The New York herald., 1872-08-30
THE BLACKWELL'S ISLAND REVOLT
What Commissioner Owen Brennan Says
About the Penitentiary.
ANOTHER ESCAPE YESTERDAY.
Official Idea Of the Incapacity Of the Keepers
Political Influence Appoints the Employes-A
Reorganization Of the Penitentiary Going
0n-An Exciting Chase, but No Game.


0n-An Exciting Chase, but No Came
The article in yesterdays HERALD giving the par
ticulars OF the revolt among the prisoners in the
| Penitentiary on Blackwes Island appeared to be
genuine revelation to the Commissioners OF Chari-
ties and Correction. 1t was a surprise which some
what took their breath away. There is no doubt
that these gentlemen are genuine in their attempts
| to take good care OF the many institutions under
| their supervision, and as far as their efforts go
| they are all directed to taking as much interest
| in their work as can be reasonably expected
OF them. But 1t seems If they really had
more to attend to than they able to accomplish
On the other hand they have allowed politics to
gain the ascendant in their deliberations. 1t will
be readily seen that nothing could be more danger,
GUS than this as applied to institutions which are
established for the good Of the people at large and
not for any one branch OF 1t.
THE FREAR CHARTER,
among Its many other shortcomings, must include
this-of having been the means of introducing poll
tics in Board which, up to the time of its passage.
had been equally divided, and therefore
neutral in its working far as politics
were concerned. Up to April, 1870 the Board
consisted OF Messrs. Brennan and Bowen, republi-
cans, and Messrs. Nicholson and Bell, democrats.
The Frear charter ADDED one more to the Board,
and Mayor Hall appointed Alexander Frear. demo-
crat, the author Of the charter, to fill the vacant
position. Since that time the power OF the two
republican members Of the Board has been, to
speak, neutraized. This OF course established a
very amentable precedent, and one Of the most
lamentable has been to put all the appointing
power on one side OF the house,
Yesterday o reporter Of the HERALD went to see
the Commissioners Of Charities and Correction
garding the facts stated In the article Of Thursday
Mr. owen Brennan was alone present at the time.
The reporter found him seated reading the
! HERALD, in the board room, facing on Third ave-
nue., Of the building appropriated to the use Of the
Commissioners OF Charities and Correction. The
reporter was cOurteOusly invited to take q seat
THE INTERVIEW
II wished to see you" said the reporter. "re-
garding the facts stated in the HERALD about the
BackweIl's Island revolt"
81 am ready answered Mr. Brennan, ITO give
you any information you desire the points which
have been taken up or upon any other OF which
know anything"
''In the first place, then, Mr.. Brennan,n queried
the reporter, what do you know OF the charge
made that you have in your employ In the Peniten-
tiary as keepers men who have been convicts at
"About that" answered Mr.. Brennan, ~ can
state nothing positively. have never heard the
Have you any reason to doubt that it is trues"
SWELL simply the reason that do not think
| any member OF the Board would appoint man Of
DIsREPUTABLE CHARACTER
| to such position. could not swear that there
mot such INT in he the wpg a na
| suit of clothes that there are not"
| 'The Board makes all the appointments, does it
not ."
at does' said Mr.. Brennan. 1--WE have in our
GIFT all the appointments in the various institutions
| good OF these institutiOns"
"Does political favoritism come into play in these
appointments ~
II cannot deny that The Board is as at present
constituted, democratic. Mr. Bowen and myself
have
| to make any appointments, as we are In the mi
nority. This power Is held by Messrs. Bell, Nichol-
jectionable in these men we do what can to pre-
vent their appointment, and, no doubt, we gener-
ay % Te apRo,hntees mt are
deny that political friends OF the Commissioners
have some power In the matter. Yet do not be.
| lieve any abuse is made OF this power. should
decidedly object to It II there were"
| 'YetI understand from Mr. Fitch that great
many of these keepers prove to be incompetent"
'That is so but in that case we endeavor to re-
| move. Mr.. Fitch, when he is dissatisfied with
keeper, makes q charge against him and the Board
acts upon It."
.Now tell me honestly Mr. Brennan ~ asked the
affairs at the Penitentary, and do you believe the
keepers are, as general rule, competentf
been. NV attention was first called to the matter
from the fact that during my
VISITS TO THE PENITENTIARY
mnd go to some OF the islands daily noticed
that the convicts did not do the amount Of work
a had expected from them: often saw, after the
portion to the number of men at work. I often
looked In at the quarries and saw this. or course
attributed this to incompetency on the part OF the
keepers. 1t is their business to see that the prs-
oners do their work properly and do enough OF IT.
then introduced resolution In the Board, which
you may see on the minutes, that
COMMITTEE
be appointed to look into matters at the Peniten.
pointed consisted OF Mr. Frear and Mr.. Bowen.
These gentlemen during the past two days have
Keepers have been removed. think only eight OF
the old keepers are at present employed there and
these are men In whom we have the greatest cond-
dence and who have been In their present positions
'sThese changes. Mr.. Brennan" interrupted the
remedys''
'No, and for very simple reason. presume
! you speak OF the constant attempts at escape In
| the first place, there about five hundred more
prisoners In the Penitcntary than there have ever
been before Besides this the great majority OF the
prisoners are boys. These are very troublesome
and make attempts at escape when older men
would not think OF such thing. They are always
immediately try II again. To remedy this can
think OF but one way, and that Is
THE APPOINTMENT OF MORE KEEPERS.
| BY dividing the prisoners up into smaller gangs
| and putting more keepers over them the chances
Of escape would be greatly diminished and the
attempts would necessarily be fewer. At present
we have some gangs Of fifty men each In them and
with only two Keepers to look after them. What
chance do you suppose these two men would have
of preventing an escape should O whole gang at
tempt to escape at the same time Hardly any.
Here IL the main trouble we labor under"
"UDder these circumstances why do you not have
more Keepers, or else why do you not build wall
around the Penitentiary %
1--WE should be obliged then, to build wall
around the whole island for the convicts work oil
over 1t, and that would cost
MINT MONEY
| As to the appointment OF more keepers, that 10 a
| matter more difficult to do than TO talk about.
Already we are very short Of money. and We actu-