The Ionia Prison Investigation

The Legislativa Committee of Tnvestigation reported tliat the.y foiuid m portioa of the charges against tlie Warden, Jolm J. Graf ton, sustained by the evidence, and two mernbers of tlio eommittee recommended an enttxe change in waidenship and Board of Control. The Legislatura adopted the report and the house tbe recommendation of the winority ofthe conimittee for an entire change in the inanaging otlieer and board of Control. The speeilications and charges were: lst. Incouipetency. The report says: The eommittee are of the opinión, from all the evidenee taken, that the fiálure of such degree of succes in the managememt of the Inütation as the people of the state ought to expect vises mainly trom a want oí the necessary qualitications in the warden. While we tliink thüt he does possess rather more than average quiUUkations for oiliee-work, we think lie lacks largely the necessary elementa to sucdiscipline and good order and at the same cessfully manage men and preserve time inspire and command conüdence and respect. 2d. Xeglect of duty. I The conimittee flnd tliat Grafton delegated to others duties to which lie shmild have given personal attention. The steward wbo liad charge of the kitchen made the purchases of provisión to the neglect of his own proper duties. The Warden did not visit ihe ground and wards to inforce sanitary regulations and see that things were kept in order. 3d. That he has wilfully violated the duties of his office as prescribed by statnte and the rules goveming said institution. The committee flnd that t!-ie teams belonging t) the institution were used for the ple;isure of the Warden's i'amily and himself; and that on one occasion a quantity of hay belonging to the State was thereby lef t in the Held and damaged; that he built a pleasure boat by convict labor for which he paid the state, which, although incurring no loss was illegal; that spoiled meat, and especially hash, unfit to eat has been f urnished to inmates a good many times. The committee flnd that the immediate responsibility for this reate upon the steward. They further find that this matter was called to the atteution of the warden and that it mus not attended to, as it should have been. The committee are not satisiied that moukly bread was furnished. They also find that at times the Windows of the dining-room were opened by the keepers to aárait fresh air whlle the convicts were eating, on account of the stencil arising f rom the hash; that the men, on account of the poverty and bad quality of the fare of said institution, have been unable to do a full day's work. -X t 11 'Pliof lin lino 4-í mn o Pt-sw 4-it-.n tui. .iiüiu ne nas, urne aiter unie, sent out inmates of the institution, unattended by guards or keepers, two or three miles to catch minnows for bis use in flshing." That he has sent repeatedly prisoners without guards or other attendants into the woods to gather moss and llowers for lus family or their visitors. Proved. That he has had prisoners sent out, after locking-up time, to the river to get him and iris family; that one prisoner escaped while waiting with the team at the river after darte for him. The committee consider this proyed at length, and conclude that there was no doubt that the prisoner escaped as charged. The specifleations, of allowing convicts to spend time outside the prison are found to be proven. That he allowed the tailor-shop, store-room and clothing-room to be run by convicta alone for over a year without any keeper, until the dep ut y warden discovered a conspiracy aniong said convicts employed in said rooms to escape. The warden admits this was done with the knowledgeand consent of the board of managers. The coaiinittee fmd the xpeciflcatiou made oy Mie wiirüeu s aürcussion. That while said rooms were being so run by convicta, one Terwilliger, a convict, nightly vvould climb the wail.s, and In citizen's clotliing visit the city of Ionia. Proved, but the warden didn't knovv it at the time. ■ The 20th speoilication, that the warden allowed Mrs. D'Areambal to visit the cells of the prisoners repeatedly without ;vn oiïicer, and gave orders to the keepers that she was to go when and where she pleased, and the 21st that when the warden was remonstrated with by the superintendent on the ground that her action was retarding work avd impaiiing discipline, he still defonded lier interference. On this subject the committee sum up as iollows: The committee are of the opinión that her presence among the convicts and the liberties that have been allowed her have been prejudcial to the rnaintainance of dicipline among the prisoners, and pernicious in many wys. They are also of the opiuion that the responsibility of her being allowed such liberties rests upon the board ot' managers and warden both. AVhile the order of the board seerus to be broad enougn to aiiow periiaps au th;il she did, still we think that if the warden had attended fully to his duties ha wouhl liave checked her or else called the attention of the board to the matter and asked for a restriction upon her movements, if allowed to stay at all. To the extent, therefore, indicated by the flndinga ander the various specifications to charge three. the committee flnd said charge sustaincd. 5th, 6th, and 7th. The charge of corruption - putting money in his mvn pocket at the expense of the state, and procuring and aiding others to procuro pardons for money, that Mrs. D'Aivambal was a pardon broker, and that the warden received part of the pardon money paid her for procuring pardeas; is declared to be not proven, and all that pertains to this class of charges the committee declare not proven. 8th. That since the charges were made Bguiust lam in the culumns of the Standard, in tliis city, he has gone to his subonüii-iU's and attempted to obtain, and has obtained by reason of his power over them, counter statements indorsing him and denying the charges against him. The committee go iato this subject at some length and (ind the charge proven. 9th. The charge of unreliability and untruthfullnes9 is not sustained. Th ere was found to be a want of harmony bet ween the Board of Control mul the warden, some members sustaining tire warden, otbers denouncing him. Tliis want of harmony led to diiflcultiea and embarassments which had an injurious effect upon the management of the institution. Tlie report is signed by all the members of the investigating committee.