
ietc.. can show that the institution is
run at profit, regardless of the fact
| that no goods of any quantity are
Isold, that his successor will be obliged
Ito sell this old stock and have to
make discounts amounting probably
| to thousands of dollars besides the eX-
Ipense of selling. This method is
Wrong and there should be some way
Iof figuring the amount of each arti-
lcle and when the stock is taken, this
should be figured at cost and not at
| selling price.
we see but one way to explain the
shortage of $22, 964.52 1t has cost part
| of this amount more than the prison.
ers have earned and the difference in
value between that fixed by the Off
cials that have taken this stock,
March :, 1913. and those who made
took charge, February, 1911. Your
committee has no way of ascertaining
this fact as there seems to be no rec
ord of the values set at the time. We
|cannot state that these differences
will cover the amount. Warden wig
gin stated to us that he had Il sales
book at the prison, that he kept Il full
account of everything sold. The par
ties at the prison when we We're
there stated there was no sales book
found"
The committee, in conclusion, rec
|ommends that an expert accountant
be secured to provide an improved
system of accounting. that q safe be
secured for the prison office; that the
sum of $4,000 he appropriated to COW
er the deficiency and that a definite
time for the wardens term of office to
|expire be fixed.
The report is signed by Senators
Charles J. Chase. Alexander G. HaS-
erthy, G. + Mansfield and Represen-
tatives Benjamin +. Sturgis, III. ID.
Maxwell Thomas w, Shelton, =. w.
Benton and c. Doherty.
The report says, in beginning, that
the joint standing committee OF the
Legislature made a trip to the inst1-
tuition ON March %.
All the shops We're visited and
considerable quantity of carriages ana
wa CONS found on hand. The commit
tee believes about the usual amount
was found.
There were 1000 sleiehs which was
more than usual because the open
winter had made the market bad for
this business Affairs in the harness
department were going on as usual
while work in the broom department
was suspended because of lack of
stock. But ten men were engaged in
the blacksmith shop, where there are
usually 80 prisoners. No stock was on
hand here.
The committee found There has
been no uniform system of accounting
in the prison departments and the
method of keeping the books and ac-
counts is inaccurate and unsuited to
the requirements of the institution.
According to the books, the gross
assets for 1912 were.
stock an hand sGe, s69 60
roSb In hank 2i5l. 40
Cash in safe, ~ 100
ACCOUNTS receivable y 969 Il
Total S9i,6l1.G6
Deducting from this the amount due
the convicts. $73i.29; accounts payable,
SIG. 4te.23, n total of $17 43, leaves
balance Of resources of $7T461.23
The account taken recently. showed
the following condition of affairs at
the institution: