The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
MICHAEL oLANcEY's DEATH.
A LETTER FROM THE CHAPLAIN OF CLINTON
PRISON.

A LETTER FROM THE CHAPLAIN OF CLINTON
PRISON.
CLINTON Prison, NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 1871
To THE EDITOR THE HERALD
VIII you permit me 10 say word in defence OF the
officers OF this prison, myself included against the
charge whoh has recently been made through your
columns OF inhuman treatment in the Of the late
Michael CanceyY The charge is very serious one. II
not that Of mere rough usage the part OF some
not polite keeper, but 1t Is that OF unfceling
cruel aud most criminal conduct. which every OH.
Ger is either directly or indirectly implicated, Tho
given for the charge cannot be alleged for any.
thing less than this-thcy mean this nothing. Now
it would not be worth while to takc up valuable space
IN your paper for defence before such OF your read
crs the habit of carefully analyzing what they
read because the gravity OF the charge contains
its relutaton. But there is very large class OF
readers who are deeply interested in prison matters
because they have sons or brothers or husbands in
bondage These from the very intensity OF their feel
ings will catch devour eagerly every item Of
interest connected with the prisons. without stopping
10 reflect In behalf OF these and TO set matters right
with them ask space for this communication. Their
load is heavy enough now without adding to their
grict by groundless OF cruelty and injustice.
The inhumanty and criminal conduct charged
against us involve the following absurdities
First-That 1t is possible for Board of Inspectors,
elected by tho people, to appoint entire corps OF
officers, OF whom not single one had the reputation
for even common decency TO maintain set OF keepers
who could aman kicked to death without Interior
cncc warden who could wink ut such an act physi.
cian who could certify TO lie TO cover IL up; chap
lain who could counvc ut all this outrage and mock
iugly go through the process Of condoling with tho
Second-rhat this possibility has been realized in
fact 80
halt Afnrn
them and without having their brutishness exposed.
Fourth-rhat they could pass without public cen.
surc through the minute, searching ana panstak ing
investigation which was held last summer by tho
Prison Commission.
or couisc, If tho above propositions could be bo-
cved then It would be easy To believe that the stu
pd:ty such corps OF officers might outrun their
cruelty and that they would SEND WORD 70 the friends
OF one whom they had beaten 10 DEATH to know their
pleasure regard 10 the remains, when the state pro-
vides cemetery Tor the nierment OF deceased prs
opcrs and not provide for their removal beyond
The prison limits; that after sending the bruised body
OF thclr victim home they would give as the cause Of
death .pncumonia instead Of the obvious and plaus
ible prctencc OF saccident in the mInes'
trust that the inherent absurdty OF tho charge Is
sufficiently apparent
Permit me to state low lacts touching tho history
OF the case in hand:-
Michael Clancy came to this prison a draft from
Sing Slug August last Soon alter his arrival be-
came personally acquainted with him and learned that
ms wife was making strenuous effort to
trial MY acquaintance with HIM through his cor
resrondence we'll AS by personal intercourse rpened
into sincere respect could not regard him us a
crimlual he seemed altogether above such
an lmputation. In watching the progress OF
the efforts in his behalf | became intensely
anxious that he should succeed in clearing himself Of
that STAIN AS to his relations with the other officers,
he had nothing to do with any except his own keeper,
the hall keeper, tho principal keeper, the physician
aud the warren think am saying wnat Is ~,
received cross word. The tact Is he not only
kept clear OF all punshmcnts, but moro than this, he
did not belong to that class oil men who render them
selves liable discipline. But just rs his hopes and
mlno IN regard trial were on the eve OF being
realized he was taken sick with pneumonia aud went
to The hospital l consulted him about the propriey
of writing 10 his wie, and no said NO. decidedly.
He hoped to ''bc around again soon" and then he
would himself write. Otherwise his wife would be
frightened and would PROBABLY iccl constrained
10 take the journey to SEQ MIN at an immense sacrifice
10 herself and her amily-a very natural view oil the
matter After u lew days hope OF recovery began to
give way. Thcn he became dcllrous, and mado up
IN mind he must de- And | nm not ashamed TO say
ma, mncrca nrofound distress as pictured to my.
self the scene mt homo when the sad news should
arrive. In the meantime all was done that could DO
done IN the way OF medical skill and nursing Tho
steward of the hospital and others OF the inmates
strangers though they wcre took hcir turns In watch
+ ing with Inn night and day. All honor TO them for IT,
After his death word was sent to New YORK and tho
wishes OF tho friends inquired for. And hero must
say tnat knowing that to be deprived OF the privilege
of looking upon her husbands face once more
would DO u narrowing disappointment 10 tho
widow, and that bong a devou. Roman Catholic,
as her husband had also been, she would hardly be
reconcilcd tho burial Ut the remains IN the prison
cemetery, felt nervousy ANXIOUS lost we should fail
IN getting the of the ronds for this was The third
message that had been by the physician and no
reply received, Mrs Clancey's address having been
recently changed However, in the course Of the sec
ond day after the death we received message asking
that tho remains be sent to New York The warden
scn one his most reliable officers with the body to
PlatisburQ, and, as the prson physician had been
called away and had not returned IN time, secured
from a physician that village, on evidence iur-
nshad the necessary certificate To indemnify the cx
press company ana so the remains reached New York
about three and half days alter death. In
duo time received ,,, letter written 10, Sy
| ing for explanation OF certain marks
| upon tho face, &c Of course, II came within the
province OF tho physician TO answer such inquiries, SO
| passed the letter immediately TO him ana sent q
postal card by return mail acknowledging the receipt
of tho letter of inquiry, and informing Mrs Clancy
that shc would hear IRON the physician This officer
wrote at once, explaining the whole matter, to tho
effect viz THAT the bruises on tho face were tho re-
suit simply OF accidental falling upon tho IRON franc
of the cot while the patient was in dclirous condi-
ton that the fractured the result OF post
morlem examinations that the marks on the back were
| q part OF the phenomena OF dissolution.
Now, would like TO ask n question or TWO. Did
| my acknow cdgment Of the receipt OF Mrs. Clan
| cey's letter OF inquiry by one mail and tho ply.
sican's answer by another mail both a,l TO reach
their destinations 1t so. why was not the effort to
obtain Information renewed on tho charitable SUPPOSE
ton that the first letter might have mscarredy II
they were received why they wholly ignored and
the impression gwen out that explanation had been
made by either physician or chaplain III tho cxpa-
nation was not satisfactory, why were wo rot advised
TO that effect? Why not Mr. Anderson, one of tho
inspectors and resident of Brooklyn called upon TO
look into the mattcry Why were not these things
done before rushing into printg
have omitted many facts tor tho sake OF making
this mmunicaton short possible, and many
facts private nature that would show an i'm.
measurable distance from humanity in the treatment
OF Michael Clancy. Respectfully yours,
THE CHAPLAIN OF CLINTON PRISON.
HOPELESSLY DEPRAVED.