The Buena Vista Reformatory opened its doors in 1892. Its purpose was to reform juvenile offenders by having them work and learn different skills. From April to October of 1893, Nathaniel T. Dodge was employed at the Buena Vista Reformatory as the foreman over the brick makers. He was responsible for making sure that the inmates that worked under him were busy and working throughout the day. In his own words, 'I had charge of the men and showed them how to do the work, and I had to see that it was done properly.' As part of his duty during the day, he was to relieve the tower guard during lunch and guard the prisoners while the tower guard was at lunch. He stated that 'As a usual thing, as soon as I had eaten my dinner (lunch) I went on the tower to relieve the guard so that he might eat his.' He also did guard duty as a tower guard every other Sunday. He also did one night of guard duty as well.
In February of 1895, he, along with others who had worked at the Reformatory, certified to charges against the Deputy Warden of the Reformatory. The Rocky Mountain News from February 11, 1895 reported: 'The charges upon which the investigation is ordered were placed in the hands of the governor by a man named Garahty, a former guard of the reformatory. Witnesses called to substantiate the charges are Spencer, Van White and Gregg, former guards; Charles Robbie, a stone mason; Nathaniel Dodge, a brickmaker, and several inmates of the institution. It is charged that one of the officials has been guilty of extreme cruelty toward inmates; has acted in domineering and brutal manner toward prisoners, and at different times has made use of language which indicated he is not a fit man for the place. In addition to looking into his record, the committee will examine into the general management of the institution and will investigate charges that there has been a big rake-off in supplies furnished the reformatory. It is charged that the supplies have been ordered from one house in Buena Vista, and that such an individual as a storekeeper at the reformatory is unknown. It is claimed the supplies have never been checked up as they were delivered and prices were paid in excess of retail prices'.
The investigation was conducted in February and March of 1895. The Rocky Mountain News from March 29, 1895 reported on the results of the investigation. These editions of The Rocky Mountain News are available on coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
The results of the investigation confirmed the charges that were made. The investigation published their report and shared it with the Governor and the Colorado State Legislature. I found a copy of the report online. A copy of the published report I have saved is available here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_cdO0B1u0SZY0gUSInkDQt4XctVGBosm/view?usp=sharing
As part of this investigation, Nathaniel was deposed and provided testimony to what he witnessed and knew about the Reformatory. I recently obtained a copy of his testimony from the Colorado State Archives, a copy of which is available here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bTxZrBK6NK4msjBqFOfLzAWY6Y9Lg1WJ/view?usp=sharing
Not only does he testify to the goings on that he witnessed and knew about at the Reformatory, it also provides an additional snapshot of his life during that time as well as provides additional details on his life. I won't go into the details of the investigation that he testified to while at the Reformatory. However, I will look at the details of his personal life that he shared while giving his testimony during this investigation.
Nathaniel gave his testimony on March 18, 1895, at the Office of the State Board of Charities and Corrections in Denver. At the time of giving his testimony, he stated that he was living 'about two miles from Buena Vista', and that he had lived there 'a little over a year.' He further explained that he was working as a Ranchman, but that he did not own the ranch he was living on. He explained that 'I own a piece of land but do not live on it at present.' He is referring to the homestead that he had purchased in April of 1894, located nearly two miles northwest of Buena Vista. Due to extenuating circumstances, he was not able to move on to the homestead he had purchased until October of 1895, as he did not have the means to construct a home for his family to live in. He also explained that he had lived in Chaffee County for 'A little over 15 years' (he left Maine for Buena Vista in February of 1880), and that he had primarily been a rancher during that time.
He worked at the Reformatory from April 5, 1893 until October 6, 1893. As stated above, he was the foreman for the brick yard. He also did guard duty while he worked there. When asked if he was a practical brick maker, he stated that: 'I have worked at the business ten seasons.' When he started as a brick maker at the Reformatory, he 'had a convict who was a practical brick maker' working with him. He explained that he had two of the inmates to help with the brick kiln. He explained that 'I had to be awake night and day too as burning brick is very particular work.' The inmate who was a brick maker was taken away by the Deputy Warden and replaced by an individual (not a convict) to run the kiln during the night. He explained that this individual 'The first night he run it (the kiln) he melted down two tiers, the second night he melted down the center of the kiln.'
He also testified to his knowledge of basic construction. In addition to being 'a practical brick maker', he explained that 'in [the] Eastern States [I] have done a good deal in the building line.' Before coming to Colorado, he had worked at a lumber mill in Gardiner, Maine. Besides sawing lumber and preparing it for practical use, it isn't known what all that job involved. He was asked why two of the doors in the recently constructed cell house wouldn't close. These doors 'which had been hung on their hinges, would not shut because they were not true.' He explained that 'in setting the frames up and laying the stones into them, the foreman did not see to it as he ought, and this the iron facings got sprung.' When asked what would need to be done to fix them, he explained that he would need to examine them before answering that particular question. No doubt his experience in building would prove vital in later building the house for his family on the homestead he had purchased.
I will touch lightly on the testimony he gave as to the goings on at the Reformatory. He had served as Justice of the Peace in Buena Vista during the 1880's, so he was familiar with the administration of the law. I get the sense that what he testified to were things he did not expect to have witnessed, experienced or heard of while working at the Reformatory and that he was not only relieved to be done working there, but also relieved to share his testimony with those who would listen. Following the investigation, changes were recommended, regulations implemented, and improvements were made. However, there is no evidence that he went back to work at the Reformatory.
