Morning journal and courier., 1893-04-06
AT THE STATE PRISON.

The Overseer, Frank Martin, Sus-
pended-seven other omcers Decline
to Serve-What the Warden Claims
denies Martins Statement.
HARTFORD. April 5.-Fresh impetus has
been given to gossip and diseussion rela-
tive to state prison affairs and the policy
of Warden Chamberlain by the suspension
OF Overseer Frank J. Martin, an officer in
that institution.
Mr.. Martin has been employed in the
prison six years and has been promoted
several times, but lately he has fallen into
disfsvor with the warden and has been
living under cloud. Last night he re-
csived the following letter from the war
den:
WETHERsF1ELD, Conn, April H. 1898
To Overseer F. J. Martin:
wholesome prison discipline and actions liable
to produce uneasiness among the officers and'the
minds Of the convicts, You are hereby relieved
from all duty at the prison for the period Of one
may decide on when they take action in your
case. Respectfully
8. E. CHAMBERLAIN Warden.
Mr.. Martin sent reply protesting sgainst
his suspension as unjust. He is suspend
ed. the warden not having the authority to
discharge. There is no doubt, however,
that the directors are backing up the war
den in his action.
Mr.. Martin had written a. statement of
the condition of things in the prison to
which he has made oath before ex-Lieu-
tentant Governor George G. Sumner, as a
notary public, March 20, in which be re-
iterates some of the charges OF cruelty and
inhumanity.
To Times reporter to-day the warden
in answer to enquiries said:
81 was obliged to dismiss Martin on &C.
count of his seditious talk among the other
officers and even among the oonvicts.
Things had come to such pass that 1t was
absolutely necessary. Only yesterday the
convtcts tried to set up shout. tell you
we have some very desperate characters
here, and 1t takes firm hand to control
them. Martin was making the men un-
easy and 1t was unsafe to have him about.
ooNv1ors UNEASY.
Gin some way, I cannot explain how,
everything that has been published, all
that stuff in the New York World, has
been reported to the oonviets. Now we
have about 300 prisoners, and not thirty of
them have ever seen the west end, where
the solitary cells are. 1t is an unknown,
and to them mysterious oountry-a place
to be dreaded. They see man taken In
that direction and do not see him come
back and they think he has been muir
dered.
''For some time there has been feeling
of discomfort among the convicts, fostered
pers. We have desperate men within these
walls.
SEVEN JAILERs SHORT.
"This morning I expected crisis. 1t
came. Seven out of the seventeen prison |
officers failed to report for duty. They are
all chums and companions of Martin, and |
I believe he has tempered with them.
"This was a most serious situation.
There are lots of convicts here who would
hesitate at nothing If there was the least |
chance of an uprising. I believe Martin |
brought this about with deliberate intent. |
II consider myself master of the situ- |
ation.. do not think shall call in the |
city police force or the militia to help me
govern here. Immediately sent word to |
called in several men who have at different |
times been employed as turkeys or gate |
keepers and we shall get along.
WHAT BE SAYS OF MARTINS STORY.
There is absolutely no foundation for
Martins story. I am not and have never
been severe with the convicts. I am strict
a 1. necessary, and keep tight curb
upon them, but I have never been cruel.
Gan these charges If Investigated, as
hope they will be, will be found to be
utterly without ground. What l wish and
demand is q thorough investigation, and
he stricter and more searching the better.