New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-01
A DEMOCRATIC SPECIMEN.
SING SINGS QUEER WARDEN.
now W. II. BROWN RUNS TIE GREAT PRISON
CURosITIEs OF HIS ADMINIsTRATIoN-
ASSESSING THE KEEPEIs-CRUELTY
TO COYVICTS - CONDEMNED
pyEN BY DEMOCRATS

crvinr discracos of The Democratic Administration in
This stat, that under II the prisoners have been turned
over bodily to the most wIetchcdy incompetent pon
,cians without reference to their fitness efficiency
General Lathrop, the head OF the department is
well meaning man, hut absolutely out Of his depth
lie Is entirely dependent on the advice Of the more
clear headed OF his suboriinaes such as Warden DnfS
ION a Auburn and allows his chief clerk TO his
ofice at Albany. Upon the question of the condition
OF affairs at Dannenora prison and OF the htneSs OF
Warden Thaycr for his ONCE no further commentary IS
needed than the escape OF Bunco" OBrien and
the disgrnceiul circumstances attending that feat
Emf II Is with the condition OF affairs at sing Sing
uuison that New Workers al mos concerned for II
I, there that 200 Of tbe vicious and unfortunate Of
The city's population are hered In Anticipated and in
sufficient quarters the despoic control Of War
den william r. Brown, OF NewburS.
The intrinsic personality OF Warden Brown is too
contemplate and Insignificant to Justify even line Of
newspaper discussion under ordinary circumstances
but the temptation TO dissect him a typical Illus
traton OF the Democratic pacehoher in view Of GER
lain recently occurring Incidents in his admniSud
ton Of the prison. is too great 10 he resisted
After If. Of repeated failures in private business
nom which he had to be extricated by his family
Brown was appointed postmaster OF Newburg by Mr.
Cleveland the fight between the principal caholua'eS
hana so hot that II practically stand on ana
Brown slipping In by a miracle OF good luck On une
expiration Of his term postmaster IN the sprns VI
1871 his brother, Judge Brown. buried the Ha'oNe'
end went into the Executive Chamber at Albany 10
beg Of Governor Hill the vacant place OF warden
and agent Of Sing Sing prison for his brother Upon
lie reputation Of Judge Brown and upon the repre-
sortetion that Rll- cond secure the Newburg Con-
?.ss District for him. the Governor made the appoint
nent.
on m. first day Of May 1891. William r. Brown
became by the grace Of the Democratic party 'he
auocrat Of the great prison at Sing sing. This way"ard
sr1 who had again and again 10 be extrca'ed iro"
difficulties by his family. made the sole aroiier
Of the destiny n 400 helpless outcasts rom
socotv who are dependent on his daily whims for
Justice ard whose cries. however bitter they NAV
be against him. smcthcred BY the prison "aiis
This business man. whose many failures were known
Car and wild, was intrused with the management OF
state factory which makes clothing alone worth
ever 81 900 900 every yeac. not TO mention dczeh
other industries. and for which $1,000 day Is
expended in supplies To aid him in this latter
duty Bill, brought down IA Newburg crony ana
rar1esate I'd Brown, who kept " sporting hotel
or rcadhouse in that locality. ana made MN pnr
chasing aeont' The financial ability Of this pair IS
sn~h that TO Use the metaphor of venerable c'lzen
Of Newburg they conld deprive n wharf rat Of Ms
lie without the animal realizing the TRANSACTION iof
some hours after It's occurrence.
After Browns arrival at Sing sing. where he came
se he expressed 1t with his usual good taste, :" 10
ecctrocute few Of those poor devils, 1t Is useless
n trv to itemze the acts and failures TO act which
complete ard his typical Democratic
r,accrroder. I, would take too long TO recapituate
IN TIE assessments FOR political purposes made upon
the keepers guards in violation Of the Civil Service
Law since NAV l. 1891. down to last week, when
all keepers were levied upon for $45 apiece, and
guards 800 each for the glcTy Of the Democracy
end the election Q. Cleveland apd stevenson. Even
the honor which Is supposed TO exist between men,
bers Of certain light nng cyed class violated III
the case of Dr. Hiram Parber, one OF the former
prison ply. clans who paid an assessment Of Sl0O
on the promise that II should insure his retention.
end he was promptly discharged after the money was
,a,e In hand. II would be idle 10 enumerate the
wc,itodo prisoners like Jaehne. who, like the lily,
have neither tOiled nor spun during that time. eX-
ccyuEg, perhaps the performance Of the Oner0ns
dutle Of playing poker and 1t would be equally futile
:, inquire into the prcuniary Influences which may
have borne relation 10 that exemption. or into
tie question Of who at thce poker games.
OF course this Is a free country and Warden Brown
has RICH, to enjoy fast horses and a speedy steam
launch but the tOwnSpeOple have an equal right 10
believe that the launch Is put AT the disposal OF the
varien's son by a man whose brother is doing
timer under the warden's mild. forgivlng eye. Tho
rccrliar interest which Warden Brown took In Ferd
rand Ward and which led him to make life pleasant
for that ex-convlct fl Newbi,2 after his discharge,
snd TO recommend him to TIE good graces and pro
fcsslonal services Of his cbum. John NJ Gardiner, 4
lawyer Of that town, Is OF course directly iraceable
10 the doctrine Of affnities. The arrangement 10y
which Democratic campaign printing for the town
Of sing sing 4, done tine prison printing office, which
Ward started. Is also. o. course Mghly behehciai
% the state.
Az before said il would be useless to review all
these things because the accusation OF political bias
and misiniormatiOn might be laid against them.
II is much better TO take the statement OF the Demo
cratic papers o, Westchester County. The Demo
cratic Register Of sing sing. ana The White Plains
Register both Democratic papers, have been com
PEELED at all times except Immediately before cleo
lions 10 speak out most plainly Oh the score OF
Warden Brown and his management OF TIE prison
W. Regardless Brown" "Catspaw Brown Scare
crow Brown silly warden " reckless and I'M
democratic warden barren and worse than worth
less barnacle," plant tool fiat failure and
gaunt failure n few OF the highly descriptive
.pthets which they have editorlally applied to him.
They have referred again and again 10 his mysterious
and incompetent administration They have begged
Governor Flower remove him. saying, Brown
should 60 for these reasons lie Is not pracuca
he Is hasty,' ETC., They have enlarged upon MS
glaring ncompetency as business man, AID warned
The Governor that the prison is likely to show a
larger deficiency than ever II Brown remains agent
and warden"
The Democratic editors. who ought to know have
frequently anImadverted upon Browns falschood,'
and upOn the fac: that no manly warden would
the things which he has done. They call attention
to {" certain cupability on the part OF tbis oMchi
which neither policy nor principle should longer
tolerate In a public Office OF the State They
urge behalf Of the under keepers that the men
appointed 10 places under Warden Brown are not 20
blame for tie warden's cruetics.' They refer with
contempt the disgusting souvenirs gotten out by
him after the electrical executions. and say that II
Is great pity that His Rccklcssn,Ss did not 'ee
reckless enough sit in the chair for few minutes
and have the current turned on from tie prison.
On August 10. " The Register mentions projected
frolic on the prison steam launch In the Adirondack
lakes and describes the warden setting sail with his
navy fully provisCned for a months outing from
the State stOrehouse. and poted and engineered by
two keepers In the pay Of the state But as else
where remarked by these Democratic brethren;
"The State IS wealthy and what IT, under Brown. rs