Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-27
THE BOOK.

GRABBED THE BOOK.
Senator Jones objects to senator |
Roofs Reading the Minutes OF the |
Prison Board OF Directors and a
Lively Time Ensues-The Committee
Dfvided-Director Murphy Testifies
He Makes the Best Witness So Far
-Pr1soners Obliged to State Their
Complaints at Directors Meetings
in the Presence of the Warden-The
Dependent and Neglected Children's
Bill Passes the House.
HARTFORD, May 23.-[Special THE
hearing of the special state prison commit
tee, appointed to investigate the alleged
mismanagement and abuses at the state
prison, is rapidly assuming the proper
lions of farce. The vain efforts of Sena-
toy Jones and Colonel Mowry to prevent
Senator Root from asking some important
questions, and the latter's prompt reply,
while 1t amuses the spectators, fails to add
dignity to proceedings of 80 grave nature,
and which mean SO much to Warden Cham
bsrlain. The most serious outbreak SO
far, and one which shows that the com
mittee is widely divided on some
points at least, occurred at the hear
ing this afternoon, while Senator
Root was reading the minutes OF
the prison board of directors. 1t nap
pened in this way: Prison Director MUIR.
ply of Hartford, who is also secretary OF
the board of directors, was on the witness
| stand.
Senator Root was reading the minutes
of the meetings of the board, having COM
| menced at the last meeting held and read
| ing in reverse order until he came to the
| meeting of April 26, 1889. =
From these minutes Senator Root read
! shout as follows: Voted, That at full meet
| ing of the board of prison directors held this
dsy, Warden Chamberlain is exonerated
and found entirely innocent of the charges
! brought against him by Mrs. Carpenter.
! Also that the evidence in said case be kept
i secret, and that all female prisoners here
| after be kept in the female prison, and for
no reason be allowed to 60 in the male
departments.
At this the spectators became all atten-
ton and Senator Root proceeded to read
minutes Of the meeting of April IS, 1885,
his feet and said: object to your read
ing those minutes. Senator Root con-
tinued reading. He had hardly read the
next word when Senator Jones said In en-
phatio tones: object.
Senator Root Intend to read these
minutes.
Senator Jones at this jumped to his feet
and putting his left hand on the back of
Mr.. Roots neck and his right catching
hold of the record book, sal ]: You are not
going to read that which refers to the Car
penter matter.
Senator Root-Will you kindly let go of
that book, as intend to read these min
utes2
By this time Colonel Mowry and
Judge Beardeley had arisen and crowd
ed close together around Senator Root,
who still retained his seat; Senator Jones,
however, retaining his hold on the book in
Mr.. Roots hands.
The spectators began to crowd nearer,
while General Chamberlain looked dis
gusted, evidently wondering whether he
! was about to witness clubbing ARRAY or
| not.
| Senator Jones-We voted in executive
session not to 60 into the Carpenter mat
ter.
Senator Root-We did nothing of the
kind, and I am willing to leave 1t to Mr..
Besrdsley.
Mr.. Beardsley-We took vote in exec
utive session to decide whether we would
go into the Carpenter matter or not, which
resulted in Senator Jones and Mr.. Mowry
voting not to investigate, and Senator Root
and myself voted to investigate. I think
it is right to go into the matter, bat as there
was no majority vote we have not gone in
to the matter.
MI. Root-Now the only question here
is shall bs permitted to read the minutes
of the meeting Of the board of directors of
the Connecticut state prison for April IS,
1899
Mr. Jones-I object to this pettifoggipg
and object to your reading those minutes.
Mr.. Root will tell you what will do.
| l will submit that question about the min
utes to the senate and the house of repre-
sentatives and abide by their decision If
you will agree to that.
Mr.. Jones-I will 20 under the same in
structions that we have had from the SEN
ate. The legislature has been in session
since the Carpenter charges were heard,
and they did not see fit to investigate
them.
Mr.. Mow1y-This isjust scheme to read
these minutes and thus go into the Carpen-
ter case.
Mr.. Root-It is not; it ia to read the min
utes, which intend to do.
At this point Mr.. Root started again to
read the record, when Colonel Mowry, in q
tone of voice which made one think he was
issuing a command to a regiment, shouted
out: "You want to stop right there!"
Senator Root claim the right to read
these records. If it ia not proper to do 80
don't know what is.
Mr.. Mowry and Jones in the same
breath-It is only devise to 60 into the
Carpenter case.
Mr.. Root-Where did you learn thiaa
Colonel Mowry-That is my business.
At this stage of the proceedings the
members were all talking at once, and
things looked black, when Mr.. Beardsley
said: As our vote not to 60 into the Car
penter matter was tie, don't think We
should go into this.
Mr.. Root-All right then.
Mr.. Root at once closed the book and
laid 1t on the deek, while the other mem
bers of the committee resumed their seats,
and the next moment smile spread over
the faces of Senators Root and Jones, and
the fast gathering clouds had cleared away,
and peace was again restored and the ex-
animation continued.
The outcome of the disagreement will be
that resolution will be introduced into
the assembly next week asking for instruc-
tions as to whether the Carpenter matter
shall be gone into or not.
The witness of the day, Director Murphy
| ooOA
director of the prison for the past six
years and had visited the prison about six
teen times year. At my personal visits
I used to go through the shops, hospital
and kitchen, and paid particular attention
to the shops, as generally visited while the
men were at work. Many of the prisoners
have asked for hearings before the board.
None of these prisoners ever complained
to me of cruelty or of the food.
I have no personal knowledge of any of
the cases of the prisoners testified about
before the committee. It was by order of
the directors that Charetz was transferred
to the west end where he is now.
am THO secretary of the board OF prison
directors, I am sorry to say.
Jones-Becsuse 1t is disgrscei
Murphy-Oh, no; because of the work.
Murphy do not know of General
Chsmbsrlsin's i'll treating any of the pris-
oners, but quite to the contrary.
When visit the prison generally stay
q couple of hours. At our meetings we
would generally set from 10 until about 2,
and would spend the evening before the
meeting in discussing prison matters to bs
considered the next day.
General Chamberlain attended these
meetings and made suggestions as to the
management, and looked for our co-opera-