Role of the Matrons
Sheriff’s Unit 608 was ready to leave Juvenile Hall to return to their beat in the South Bay area when Deputy Maurice “Buck” Perigo called out to his partner, “Don, we’re ready to go; where’s Rose?”
“I don’t know,” his partner answered, “she was right here a minute ago!”
About this time, the Probation Officer working the intake desk stated, “You only gave me two intake slips. Where’s the slip for the other one?”
Buck replied, “What do you mean ‘the other one’, we only booked two inmates.”
“Well there’s three females back in the receiving tank.”
When Buck, Don, and the probation officer got back to the receiving area, sure enough there were three juvenile looking girls there. “The one with the dark hair is our matron,” Buck said. When asked if he was sure, Buck responded, “I should know my own wife, we have kids as big as those other girls!”
Buck’s wife, Rose Perigo, was just following standard department procedures while serving as a “pick-up” matron. She stayed with the prisoners until they were turned over to another matron, or a female probation officer! Rose was a very petite woman who easily passed as a teenager. This was the first time, however, she actually got locked up.
This was in the mid 1950s. Sheriff Bert Strand’s long standing policy was to use a matron whenever transporting a female suspect or prisoner. Although “regular” matrons were usually available to escort women to court, the hospital, or prison on court days, arrests in the field almost always required the use of temporary, or “pick-up” matrons. Quite often these women were wives of deputies who lived in, or near, the unincorporated areas of the county.
Usually wives (and others) used as pick-up matrons were picked up at home and delivered back home by the arresting officers. For their troubles they were paid $5 from the jail’s petty cash fund. Ironically, as these trips usually lasted less than two hours, the matrons earned more money per hour than the deputies made! These matrons were used only as chaperons. Other than searching female inmates, they had no other responsibilities. Some, however, did in fact provide other services.
Phyllis Beall recalls an incident where she was asked to escort a rape victim to Dr. Gerald Bank’s office, at night, for a pelvic examination. At that time it was almost impossible to get a doctor to perform this procedure as they did not want to go to court to testify and also did not need the “extra liability.” Rape kits were still in the future, but Dr. Bank’s was the “jail doctor” who worked half time as a County Physician. Phyllis stated she had to to comfort the patient while getting her ready for the examination. She says it was a strange feeling to “be on the other end” of the examination process.
One of our frequently used matrons was the wife of Country Deputy Hal Johnston in Lemon Grove. Country deputies were also half time employees. Most of them had regular jobs or businesses, in addition to their night time duties as deputies. They were expected to cover calls in their area and assist the regular deputies. Hal Johnston had a security business; checking businesses for locked doors, broken windows, etc. This dove-tailed well with his duties as a country deputy. His “Patrol” car was his personal 1953 Chevy sedan, equipped with a red light, a big chrome plated siren, and a one-way radio—that’s right; he could receive calls, but did not have a transmitter. He had to use a telephone to call the main office.
What he did have was a female partner, his wife, who not only worked as a pick-up matron, but as his back-up. She rode with Hal almost every night. On one occasion, when Hal found a business had been broken into, he stationed his wife inside the car, close to the front door of the business. While Hal was securing the rear door and trying to call the Sheriff’s main office, to get help, the burglar ran out the front door. He didn’t go far when he saw this determined looking woman in the “Patrol” car with a gun leveled at him. “If you move, I’ll kill you,” she said! Mrs. Hal Johnston had helped catch another burglar!
Another time Mrs. Johnston was escorting a female prisoner to the jail, when upon arrival at the back door of the jail, the on-duty sheriffs’ matron refused to accept the prisoner because of “her” prominent adam’s apple! “He belongs on the other [male] side,” the jail matron said! I wonder if Mrs. Johnston got her $5!
Other pick-up matrons used in the South and East County areas included Donna Nilson, whose husband Deputy Roy Nilson worked in the crime lab; Ruby Siders, wife of Deputy Gale Siders¬—Gale was well known as the Jacumba resident, and later as the first official Finger Print Deputy in the 1960 jail; Marjorie Witcraft, wife of Deputy (later Lieutenant) Robert Witcraft¬—Bob worked mostly in the East County and So. Bay areas, with his last assignment as the Assistant Jail Commander at the So. Bay Jail. There were many other matrons in the North County area whose names are unknown to me; sorry!
