Arizona republican., 1917-09-02

An interesting ana almost Se0Sa llOn- al report on the state prison has been submitted to Governor Campbell by C. P. Lee auditor and public accountant whose preface to the report indicates the difficulties he encountered in form ulating a report. MT. Lee says: The records are very Incomplete, particu larly with respect to sales of supplies and cash transactions. Nothing could be found touching on the original sup plies to guards, officers and others not inmates of the institution. No attempt has ever been made to keep a check on supplies from the. store room. It would be an endless job to attempt to prove out the supplies for the past two or five years or any period in the past five years in which such a pro- cedure might be attempted
 No inventory has ever been taken, so the stock on hand would have to be guessed at as a starting point To it would have to be added all purchases of supplies from original claims as per invoices. From this amount would be deducted all acquisitions for inmates mess covering the period, and also the amounts sold to guards mess and cf- ficers and employees of the institution plus the inventory at the end of the period. Now, if there was found to be balance of supply purchases unac- counted for during such period by tho above process the question would arise, To whom is the difference chargeable or who is responsible for the dis crepancy? I am, therefore not attempt ing to show any discrepancy except in comparative way, particularly cover ing the period between September, 1915, and June 15, 1917. when the meth Ods used seem to have been more lax than at any other time during the past five years
 MT. Lee made several attempts to secure assistance from former officials of the prison, in th1 nope that some light might be thrown upon misty transactions but was unable to do so.
 The accountant was somewhat aware of the difficulties that lay in his way for he had some previous experience with the accounts of the prison. He made an audit in the summer of 1915 for the state auditor. The books and records were in very bad shape at that time and as a result of MT. Lees find ings the then secretary of the prison was asked to resign and a successor was appointed.
 The report contains such statements of balances and ana:yses of accounts as could De made up rom the available figures but to the average readeB theys would mean little. Other facts ae ssat forth by MT. Lee in notes accompaNS- ing the report. There are many iH- stances of Irregularities and SQne. doubtless is of speculation.
 It is related that Pete Avenente- one of the guards, on October '. 1916. paid his account, evidently for supplies 1fdt4 niShed him, amounting to $65. .4Q As has been stated, no record of charge accounts could be discovered so MT. Lee could not state Geiinitely whether this account was correct However, the foregoing amount was afterward changed on the books to S35.40 making . reduction of cash received accord ing to the record of $50. This differ ence was offset by other discrepancies among others an overdraft of Brinkley who was keeping the books at that time. Brinkley was a convict and had access to the cash. It is elsewhere mentioned in the report that he escaped from the prison just before the man agement of that institution changed hands after the decision in the superior court seated Governor Campbell.
 Gross irregularities, though Mir Lee does not directly charge that there was anything worse in t-le distribution os supplies to the guard mess and else Where. No record of supply sales to guards and others have been discov- - cred covering the part of two years prior to June 15, 1917. Mir. Lee makes the following comment: Tt has been whispered around that sIpply charges were made on sIirs, placed or spindles on desks around the office and that collections were made for those that did not blow A riSnT1 pf the monthly averages would indicate considerable windy weather, at least in spots" sThe monthly averages to which MT. Lee refers were of sales to guards and those who were regularly employed at the prison. These aver ages were based on the known time that these persons were employed dur ing the period covered by the figures compiled.
 The account of Brinkley the convict bookkeeper is an interesting one It was made up by MT Lee from books of the original entry, the ledger having been destroyed and shows, that be- tween July 15 and April ', 1917, Brink ; ley had charged himself with amounts .aggregating $4556 The credits he gave himself amounted to S3645, leav- ing an overdraft of s1911. This com ment of Brinkley's account is made by { MT Lee: 80 far lack of proper rec , .ords the above record, no debut, shows } .crly a small part of his speculations in ! the period from October 1916 to May | 1917, while he was in the superintend- 'ent's office
 The case of Alfonso F'ulgenci, con- vict No 3774 is one of which not much has yet been heard outside official cir cles. It finds its way now into print for the first time in the following let ter from Fulgenci to the present Su- perintendent Anderson of the date of August 13
 Dear MT Anderson:
 On July 18th, while in jail at San Diego, California, awaiting my return from escape from prison l received a check for $306 from the Italian consul in New York city, Grawn on the Ital- ianAmerican bank in Denver, Colo Two days later I was brought back tC prison. Mir. Winsor the captain oi the yard, came to me with the check in the dark cell. asking me to endorse the same which 1 absolutely refused