New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-18
HODCMAN'S
MACKINTOSHES
ExceIlcd by None.
BROADWAY, Fl Mcsr g3n Er;;:
COR. GRAND STREET. ADJ. oIu W. ,.NIrIr
BITTER TALES OF CRUELTY
MANY WITNESSES TESTIFY AGAINST J. R
BROCKWAY.
1xvrsr,c .r1NG THE CHARGES AGAINST TIFF
SUPERINTENDENT OF TIE ELMiRA
EEEORMATOEY.

EEFORMATOEY.
r,. oor,r,,tee Amounted by the State Board OF
Charities TO investigate charges OF cruelty against
7 y Rrockwav Superintendent OF the Eifira
Reformatorv met at the Aston House yesterday
There were any number OF graduates Oh 'ne ''Su
tuition present, who testified against WI.
way and II their testimony Is true theie mas "'''
considerable unnecessary severity IN lne ", ,
OF the inmates of the Reformatory The witnesses
o,,.a ,aIos NJ awful torture inflicted upon them
nv Mr. I,rockway and his paddle. 1hey 'o'u
stories Of having been strung up anu 'as"eu
the blood came. and them they say 'neS We"
cast into dark and gloomy cells. where '"es SUI
fered, so they said the tortures WORSE o"'
of Inausition days. Many Of them sho"e" so'''
on their bodies as evidence. The Witnesses "o"
over were all more or less rough-appearihs young
men who looked as though they cou'u Nv 'e
fractory enough to merit pretty souhu U.S.
punishment but they swore under oath 'hi' '"e''
statements true. ,
The committee is composed Of Oscar Caris. pres'-
dent OF the State Board Of Charities; Dr' H'.p"
smith of this city and Edward H. Litch'elu' vi
BROOKLYN Dr. Wey. of the Reformatory' anu C..''
Hoppe a former prisoner, but now inc c'e." " wy
Reformatory represented Mr.. Brockway. r.A-'n'se
Gilbert. representing the Attorney "e"e
appeared for the people.
The first witness. Michael Howard WIN "' "
the Reformatory In 1855, testiiied'
II was chained to an iron staircase p'o
and a keeper padded me alternately anu 80
time I ninched | struck on the he",' W.
chained in solitary confinement for FOUR u''' ""'
four nights They gave a little soup occasion
ally but / was too sick To eat peOa'"e ~ CIV"
that they took me TO the hospitai.
Howard also detailed the case OF James "aipy'
Who Il Is alleged was so badly beaten that he
died --.-rn
SHE SAYS SIZE WAS THREATENED
lane Miller whose brother is said to have uieo
Cai1
from the treatment he received 'here' s"'u VIZ"
January ISL Brockway teegraphed her that he'
,.o,har yxos diving and asked what disposition she
y,,sbed made OF the body. She said that she went
TO the Reformatory. and under threats OF s,'cn',
about her brothers punishment she was h''o"'v
Ia take him home. Her brother tod her he "''
been strung up 10y The hands ann nan lie had
three hemorrhages while he was IN tne ~, ,ns
was pea, nea''n Hare who was employed ~ car
nentar M the Rcformatory, tolh the loo"nts III,
.orL US Gloss. To the bathroom where M DO
were padded. and the torturcs ihnc, , IN sonods
have heard the shrieks Of men under toruLe' anu
/ have seen them afterward unao'e " wal" ANN
'n Th NEXT witness said he Frequently corresieb
by being struck sc,oss m .o mg.' one hi keeper
With n snowfall lie was accused 81 no ru s,,n; ~,
ara he punished for ieny,hs NJ hs ourh; 10 be
.mnra ~ convict tried 20 escape" said the WIZ
ness and | answered for his name az ron can.
W..,.r Winnie caught me and said; 'Io-inofiv"
you cot afty blows Ny flesh was Gu, al
over my back / then fell down ana hr% Tt,n
and Winnie kicked me all over ths hvo,. i"' "a
Vas nut i'm the solitary cell. chhinri hhnu nm
foot TO the floor with ,s no,nin n.y. 20 e"' '"'
rbe ncxt witness testified that while ne was m
inmate OF the Reformatory. ne hh' reeve wv
best Of treatment but hc hhl seen mr. t,.s
o,isoners suffering from padding. and lashinss
with rubber hose
WHAT HAPPENED TO c. ]. CLEAR.
Charles J. clear. who at the Re'orma'ory
,ror, ls.o TO ls,2 and who is now suing MT
Brockway for $500 damages. testified "a io"o"S'
..In 1891 / was charged with stealing some
naners from the office | said the charges were
ro, true. but was beaten and the clothes were
dragged from my back. They then told me 10
confess but told them ] was not guilty. was
then padded again. | was put In dhik cen anu
a small piece OF bread was given Ia me was k'pt
and asked to confess. | would not 80 was
paddlcd again and put In the SOLITARY cen LOT
fou- davs and on the last lay was beaten unui
/ was unconscious. / lay III Tor SIX days anu Wus
months Sine. then l have been unable To 90 any
William Parks. who was inmate Of the Re
forrnatory and who has served several terms IN
Inherent prisors t@stin Il that he had both legs
broken In the Reformntory In ls'' lie slid thdi
nj one time after having been beaten. Kicked anu
thrown into the solitary cell. he was taken out
pal,led again and. in HIS fright. he rushed away
from MIR Isrockway who chased him up 10 the
third Tier OF cells and that n" then jumper anu
both his legs were broken. He said he was then
dragged Ike log 10 tho hospital, where he stayed
for four months
Tn. stories told by n good many witnesses were
rncnnnectcd and time and again they contradc'ed
themselves The Investigation VIII be continued TO-