By the late 1950s, under Sheriff Elmer Jansen, and later Sheriff Joseph O’Connor, the use of pick-up matrons was left up to the field deputies discretion. Deputies used the “time and mileage” procedure, if no matron was used.
The Office of Matron was a necessary function of Law Enforcement, dating back to the state’s beginning. This was especially true for Sheriff’s Departments who by law, were required to maintain the county jails. Many old-time Sheriffs and their families actually lived in the jails. Usually the Sheriff’s wife functioned as the matron. In addition to taking care of female inmates, frequently matrons had to prepare meals, wash clothes, etc. for all inmates.
One of the last jailors believed to have actually lived in San Diego County Jail was Frank Jennings. He was appointed to the post by his father, Sheriff Fred M. Jenning. Frank and the matron had permanent living quarters in the 1911 Jail. The last official jailor, prior to the department attaining Civil Service status, was H.L. Hubble, appointed by Sheriff Edgar S. Cooper. Mrs. Hubble was appointed matron. By 1940 the living quarters had been converted to office space.
Early records of the San Diego Sheriffs’ Department kept by Ramona Resident Deputy John Stevens list some of the matrons employed in the twenties and thirties. Mrs. Oscar Marshall, and Mrs. Clifton Tyler were assigned to the jail, but also assisted in “Special Services, Investigations, etc.” Mrs. Tyler’s husband was a deputy who worked for Captain King, who was in charge of the Sheriff’s Prohibition Detail. Deputy Stevens also lists Mrs. Langford and Mrs. Roy Stevens. Roy Stevens was a Special Deputy who worked at the sheriff’s Industrial Road Camp near Scissors Crossing in the Borrego area.
On June 26, 1937, all employees were ordered to report in uniform to the main office by Sheriff E.W. Dort for an annual inspection (and photograph session). Matrons were instructed to wear their “regulation white nurses uniforms.” Retired Deputy Billie Smith remembers that the white nurse’s uniform was still the official uniform when she came to work as a matron in March 1952. Unlike the nurses however, county matrons wore a regulation sheriff’s star, and the City Matrons had a gold SDPD badge.
In the late 1950s, Matron Billie Smith, City Matron Francys Williamson, and one other matron helped to design new uniforms. The new uniforms mirrored the colors of the male deputies and officers. Sheriff Matrons wore green skirts (and jackets), green hats, and a white blouse. City matron’s jackets, skirts, and hats were the same “pink” that the San Diego Police Officers wore.
In 1940, Leland McPhie (later Captain McPhie) joined the Sheriffs Department and was assigned to the jail. At that time, the jail housed female and juvenile inmates as well as male inmates. He remembers three matrons were assigned to the jail; Thelma Miles, who functioned as a lead matron; Lena Fuller, sister to Mr. De Graf Austin, a County Supervisor, and Ruth Wariner, also known as “pinky"—it had something to do with her hair! In addition, Frances Warner worked as a part-time matron. She worked mostly in transportation, taking inmates to state prisons and Patton State Hospital. She also helped in the jail.
The law required a matron to be on duty at the jail, 24 hours a day whenever there were any female inmates in custody. Two of the three regular matrons worked 12 hour shifts. The third matron was for day off relief. The matrons had a small office with a bed. The male deputies would wake them, as necessary, after they had put in their eight hour shift. The matrons also helped Dr. Banks with sick calls, in addition to their regular duties such as bookings. Jail bookings, by the way, were still written by hand, in large ledger books. (A sample of the old Booking Records is on display at the Sheriff’s Museum in Old Town, San Diego.)
In 1937, when the department was included in the Civil Service System, special requirements were established for each position. Matrons, like deputies, had to take written exams, oral interviews, etc. In addition, unlike their male counterparts, matrons had to know how to type. They frequently had to assist with clerical work in the jail, including reports and correspondence. Even in the 1960s they were still helping the male staff with their typing skills. Many matrons had a background in clerical work, but it didn’t pay as well as matron work, which was a big motivator for them to join the matron ranks.
