The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-11

fNNAH NNNANNH NNNENNNHNNM w ~
dry; new piumbinE Installed through
out the buildings. steam heat in
stalled IN assistant superintendent
house, water storage tank made
available 2.s60.O0o gallons for lrrira-
ton purposes: n farm Of thirty acres
purchased for ~pcnitentlnry use; main
irritation ditch paved with brick on
~penitcntiary grounds; improvements
made on COW barns and hog pens;
new poultry yards built. A large coli
lar for storage Of vegetables built
and other needed improvements dis
closed by the evidence submitted 20
the committee. and was largely made
from convict earnings, and the cx-
pense for keeping prisoners W now
about bo.i cents per capita. which u
less than " was under the admins
tration Of the last SUPERINTENDENT.
and less than Il ever has been In the
history OF the institution. so far M
We can learn. except for the years OF
1894 and 1904.
In this connection we should not
refrain from saying that a number
or the discharged employees OF the
~pcnitentiary IN their testimony show
ed such a wanton prejudice and such
an indifference TO the truth that but
very little credit can be attached to
what they say. We cannot here go
into the testimony In detail. but a
careful reading Of the same will. we
believe. bear out our Views as to the
want OF It's c%redibility.
The witness Alma Lyons was not
only contradicted IN several material
matters by other witnesses. but her
own testimony shows her 10 be UNI
worthy OF belief. Absolutely no reii-
ance can be placed upon anything
she says. especially where she IL not
cOrroborated by creditable testimony.
Upon such testimony as his we can
not be a party To the OF the
management or employees Of hat In
stitution.
Discipline.
our conclusions are that the reia-
lions that tool place between the
%convict Trujillo and the female pris-
oners named occurred DESPITE the
vigilance OF the management. and
was a thing that might occur In any
well regulated penitentiary where
there are no better arrangements for
' keeping OF female prisoners than ID
provided for In the New Mexico peni-
tentiary. We do not believe the quar-
tiers where females are kent IN this
institution arc suitable FOR the pur-
poses intended. The management Of
the institution has 80 reported this
fact to the Legislature Of this state ON
no less than three occasions. The
windows or rooms Of female %conylcts
face the penitentiary yard where con
victs are constantly passing. aud h..
In our judgment. destructive OF the
proper discipline and morals among
such convicts.
Food.
We do not believe there has been
any purpose on the part OF the man
agement To furnish improper food for
the employees and %convicts. in fact.
the food as shown by the evidence.
has been and rs Of good dunllty and
sufficient in quantity. and In this CON
n%ection we call the attention of the
house to the convicts bill Of fare Of
fered az proof In this Investigation.
and Co the testimony ~ witnesses who
are unprojudiCcd in ,hc case. notably
To- the testimony Of Bcnigno Romero
and Pedro Carriagn. present cm-
uloycs of the institution. to saw moth
ag Of the testimony OF the supcrln-
tcndent which is submitted with this
report.
Cruelty.
n reflects humanity on the part 81
the management 81 the Institution
that only one onvict has been cor-
pofcally punished In the last three
years, We nave no doubt from the
evidence that the convict who " "a
punished deserved the punishment he
received He was not only iusolcut
towards the management but appnr-
entity incorrigible by constantly vio-
latinE the rules OF n institution
after he frequently vac been admon-
ishcd against a. II tho management
h denied the right adequately TO pun
ish incorrigihlc conVicts where the
occasion demands IL, es ~ this case,
then the discipline Of the institution
IL al once destroyed. and control over
Conviuts is 20 that extent lost. pun
ishment when deserved cannut bu
have "a wholesome influence on the
morals of convicts. aud 80 far ns We
know every penal Institution of the
country reserves To Itself the right %
punish in extreme cases.
As tu the prisoner Munuz. who died
at the penitentiary, there is no owl
deucc whatever submitted to show
800 Nv VIC NhNh IANlHfAA
Tho fact hat he died In the institu-
ton is not within itself evidence OF
any miStreatment, an occurrence OF
that kind may happen at any tins ~
an unexpected n The man
agemcnt SHOULD not be r~eprimhndcd
for something that Il could not pre-
vent, especially where no facts are
presented showing TINT negligence on
the part Of the management contrib
uted 10 the mans death.
Escape of Prisoners.
The break made by seven cunNirts
To escape was one of those things that
commendablc Interest In the institu.
tions, The management Is 60 De- con-
graduated rather h a condemned
that only one Of the conyicts succeed
ed In making his final escape. The
prompt capture OF five OF them i'm
mcdiately after they got over the
walls Of the institution shows yigi'
lance and activity ON the part OF tho
superintendent, who himself partici.
pated in their capture. II is our
Judgment That II guard at Tower No.
2 had properly DISCHARGED his duty
h II more than likely that none OF
these convicts would have succeeded
a.