The New York herald., 1875-09-18
JACK CANTER.
HE REIrERATEs HIS CHARGES OF, CORRUPTION
IN SING SING PRIsoN-wHAT HE THINKS OF
THE DENIALs OF his STORY.

HE REIrERArEs HIS CHARGES OF, CORRUPTION
IN SING SING PRIsoN-wHAT HE THINKS OF
THE DENIALs OF HIS STORY.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept II, 1875
1t to be expected matter of course that the
statement of Jack Canter "he accomplished convict
accusing certain exofcias of Sing Sing Prison of the
dsgraceful vany, should not pass unquestioned
Some of the implicated persons made haste, after the
publication in the HERALD to attempt to dispose of the
whole matter by affecting to consider the charges
worthy of consideration because they cmanated from
convicted felon II the bad management and corrup-
ton Of Sing Sing Prison not notorious, this
policy the part of the accused officials might set the
matter res but there is too much reason to fear
that what he alleges is true.
In a second conversation with Canter day or two
ago. reiterated his charges with increased earnest
and repeated that he is willing and anxious to
prove all that he charges and more by examination
Of the forged vouchers in the Comptroners Office by
which, he CLAIMS all the dishonesty and corruption in
the Offices of the Agent and Warden of Sing Sing
Prison be easily shown. Concerning the denias of
Nelson and Chids as published in the HERALD, Canter
said:-
NELSON'S DENIAL
The Hon. Henry c. Nelson, late Agent and Warden 70
that bar sinister in the escutcheon of the State the Sing
Sing Prison. as the report Of the Whig Commission of
1864 not inaptly terms IT, on being interviewed by a
HERALD reporter says concerning the charges against
him.
~ have read them in the HERALD with surprise, but
emanatng from the source they do, they scarce
worthy the trouble of reiuting. l would state, how
ever that when Canter speaks Of his failing health
through excessive work in the Office in September, 1862
that that the time when he discovered substi
tutng fictitious commitments reducing the sentences of
convicts."
So in answer to the reporters query he has simply
nothing say Mark he admits that September, 1862
the date OF the discovery of being illegally dis
charged from prison. and in reply to the reporters next
question he mentions the date of his taking charge of the
prison as January &C. 1862 eight months before Yet
he asserts that almost daily being surrep-
tously free for the space of eight months and it
took the Warden of the prison that space OF time to
make the discovery This is too absurd for fiction.
When is recolected that he had served year in
the Legislature, it may readily be conceived that he
was ''up to all kinds of jobs.
FORGED VOUCHERS.
As to the charge that vouchers forged during
his term he says:-"My answer to that is that upon
taking charge of the prison, January 26, 1869, the
moneys drawn from the Comptroller for said month
were all expended by D. Forrest, my predecessor,
the moneys due the officers on the last day of the
This rhodomontade s no answer at all to the charge
II has more bearing on II than his 'answer' to the
other charge. The Hon. Henry Is evidently becoming
somewhat confused.
AS to the charge of his making a profit of SIS per
barrel out of -four speculation he says:-
"a most ridiculous charge. and not worth
noticing especially when it is recolected that IS 25
the highest price paid for flour at the prison."
With the Hon. Warden the charges all and singular,
'not worth noticing, "emanatng from the
they do, :" and still, with his garingy apparent confu-
SION he essays reply however foreign to the subject
txVaa n cu a VarU
worthless article of flour, ht only for manufacturing
purposes, such as making PASTE &c, for So per bar
rel, to mix 1t with So and sometimes IS -four
Forrest well understood this manipulation Some time
before leaving he very assiduous in securing the
market for flour to suit purchased very largely, and
so overloaded tho loft Of the sorehouse with flour that
props had DO erected to prevent the falling of the
floor. Every available space sufficient for barrel he
filed up before he left What could have instigated
Forrest in taking this extra labor of purchasing sub
sistence for the prison for SO long a time beyond
his termp Nelson says, "When took charge January
20 1862 there supplies in the storehouse, in
cludng flour, to last for nearly three months. u
The simple answer IS, there money in it About
May Forests -four must have been consumed, ev
IDENTIFY from Nelson's statement and for the reason
that there this extra supply hand when he took
Charge does the exWarden intend to say that there
was no further need of his making purchasesP It is
evidently implied, if not expressed.
So, to the charge Of speculation in -four he argues
that the thing was not feasible simply because there
was a stock hand for three months Pray, could
this initiate against such speculation for the after time
when -four had to be purchased by hm9 No. Nelson
moss TO furnish for him before leaving and knew the
interested motive which prompted the act, and in due
time he followed his leader
cHILDs LOGIC.
Casper G. Chlds, Jr, ex-clerk of the Sing Sing
Prison. tcstnes to HERALD reporter that he has known
me i've six years in prison. and that he considers
me ''partally insane or Eighty" And yet, on the
10th day Of June last past, he leaves his sanctum
the Democratic Register Office at Sing Sing, accom-
panied by lawyer friend, Mr. Dewitt, whom he brings
to this Penitentary TO me; the lawyer brings with
him pardon, bearing date as passing Secretary of
States Office, May 25 1875, restoration to citizen
ship, and reads, He" the partially or
hghty prisoner) !being represented unto us
worthy OF being restored to the rights
OF o citizen, we have pardoned, &c, &C :"
The object with Childs was to enable me ian
insane prisoner Chds describes me- to execute an a
davlt that committed forgery Of promssory note
for S. 900 in the name of John j. Cole, of Kingston
Ulster county, N. Y. My afhdavit to be used in
lawsuit which came to trial some weeks SINCE and on
production Of my affidavit defendant moved postpone
ment OF the case
Mr. Cole should, by all means summon Mr. Casper G.
Chds Jr to appear trial of tho cause and testify
TO the insanity Of tho maker Of that affidavit II appears
that Inspector Fodyce Latin has much interest at
stake in this suit and sent Chds and Dewitt to obtain
my AFFIDAVIT