Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-04
Indictments Are Expected To
Follow Report Filed Late
Yesterday.

Yesterday.
Governor Withycembe is PERSONAL,
I Irresponsible for the turmoil, strife ant
ineompetency which reign at the state
penitentiary. He has promised the mer
appointed warden full authority ovel
tho prison management but he has
never kept his promise with them but
instead has foisted incompetent employ
ces.upon them and has interfered with
their management Of the prison in such
9 way as ''to undermine their admins
tration.'
Tins is the condition found by the
five dslnterested Marion county tax
payers who comprise the grand jury
which ycstcrav afternoon completed til
investigation Of the state prison and
flied its rtport with the circuit court
This grand jury, assisted by District
Attorney Gehlhar, started out to in
vesligute the parole selling scandal
which was ,-yedled at the prison few
months ago, but as the probe proceeded
it began uncovering so much filth in
the management of the prison that the
Investigation assumed much broader
scope
No indictments were returned at this
time as Circuit Judge Kelly, with whom
they must be filed, is holding court in
Albuiy. 1t j. understood they will bs
filcs when lc returns to Salem, prob.
ably near the end of this month. These
indictments win be an outgrowth of the
bartering in paroles which has becu
going On at the prison, it is understood
Tue irry i repert completely exon
crates the management Of Warden
! Charles A. Murphy, and the wardens
twho precec led him under the Witty.
comb administration. 1t refutcs alb.
solusely the charges made by the gov
ernor that Warden Murphy has been
Irresponsible FOR the extravaganza at the
inStitution, and also the charge that
the warden has been rcmiss in his su
pervision over the commissary depart,
mcnt.
Governor Eas Undermined Wardens.
Instead Of upholding the hanSs II
tie men who have been appointed war
'cn, the report shows that Governor
Withycombe nat undermined them by
forcing them TO take and retain EN-.
pl9yes who were disloyal to them and
who are incompetent.
II shows that Parole Officer Joe KEEL
Ter dominates the prison and the Cover.
nor He has such unusual influence
over the governor, the report brings
cut. that he completely controls tho
granting and revocation of paroles. Th,
.jugy also found that Keller has solicit
ed money from paroled convicts, and
Las collected at least $40 supposedly
for his prison loan fund, but he has not
accounted to the warden, who is trus-
tee for the fund, for a single dollar.
Frank Davey, bookkeeper. is one OF
Inc employees forced upon the wardei.
and the jury found that his system of
bookkeeping is hopelessly inadequate
and ~ould bankrupt any private busi.
mess that would attempt to get along
with IL.
All that has been said in criticism
of the management Of the prison under
tic administration of Governor Witty
cpmbe is more than substantiated as
the jury found conditions even far
worse than anyone on the outside had
known.
Report in Full.
The members of the grand jury who
rade the investigation are George w
'iibbcns foreman, ]. NJ. Hollingsworth,
James r. Cooper, N. J. Gehlen, B. s.
! Drake, j. II. Small and Z. M. LAHORE.
The report follows:
"This grand jury has made an ex-
haustive inquiry into the condition and
mrnagcment Of the Oregon state peni.
tentiary, public prison located in
Marion county, Oregon, together with
the various offices and departments
connected Herewith, and report as fol
lows:
"On the whole, the administration Of
the present warden has been successful
efficient and economical, insofar as he
has had control of affairs However
there are many matters which he has
not been allowed to control, resulting
in needless increased expense, decreased
efficiency, and, in some instances, in
justice TO prisoners.
During his ineumbency, as well Al
'during the incumbenev Of Warden Har.
rv +. Mimic and J. w. Minto, the gov
crnor has not permitted the warden te
/ have full control Of the prison, or such
control as Is given to the heads Of thu
various other state institutions. In die
tating the appointment Of subordinatos
requiring the warden to retain employ
ees who were either inefficient or dis
10y to the warden raising the pay Of
employees hostile to the warden ove'
+ the warden protest, as well as refus
ing TO raisc the pay Of employees WIN
were competent and who we're loyal 4
THE warden, he has seriously haiapefee