The Arizona copper camp., 1917-10-13
BR|NNEY, MISSING bOOKKEEPER,
RECAP1URED; MYSTERY Of PRISON
BOOKS MAY NOW Be CLEARED UP

three to ten years for embezzlement
He escaped under peculiar circum-
stances just prior to the taking over
of the prison by Supt. A. A. Anderson
Records pertaining to the cash ac-
counts and the commissary disap-
peared mysteriously at the same time.
Brinkley was arrested in Tucson few
days later, but managed to talk the
sheriff into letting him go, so that
when the prison car, which was sent
to Tucson to bring him back, arrived
at the Old Pueblo, he had gone on his
way rejoicing.
According to the records of the U. S.
recruiting office, Brinkley enlisted at
Douglas, June 19 last. He was recog-
nized on the streets of Douglas by John
Nick. Redmond, secretary of the
prison, and was returned to
a communication was received at the
governors office asking that Brinkley
be pardoned as he had seen army serv-
ice before and was valuable as
trained man in the medical corps How
ever, as Brinkley's presence at the
prison may be necessary to clear up
some Of the many unanswered ques-
tions remaining from the Hunt regime,
and as it is alleged that he is wanted
in a southern state to answer charge
of bigamy, it seems improbable at least
that he will be given his freedom at
this time.
In this connection, the following re-
port on the prison affairs; made re-
Gently by c. P. Lee, an expert auditor
who examined the books, is of inter-
est:
"The records are very incomplete,
particularly with respect to sales of
supplies and cash transactions. Moth
ing could be found touching on the
original supplies to guards, officers
and others not inmates of the institu-
tion. No attempt has ever been made
to keep check on supplies from the
storeroom. 1t would be an endless job
to attempt to prove out the supplies
for the past two or five years in which
such procedure might be attempted.
"No inventory has ever been taken,
so the stock on hand would have to be
guessed at as 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 in.
mates mess covering the period, and
also the amounts sold to guards mess
and officers and employees of the in
stitution, plus the inventory at the
end of the period. Now, If there was
found to be a balance of supply pur
chases unaccounted for during such
period by the above process the ques
tion would arise, To whom is the diff
ference chargeable or who is respon.
sible for the discrepancy? I am,
therefore, not attempting to show any
discrepancy except in comparative
way, particularly covering the period
between September, 1915, and June Is,
1917, when the methods used seem to
have been more lax than at any other
time during the past five years"
Unable to Get Assistance.
Mr.. Lee made several attempts to
secure assistance from former Off
cials of the prison, in the hope that
some light might be thrown upon
misty transactions, but was unable to
do so.
1t is related that Pete Avenente, one
of the guards, on October z, 1915, paid
his account, evidently for supplies fur
nished him, amounting to $65.40. AS
has been stated, no record of charge
accounts could be discovered, so Mr..
Lee could not state definitely whether
this account was correct. However,
the foregoing amount was afterward
changed on the books to $3.50, max.
ing reduction of cash received, ac-
cording to the record, of $50. This
difference was offset by other discrep-
ancies, among others an overdraft of
Brinkley, who was keeping the books
at that time. Brinkley was convict
and had access to the cash. It is else
where mentioned in the report that
he escaped from the prison just be-
fore the management of that institu-
tion changed hands after the decision