Random Mugshots

Here are some photos of past wards at the Preston School of Industry along with the reasons for their incarceration. 

WALTER TESCH

WALTER TESCH-- Ward # 1379, accepted at the Preston School of Industry in 1910. Walter Tesch was convicted of burglarizing the home of Mrs. Ella Noble in 1909, and spent 2 years at Preston for this crime. When he was released, it didn't take long before he found himself in more hot water. He was later charged as an accomplice to several robberies with his friend, murder suspect- Henry La Frenz in 1912.

EDWARD ROWE

EDWARD ROWE-- Ward # 487, accepted at the Preston School in 1902.  On April 20, 1904 he attacked the night watchman in the upper dormitory room of the Adminstration building. He and his accomplice, Dan Gillette, then escaped from a water pipe on the side of the building.  After he was apprehended he was then transferred to San Quentin as inmate # 20626. His acceptance date at San Quentin was May,10, 1904.  He was sentenced to 10 years for "assault to commit murder," however he was able to commute his sentence on February 16, 1908, where he was then released.

DAN GILLETTE

DAN GILLETTE-- Ward # 548, admitted to Preston School of Industry in 1903, escaped from Preston on April 20,1904, after attempting to murder the night watchman, J.S. Phillips. He was caught and sent to Folsom prison where he served 3 years as inmate # 5693 only to return to Folsom again on burglary charges as inmate # 8764, in 1913.

EUGENE GRIFFIN

EUGENE GRIFFIN-- Ward # 1136, accepted at Preston in 1909. According to the Amador Ledger dated March 11, 1910, Captain William H. White, who was drillmaster and held the rank of Major, narrowly missed being fatally shot by ward Eugene Griffin, when he and his accomplice, fellow ward Albert Brown attempted their escape at Preston. Griffin had stolen a revolver from the bakery shop, where he worked, and after being chased by White, he fired behind him barely missing White. Brown and Griffin were later caught and the newspaper states that the school had no intentions on keeping them so it was more than likely Brown was sent to the State Prison for the remaining term of his sentence, and any other time added for their attempted escape. Griffin was sent to San Quentin and later discharged on January 11, 1912.

WILLIE BANNING

WILLIE BANNING---Ward # 160, William "Billy" Banning was just 10 years old when he was sent to Preston School of Industry for stealing camellias from the garden of Miss Hurd of P Street, in Sacramento. Judge Davis sentenced William to 8 years at Preston, in 1895, after he was convinced that William was incorrigible. You see, William had been arrested several times before, and due to his age he was always given a slap on the wrist. This time around he was not so fortunate. Still, an 8 year sentence did seem pretty steep for picking flowers.  After William was released trouble caught up with him once again, when he was arrested and convicted for 2nd degree burglary and sentenced to 4 years at Folsom in 1909. He was released in 1912.

Sac Daily Union 3/15/1895

 (Photos from the State Archives, San Quentin & Folsom Prison records)

(© Copyright 2012-2015, J’aime Rubio, Originally published either on blog “Dreaming Casually” by J’aime Rubio, on my Facebook Page or in the book “Behind The Walls- A Historical Exposé of The Preston School of Industry” by author, J’aime Rubio.)

All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission by the author/publisher, J’aime Rubio. 

Wards Face Justice For Brutal Attack On Guard

San Quentin Inmate # 20626

In a previous post on my "Dreaming Casually" investigative blog, I had written about a wild escape from Preston back in April of 1904. Unfortunately, during this attempt to escape, two wards beat the night guard so bad he almost died. (Click here to read that story!) After escaping from the school, both wards split up but were eventually caught. With so many stories about Preston, we don't always have access to photos being that many times the boys were under age.  I did manage to get photos of the two wards in this case, because they were immediately sent to the State Prison for attempting to murder the night guard, J.S. Phillips.

Edward Rowe was originally arrested in 1900, at the age of 15, for burglary charges. I am unsure if he was first sent to the Whittier School, or perhaps even given a slap on the wrist first, but he wasn't actually accepted at the Preston School until two years later in 1902.  Now a ward of the state, Rowe was known as ward # 487. After he was apprehended for his attack on guard Phillips and his escape from Preston in April of 1904, he was then transferred to San Quentin as inmate # 20626. His acceptance date at San Quentin was May,10, 1904.  He was sentenced to 10 years for "assault to commit murder," however he was able to commute his sentence on February 16, 1908, where he was then released.

Folsom Inmate, # 5693 (1904)

Folsom Inmate, # 8764 (1913)

What about Gillette? Rowe's accomplice, Dan Gillette, ward # 548, who was brought to Preston in 1903 on charges unknown was arrested in Carbondale after his role in the assault and escape and was transfered straight to Folsom. Now just recognized as inmate # 5693, Gillette was sentenced to 4 years but only served 3, being released on May 8, 1907.

His life of crime didn't end there. He was picked up again on 1st degree burglary charges and sentenced to Folsom once again on June 24, 1913 up until January 27, 1917. To read all about Gillette and Rowe's escape, please click here! Thank you for visiting!

(© Copyright 2012-2015, J’aime Rubio, Originally published either on blog “Dreaming Casually” by J’aime Rubio, on my Facebook Page or in the book “Behind The Walls- A Historical Exposé of The Preston School of Industry” by author, J’aime Rubio.)

All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission by the author/publisher, J’aime Rubio.