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More About...a XConvicts(Continued from Page 1)of perversion the other prisoners will not tolerate it.ported from. Santa Fe that a.former official-at the 'S.tate- Penitentiary ■ said he does not believe..rec-. ords at' the prison would reflect excessive” violence and sex offenses behind the walls.'.No Worse, :Clark'Says Willard Clark, chief-derk under both .Democratic. and Eepublican wardens,- agreed,* that .there, -is some sex perversion,. some, fights▼ 4 - I- La ■ PiU1 Jiut -i-. . % • sunie 5CJV pci. —Inspection by the press ofpns- among convicts, * some 'stabbings on records was discussed briefly ;an(j some use .of. narcotics.* ; * bu't no'decision was announced.; But. he. told United .Press that -he does not believe New Mexico'sWarden .Joe ^ Tondre issued a prison is ‘any. worse than .many^ a —--- ^ ptlSUIi - IS any - w.ui at w-icategorical denial today that the 0thers in these respects-___l rorrr Ia f V Q P^OhQ ftf /un *t - » lt;1 • .1 ___state penitentiary is the scene of open gambling, sex .perversion, marijuana smoking and fighting between the inmates. .The warden’s denial of rampant vice conditions at. the ancient prison was made 'in the course of a long distance telephone interview with The Albuquerque Tribune from his office at the penitentiary. ' , ,Associated Press reported from=.Clark--said- he did not believe that'the sexual - activity is--any more -prevalent than “you get when'you get any-large group-of men together. He said' prison officials' had.“little-more than an . _ intimation: that' narcotics .-were tie: being used: • although: occasionally they' find.' a' marijuana ■ cigaret. And while* he said that stabbings are’'‘not unusual; they -are:not anM‘.ABa:anc5clasia:•Iall:to?°ine’IErlageAssociated Press reported trom ev6ryday -0CCurrence by any man-Santa Fe today that the Santa* e. - of'means:” - - ' ■-!New Mexican in a copyrighted ner oi means.Clark-'resigned .as . chief clerk three, months ago after- serving more .than eight years at theorison! most of. them under Dem- ■ Urocratic administrations.story repo'rted the use of marijuana, open gambling, perversion and fights from • information . it had gathered from' former inmates, employes and former employes at the penitentiary.•Bo Not Exist’ . n “Such conditions do not exist, the warden told The Tribune. -The spotlight was turned on ac- aboul _he priSQn .and its activities, tivities within_the state_penit:..^ He,’said he believes the laymanis being left with an “exaggeratediwiri;spj1\r?fbo*th;fluPrEmphasizing that'he was speak-: thing only as;.an observer, Clark expressed the opinion-that the public - should ' be -better ■ informedtiary following the slaying; of a prison guard, Filemon Ortiz, 54, last Tuesday night.opinion of the . bad conditions” atertguard was reported' the prison while several officials to have been wearing feminine are conscientiously and earnestlyapparel under his uniform.The warden was quoted by The New Mexican as saying ^that sex perversion in one dormitory known as “The Club is terrible.”“They are talking about things which do not exist, the wardentold The Tribune.•■Did you say that sex perversion at ‘The Club' is ‘terrible he was asked. No, I did not, nereplied.Hasn't Seen Perversionpothontirrerasomthe prison.4*I have never seen any, he replied.4rWould you expect to be present at such occurrences?/7 he wasashed.“There Is no perversion that I know of,?’ he replied.“Is there any gambling at thepenitentiary?”“I have never witnessed it, tiereplied. ...As to smoking of marijuana, the warden said “there was some, before” but that he “has not seenSisufoitdrtrying to do what is right by the;a prisoners.”• Gone Three Months . Pointing out that he. has been £1 gone three months, Cla’fk said hei did not know of anything in the-records up to that point which “shouldn't be made public.” And he added “I don’t believe that the officials would try to keep anything -private as to any individual prisoner.”~.....— - L, C. White, chairman of the“Does sex perversion go on at j3Qardf said the board feels that le Drison?” Tondre was asked. the pre5S .^ay have access to allmaterial except health and FBI records-White pointed out that .health and FBI data is included on the same sheet with ether records it would be necessary for prison authorities to screen all material. And he added we don't have the personnel to screen alKthis.”.In connection with this Clark1 said he thought the prison should have a-statistical division' to kcepipcaln«AD.inany now-Robert McKinney, editor ana publisher of the New Mexican, has said that he plans to confer with -attorneys to discuss legaljomw“1111an accurate record of various rule infractions. This, he said, would enable officials to spot trends toward undesirable activities and take- steps to correct the situation. At present no such workaction totSL Go-T Edwin L.!ia done because of lack of per-Plt;Mechem -• and prison officials to make prison records available to newspapermen.Denies Arty Sltatemcnt “The New Mexican can-quote me for anything,” Tondre -said, “but I haven’t said anything.”Mr. Tondre was asked if' newspapermen. would be admitted to the meeting with the prison board and he said, “that is up to the board.”sonnel.Clark carefully avoided being drawn, into a comparison of conditions now- and under the Democrats but he did point out that! “we had riots before the new. administration came, in and a 'bad situation to improve at that time.” Favors Merit'System Clark said that in his opinion much of the prison’s troubles could be corrected by a meritw*r.:iralfig;oHe said the meeting would be system which would include, the at noon and that it -probably! warden.would be held at the prison. Meanwhile, United Press re-. “Taking the system out of politics and making it .possible for
Newspaper Details
Albuquerque Tribune
Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
Mon, Jun 16, 1952
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Myrna A.
USA 20 Sep 2020
Other Publications Near Albuquerque, New Mexico
Industrial Advertiser and Weekly News
Albuquerque Tribune
Albuquerque Daily Journal
Albuquerque Weekly Journal
Albuquerque Journal
