New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-21


Prison Association, held on Wednesday evening the I4h
inst, the following paper, by the Committee State Prison
Non adopted and ordered to be printed in the An
nual Report 1t respectfully requested that you win it
place in your columns T. c. WINES, Cor. Secy
Appended TO the last Annual Report Of the Inspectors
Of State Prisons there is supplementary report Of the
agent Of the prison at Sing Sing rejecting upon the
conduct Of this Association to demand notice at our
hands.
The following brief statement Of the facts Of the
case referred:
In the month Of October q communication was made
to the Association. charging the officers of the Sing
Sing prison with having caused the death Of prisoner
by the name Of Evans by cruel treatment. The paper
without signature but was represented 10 be from
reliable source. 1t referred to the Committee on
State Prison Visitation. No instructions accompanied
the reference but the Committee left free 10 act
agreeable 10 their own judgment.
The Committee, on inquiry, found that the paper
came from discharged convict who was not willing
10 be known in the matter.
Ii manifestly improper for the Association 10
notice anonymous charge Of so serious nature that
the Committee, using the discretion oonhded 10 them,
and acting in that spirit OF Justice when has ever
"A ssoeiation determined 20 wholly ignore IT, and &c
cordingly no further attention was paid TO it.
The Agent Of the Prison. however first 10y letter and
sferward personally requested the Committee TO lin.
vestga,e the charge. The following Is bis letter to the
Chairman:
Ny DEAR SIR: very much regret your absence this after
noon ds.iree to zee you on ne n)e o. ass
notice long before but suppose the matter was to be nve
a. matter ofg aud think will he able to satsfy that
the whole thing j. gross hbe Ihhi respectable paper
should publish such without first becoming .ai'
sed Of its authenticity surprises me- IT was written BY
conve; in The prison. who Il one Of the most unm.d ar'
on earth There is word Of truth in Il. statements a. 10
the treatment Of Evans from beginning 20 end.
repeat Sir We desire an investigation thar 'ha Be fu and
s%p paS S h ndT should BE- he'd public
contempt am Sir youI, iuy s,n. ~; sosTs9s,
In the personal interview that the Agent aiterward
had with the Chairman Of your COMMITTEE he was as
sured The Association roHid not notice an anonymous
charge like iha but thai II he and he Other eotrs Of the
prison ,,ques,td fhsn 10 inrtsti1ae they would ready
do 90 He replied that such was their desire.
Therefore IT was that the investigation was mad j,
the himself bears testimony 10 the courtesy and
Immortality with which conducted and the strict
justice that was done.
was caused by the treatment he received from the
officers of the prison The report Of the Committee
was that the death was IN no respect owing 70 thaI
cause and il the officers OF the prison IN the
most ample manner. The Agent was furnished with a
copy Of the report and was urged to publish IT. IN JUS
tifcaiion OF himself and the other officers. Had he
done So not only would their innocence have appeared
bat II would also have appeared that the Association
noticed the charge only nj his request and was a. al
times as ready It's power for the yndcaton Of
officers doing their duty faithfully a. Tor tie protection
Of prisoners against oppression
He has however chosen TO overlook that and TO say
The Association holds its monthly meetings In tho City OF
NwYork. within 30 miles OF the seen" OF the alleged BAL
bsry Some Of members were personsy acquainted WIN
hay. brought them the prison where they could have met
the officers heard their statements, end rfned the whole
@ the shock which seems have been produced by the
statement Of this highly eredsbe witness They however
chose different course ..d on, "h,oh anss sns
The motive thst prompted them leave for an in'egent
r. In. pub,e sentiment will .bsovs these gentlemen from al
blame in thus wsnony tsmperns with the reputsnon OF
nicion hint oth,rui.e and shall hold them believe
The public will, responsible for the foul sandor ,
In respect is the Association responsible ior the
Islander and that would clearly have appeared II the
Agent had published the report OF the COMMITTEE ne
was urged do The only action OF the Association
in the matter was listening to the charge when was
read 70 them referring TO the appropriate Commit
tee and the investigation by that Committee msde az
the urgent and repeated request OF Agent amer me
Committee had determined to take no NOTICE OK 'ne
charge on account OF its anonymous character
Ofthat investigation, the agent uses this language
o.nuo, dns. the subject without expressing behalf Of
the officers immediately mpnestsd u wen 90 @ysen suoet
he apsTts 10 which he conducted the examination
Conscious Of wrong our part moving the utter sy
ample Justice at bis hands We were no. dissppointed
This praise is due to the Association, and not to the
Individual named 10 whom 1t happened 10 oonauct tne
investigation without the presence ana ed oI
members OF the Committee. His action was Simply
that OF agent Of the Association and was IN CON
formity with and for his action was but IN eiecuon OF
the settled policy OF the society Any S'no, hno
conduct would have received iS unquanncu eoAue"""
The chief grievance OF tho Agent seems 70 DO certain
articles in the newspapers IN Cincaaa !, IN no
RESPECT answersble II had no agency direct y, inu
rect in their publication nor any .u on
the subject IL ever authorized were 6st Statement OF
the reception OF the charge and its reference 70
tee in report Of it, monthly meeting In Ootooei ana
secondly abstract Of s rs HsTsnSer But for
this latter publication the charge would syn ssano oe
fore the public unrelated The Agent could ns.s con
tradcted it, as he did but withou! TIE ara q .ousSt
aud obtained and II IL difhcuh for US 70 eppIee
justice or even the consistency Of complaining OF u o
ss d y ay, "s s . say
obly function Of the Association IN TINS case sse ~
far see. to stand a. shield 70 inc Iis1n o.
thorities against malicious and grounoiess s"s'A
The AGENT il not however, content with his eondem
nation OF action in this matter but denies our en
to nspec. the State Prison: =. az ana Ssyns n. right
Speaking Of the Ill feeling which the convc" msS On
tertain toward their officers. he says: .a
naturally seek such channels will best aid them "a ns
t.nmen OF theft object and Judging from ,n .n Naturally
Prison Association 10 just tho medium tney "'e'o "-''
select TO carry out their vile purposes. ,.-.ah..
Upon what ground 1t list hat the Agent cisim IN
our power OF inspection 10 confined TO prison. IN w
City OF New. York and County prisons u amcus W
discover when the language Of our act OF incoipoIs
ton is that we "shall have power and shall oe 90.
the State. and annually report TO the Legislature their
state and condition" &c
This duty has now been faithfully performed for more
than 20 years. and. during that time the Assocsuon
has been made TO feel Oh several occasions that its
performance was not always acceptable TO the omcen
Of the prisons. To such extent was the nostil.y
carried at one time that the Association WAS COM