Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-24
noN,r KNow rHE Law.

DON'T KNOW THE LAW.
Prison Director Hewitt Testifies That
He Has for Fourteen Years Been a
Prison Director and Never Has Heao
the Law Regulating the Duties ..
Prison Directors-A Firm Ffieho
of the Warden-Cathollc Clergyman
Testify-The Senate and House.
HARTFORD, May 23.-[Special state
Prison Director Hewitt was the principal
witness before the prison COMMITTEES TINS
afternoon. Hewitt has been for fourteen
years prison director, . resident OF Wetn-
ersield, and in almost constant attendance
at the prison, but according to his tesu-
mony he knew very little about the insti-
tuition. In the first place, as shown by mis-
testimony he had never read the statute
law of the state concerning the duties OF
the PRISONS directors and had very little
idea what they are.
Section 8, $40 of the general statutes pro-
vides that the directors shall make all NEG
essary rules for the government OF the
prison and employment of the prisoners,
collectively attend twice in each quarter
at the prison, quarterly aadit the accounts
of the warden, examine at every meeting
into the condition of the prison and prls-
oners, and report annually to the governor
the condition of the prison, which report
shall be laid before the general assembly,.
From Mr.. Hewitt's evidence no rules
have been made; and collective meetings
have not been held as directed by law.
Section 1889 provides that the directors
shall appoint in writing on the nominasion
of the warden all subordinate officers, who
shall be duly sworn before one OF the d.
Iectors.
The testimony WAS to the effect that the
men and officers were appointed directly
by the warden, not in writing, and some
even were never as much as sworn by the
directors.
1t was also developed that Mr.. Hewitt
took kr. Chamberlain's word for every
thing, and knew very little about the man
sgement of the prison in detail.
A peculiar but no less interesting feature
of the hearing was the wordy arguments
between DR.. Jones and Senator Boot over
what testimony should be admitted and
what should not. There is no doubt in tn"
minds Of the spectators that the committee
is divided, and is liable at any moment to
get into serious disagreement.
The first witness called was Rev. Father
Thomas W. Brodrick of Hartford, q
Roman Catholic clergyman. He testified
as follows: am familiar with the state
prison matters as regards the Catholic
convicts there for the past ten years. Ny
assistant visits the prisoners, I having
been there perhaps half dozen times in
the last ten years. never saw Andrews,
Brewster or Burke. I have seen Cahill,
but never discussed his treatment while
there. He said he would be glad to gel
out when his time expired. never saw
Collou. While there never had q pris
lot IN Of fho xvor1an nj
his treatment.
Inever saw any of the insane or idiotie
people. I never saw Doolittle, Fox, Jones
Hawkins, Hutchins, Newman, Rich
Smith, Sperry, Sumner or TottsR. The
last prisoner saw was an italian; he die
not complain nor look as If he was IL
| treated.
Jones-Do you think there has been gross
Encouragement there2
Root object to the question.
Jones-I withdraw the question.
The witness said that many changes fol
| the better towards the Roman Catholic
prisoners had been made in the last eigh
| years under Warden Chamberlain.
Rev. John Lynch of Hartford said: Sine
May, '88, I have visited the prison once
| month regularly, and oftener when my du
ties called me out there.
I remember Cahill. He was suffering,
think, from quick consumption. The pril
oners have power to talk with me privatel
when am there.
Ihave never heard of any prisoner, we
or sick, being ill-treated. I never saw tn
dungeon that know of.
| I think the sick ara properly cared 70
at the prison, and that the discipline
good.
The understanding about our dead wa
that we should claim the bodies If the pal
ents or friends did not, and bury them i
| the Catholic cemetery, which we Away
did.
knew Patrick Fox well, and nevs
heard him complain of i'll treatment.
saw Martin Collou about year ago. q
looked able to work when I saw him, an
he weighed then perhaps $50 pounds.
: was about four months after he came
the prison that I saw him.
believe that I was always sent for whe
necessity required 1t. The warden ga'
us our fare to the prison within the la
r two years, and our facilities for instruc
ing our people have been greatly in
proved.
| in the hospital then; that was the last sic
3 prisoner I saw there.
know that people have died there sim
I have been called, but cannot tell whetht
I should have been called or not.
d I understand that Catholic prisoners q
compelled to attend Protestant service
20 without their dinner.
. In my opinion there where proper meal
, for the treatment of prisoners in the he
pital, whether the sick prisoners had {
, the benefit of 1t or not.
I have no knowledge as to what m.
have transpired in the dungeons.
4 / 7 notified that COLON w
E | sick.
When Catholic died performed burr
7 service over him, as none to my know
edge are buried at the prison, but turn
over to us for burial.
q Ex.OHicer Thomas testified; am re-
dent of Hartford, and WAS Waterman
the prison from October '99 to Septemb
81. I knew Patrick Fox; he was not q
3 kindly treated to my knowledge. Ever
thing the witness said was in favor
General Chamberlain, and according to b
statement the state prison was splend
place to reside in. I sent to Wards
Chamberlain letter just after saw Il
story in the New York World, telling hi
the story was false, and laughing at it.
The witness, however, admitted that
a matter of fact he did not know wheth
the story was true or not. The warde
| replied to my letter thanking me, but VIII
he said don't remember.
George T. Utley of Hartford testife
that he was teacher in the Sunday echo
| at the prison. I have been there eleve
years. The order in the class Is mut
better than when I first went there, or
the attendance Is larger. I talk with the
I merely in a religious and moral way onl,
touching upon nothing else. have talkt
with great many prisoners, and ha,
never heard any complaints of i'll trea
ment from single one of them. kno
r nothing of how the prisoners are treate
t | except as see them at class.
Prison Director Ransom T. Hewitt W.
the next witness. He testified: I ha,
: bsen director eight years, and was the,
D when Warden Chamberlain was appointe,
a There have been great improvements at Il
prison, all due to General Chamberlain
The improvement hiss been general, Il
prisoners are better fed, there 1s better di
cipline, and better state of things
every way. In my opinion the treatme,
!. | of the sick and insane has also improve
very much. When Chamberlain first can
) there was little prejudieed against hin
I visited the hospital about this time, b
ing under the impression that Il
sick men in the hospital we
not receiving proper food. toe
them some dainties such as chicken, etc
and investigated the hospital and four
, the prisoners were well treated.
I have been in the west end many tim
and have seen many prisoners down ther
. generally went down with General Char
berlsin. I never saw people suffering
neglected in them. The warden has pro
| ably told me more about prison matte