By March of 1953, the department had 149 total positions (not all filled, of course. So what else is new). 120 of these were “sworn” positions, including 10 country deputies (half-time help) and six matrons. One in lieu of the Supervising Jail Matron. This position was finally filled on July 1, 1960, by the promotion of Eleanor Saggase. Although Eleanor Saggase wore Sergeants stripes and was referred to as “Sergeant”, her actual classification was “Supervising Deputy Sheriffs/Matron.”
Per Betty S. Creel, in her 1954 article “The San Diego County Jail.” The 1911 Jail consisted of eight tanks (housing units) with 178 beds. Two of the tanks were for women, one was for juveniles, and five were for men. By 1953, the jail was so crowded with male inmates, all female inmates were moved to the San Diego Police Department Jail. The juveniles had already been moved to the Anthony home in Mission Valley.
Billie Smith, remembers the day in August 1953 when all the female prisoners in the County Jail were transferred to the City Jail. When she reported to work that day, there were two SDPD “Paddy Wagons” at the rear door of the jail. She escorted all 13 female inmates to their new quarters at the city jail.
The county prisoners co-mingled with around 20 city prisoners. Likewise, the two matron staffs joined as one very tight unit. They were all supervised by the male jail sergeant. Male officers did the paperwork part of the booking and release processes. The matrons did the rest. This included finger printing, body and clothing searches, photographing, etc. Normal staffing was 7-8 matrons, allowing for two on duty most of the time.
The two staffs functioned very well together and became very good friends. Billie Smith recalls an incident that happened early on at the City Jail. One of the older City Matrons, Francys Williamson, was talking to an inmate in one of the housing areas. The inmate became very loud and abusive toward Francys, swearing and calling her very unflattering names. When Billie arrived to check out the commotion she immediately challenged the inmate, saying “How dare you talk that way to her, she is my mother!” The inmate backed down and apologized to Francys and Billie. Forever after, Francys was known as Mother to all the jail staff. The inmates called her that, at their peril. To them she was Mrs. Williamson. Francys transferred to the County Jail in the mid 1960s, retired in 1968, and died on Dec. 6, 2001.
The 1960s
Upon completion of the new jail in 1960, the county inmates and matrons were moved back to the County Jail’s second floor, with over a hundred beds divided into several cell blocks and dormitory type housing areas. To maintain secure separation of the sexes, the second floor could not be reached via the main elevators and stairs. At this facility, the matrons had to do all the booking functions, as well as, going outside the jail on transportation runs, 5150
pick-ups, etc.
By Dec 1964, the matrons staff consisted of one supervising matron and sixteen matrons. The matron’s duties remained the same, but they became more complicated and difficult. They began to experience many of the same problems facing the male staff. Overcrowding was the main problem. More female inmates were being arrested for more violent crimes. To help alleviate the overcrowding, the less dangerous inmates were released earlier; while more “problem” inmates stayed in jail longer. This led to more friction between the inmates and the staff. More and more, male staff members were called upon often to assist with controlling the inmates, changing the role of matrons in the jails.
On one occasion, as a jail sergeant, I needed to talk to the shift lieutenant. He was not in his office or the control room. I was advised he had gone to the female housing area to help the matrons with some problem. As I entered the matron’s booking area, I heard loud shouts and other noises coming from the stairwell area. Lying at the bottom of the stairwell was Lt. John Duffy grappling with a very muscular woman. He finally got control of her, with help from some of the matrons. The fight had started on the second floor when the inmate attacked a couple of matrons. Duffy lost his wrist watch, was out of breath, and had a ripped shirt and more than a few bruises! Still, this was not an unusual event.
The mid 1960s to the early 1970s was a time of sweeping changes in the entire department, especially as it pertained to the Sheriff Matrons. In the next installment we will take a look at some of these changes and how they affected the Sheriff’s Department.