The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-09-30

A correspondent of the New York
Sun writing of the management OF the
State Prison at Sing Sing, makes this
extraordinary statement:
It is well known here to-day that for
nearly the full term of the present
agents administration the real governor
of the prison has been
CASPER G. CHILDs, THE CHIEF CLERK,
who has made fine fortune out of the
pick-I mean perquisites of his office.
Agent Russell is looked upon as a nom
entity, as far as the management of the
prison is concerned, but is thought by
most of the good citizens to have been
shrewd enough to feather his nest at
least as warmly as his subordinate.
Another fact equally patent to the
people here who have dealings with the
prison authorities is that the business
or the institution Is conducted IN a
great measure by Al Wilson, convict
who has served five years and hopes to
be released in 1874 This man is a
sharp fellow, of good education and ex-
cellent address. He WAS sentenced in
1866 to
EIGHT YEARS FOR COUNTERFEITING.
Since his entrance into the prison he
has been pet, and has been subjected
to but few of the notifications and
hardships that fall to the general lot.
Wilson smokes fine cigats, wears a fine
moustache and head of elegant black
curly hair. The cigar, the moustache,
and the hirsute adornment are strictly
prohibited by the prison rules, but Mr..
Wilson somehow has been enabled to
override the rules and indulge his as-
thitic tastes to their fullest extent
except, let me say, in the matter OF
trousers. The agent requires him to
wear the regulation stripes; and Mr..
Wilson in return for the favors granted
him, accepts the trousers as a compro-
mise. He is the
ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF CLERK,
and by means only known to himself
but guessed as by others, has, since his
incarceration, made a larger fortune
than he could possibly have secured by
his clumsy evidences of want Of re-
spect to the legalized currency OF the
country. He Is the happiest man in
the prison, except the chaplain and the
chaplain's clerk-of whom more here
after.
A short time ago citizen of Sing
Sing called at the office of the prison to
collect bill due him on account OF
services rendered or goods furnished.
He inquired of the attendant:
"Where is Agent RUSSELL"
"Gone to New York"
"Where is Tom Croint, the heaC
keeper2"
Gone OF.
"Where is Cas-. Childs, the chic
clerk 2"
"He's away"
s'm heavens name, then, who Is
IN CHARGE OF THE PRISON?
cal Wilson"
And to Mr.. Al. Wilson, the convict
clerk, the citizen paid his respe cts and
presented his bill.
The claim was duly examined, and
the citizen received a check for the
amount, drawn on the Sing Sing Bank.
and signed, &C. c. Childs, per Al. vii
son."
"Is this check good2" said the citi
zen, glancing at the striped integuments
of the clerk.
Present it at the bank and see, ,
replied the convict. "My signature is
as good there as anybody's."
The check was presented and paid.
The position now held by AL Wilson
was, in 1868, during the administration
of Judge Johnson as agent, filled by
THE NOTORIOUS JACK CAUTER.
who, at the expiration of his present
term OF imprisonment, will have pass
ed nearly forty years of his life in the
different penitentiaries and jails of the
country. He was and is one Of the
smartest men in or out of Jail, and at
the time Judge Johns On took charge OF
Sing Sing, had been a prisoner for ff-
teen years. He had for long time
held the position of clerk, and was as
well contented as if he controlled the
finances of New York city before the
reform movement. During his term
with Judge johnson a large number of
convlcts We're discharged, and numer-
Gus visits and messages from New York
detectives were received-visits and
messages of peculiar character The
general tenor of the messages was in
the way of a suggestion that i" John
Smith or Theophilus Jones, arrested by
me last night at the Houston street and
Broadway, might be an escaped con
Wet bearing forged papers of dis
charge" The book would always be
overhauled, and it would always be
found on the records that John Smith
or Theophlius Jones had
SERVED HIS FULL TERM
of imprisonment, and that he had per-
feet right to roam the streets of New
York at will
Message after message was sent
Detective after detective visited Sing
Sing in relation to men who they knew
had been sentenced for term of years,
and had served only half their time. In
all cases the books were carefully ex-
amined. the agent taking one set while
the clerk Tailed by the other. In all
cases it was shown that the suspected
men were rightfullv entitled to liberty,
and the bafhed and puzzled detectives
were obliged to withdraw crestfallen.
Said one, 81 arrested John Smith Oh
the Sd of July, 1861, for forgery. He
was tried and convicted and sentenced
to Sing Sing for ten years. [ was pres
ent at the trial and heard the sentence
delivered. The man is at large in New
York, two years before the expiration
of his term, and shows his discharge
papers, which state that he has served
the eight years for which he was SEN
fenced. There must be something wrong
about it."
Forthwith the books were taken down
and carefully consulted.