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ahiSIfcclt;plt;irfcKhu:Cl(XICSIUV Ul Vi Ac tunvm uuuuc.Last June 11, prison guard File-mon J. Ortiz was killed In what prison officials termed an abortive escape attempt. Two prisoners, Homer Lee Gossett and Donald Maynard, have been charged with the murder and face trial at Aztec next month.The death of Ortiz touched off a series of events which resulted in the resignation of Joseph Tondre as warden and the appointment of Morris Abram, present warden, to the post. In an unprecedented press conference at that time, 18 convicts criticized Tondre’s administration. Tondre said he quit to avoid possible violence.In 1050, rioting prisoners wrecked two offices and the prison canteen in a demonstration which Injured six guards. That riot was supposedto have been instigated by a prisoner who held a grudge against one of the guards.Much of the difficulty In recent years at the penitentiary has been J blamed on the inadequate facilities for handling the large number of prisoners housed there. Built in 1883 to house about 350 prisoners, the penitentiary now is home” to more than double that number.Advocates of a new penitentiary, among them Gov. Mechem, are pressing fom money and authority from the current Legislature to proceed with plans for an up-to-date prison. Cost of such a plant, ac- ^ cording to a preliminary estimate, C) is in the neighborhood of $4.7 mil- ' lion if convict labor and present brick-making facilities at the peni- r tentlary are utlized.The penitentiary already has $1.5 million on hand, invested, with the ^ state treasurer, to give impetus to ™ the plans If- the Legislature givesthe green light. lcThe penitentiary also has the authority to “sell, mortgage or lease” f the present Santa Fe holdings to 11 .aid In raising funds. The authority was granted by the last Legislature. 11rifsarhs0s0e»-nfnL-8i-tctitchiVitlol01C!Pt£b:
Newspaper Details
Santa Fe New Mexican
Santa Fe, New Mexico, US
Thu, Jan 22, 1953
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Myrna A.
USA 23 Sep 2020
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