The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-23
PHILANTHROPY INDEED.
MIR. BRocK VAR METHODS.
Testimony rror. n High Authority ss 60 His
Admirable R-erormstory WORK.

Testimony frorn n High Authority as 60 His
Admirable R~erormntory work.
C~oSCoRD, Mass, Sept. 2o.-My opinion has
been requested concerning the merits OF the
reformatory system Of the United States for
adult convicts and of its real and practical
founder, Mr.. u. r. Brockway.
lie was not its only promoter, still less its
originator, for IL traces back 10 n Scotchman OF
genius, a naval officer under Nelson. Capt. Alex
ander Maconochie, who nearly sixty years ago
laid down the principles that have since been
followed by Sir Walter Crofton and his associ-
ates when they began TO reform the Irish pris-
ons forty years since, and by those who In Eng
land have done 30 much to improve the prison
system there.
But in the United States no man has labored
80 long, so intelligently, so practically, or ID sue
c~essfully TO reform prison discipline, and restore
convicts TO useful citizenship, rs Nh Brockway.
Perhaps my opinion may have been asked be-
cause IL was known that | was for years n prison
inspector in Massachusetts,, and probably the
first official person TO bring the practice Of Croft
ton, and the principles of Maconochie, to the
notice of Legislatures in Americans I did In a
report made TO Gov. Andrew Of Massachusetts,
In 1865.
At that time I did not know Mr.. Brockway;
but when visiting the justly celebrated Gen.
Pilsbury Of the Albany Pcnitentiary, while
preparing my report, In 1864. he asked me why
I did not go TO see his best pupil. Brockway,
then at the head Of the Detroit House OF Correc-
tlon. l followed his intimation, and a few years
later lin 1867 formed that acquaintance which
has ever since been kept up, and which enables
me to say what follows with the conviction that
intimate knowledge, both OF his theory and
practice, inspires in all who really know what
the Elmira Reformatory is.
am grieved to see that Mrs. Lowell, whose
opinion ON some questions l receive with defer
encc, disqualiGes herself from having much
weight in this matter by saying. IL she Is cor
rcctly reported, that during thirteen years that
she served on the New York Board of Charities
(which was charged with the official duty of ro-
porting the conditions at Elmira), she only WIS.,
tied the reformatory once. / suppose she was
as faithful to her duty in this regard as her seven
colleagues-probably, from her well-known con-
scientiousness, more faithful. She Is reported
as saying:
"As 1t was impossible for me to inspect such
an institution with any sort Of thoroughncss 1
did not attempt it,"
My own service on such Boards as Mrs. Low
ellis fell little short of twenty-five years; and IL
there had been any State establishment under
my supervision which I had not visited more
than once in thirteen years. and had not even
tried to inspect then, | believe l should have
left to others the task, whether grateful or I'M
grateful. OF commenting ON that particular
prison, II prison 1t were.
My comment now on the excellent members
OF the New York Board Of Charities. several OF
them my friends OF many years, whose opinion |
love to follow when IL does not contradict my
own positive knowledge. is precisely this:
Either they did not know what they were
talking about, when for ten years they COM
mended the Elmira Rcformatory to the Lcgis-
latura md In mn priyutaIy. mr. nlaa ,b,y iii NOD
know when they endorsed the wild charges and
%pcrjured evidence upon which they made that
singular report OF last spring, which the Cover
nor of their State so properly set aside.
The system at Elnira had not hanged; the
value of evidence, and the wide difference be-
tween proved good character and proved crimi-
nality had not been nullifed by some change in
the moral order Of the universe; the only |
change was in the eyes that made the inspection
and the judgment that weighed the evidence.
Which then. | ask myself, is moro likely to be
inspection made and the verdict
in calm and impartial years. when
clamor and the mixed mo-
tivcs of political campaigns did not dis
turb the balance of justice-or the sud-
den reversal OF that verdict, in the absence OF
the best-informed members OF the Board zone
dead and one in Europe). and under the most
and unfair persecution by newspapers
tnHJ an experience OF tnlTIy years us pubic |
officer and journalist has ever brought To my
Plainly, IL one is to follow common
sense, or to retain a good opinion OF the mcm-
bers of that Board. he must believe they were
swept away by a current that some men would
have resisted.
Thus far | speak rs simply weighing the fatty
statements the same Board has
made In successive years. But, coming 10 mat
ter OF my own knowledge, there Is more to say.
have visited Elmira, not simply once in thir-
teen years, but several times in each year, at
one period, and probably twenty times in all
since 1876. when Mr.. Brockway took charge. I
doubt If there is n single member of the Board
Of Charities, past or present, who has been there
30 often or spent so much time there rs | have.
Having served for ten years as n prison inspect
Or In Massachusetts,, under oath, like n Juror,
10 make "A true report, | did not feel that inca
TO examine a prison thoroughly, which
Lowell so frankly, and l dare say SO truly,
and | have thoroughly inspected the
Elmira RefOrmatory again and again. | do not
mean, of course, that | examined every convict's
back, or counted the marks of every record; but
believe l did see all the chief features Of the
system in working order, and actually at work.
Having done 50, both before this malicious per-
and misguided inquiry began Il mean
hat of the Board of Charitiesl, and while it was
N progress. II occurs to me to say what follows:
Never have | seen a PRISON. have probably
1isited one hundrcd-where the true science of
prison discipline was better understood or more
thoroughly and conscientiOusly carried out,
with better results, than In Mr.. Brockway's. l
ave seen him at work now for seven and twenty
ears, adding TO his knowledge, testing each
heory by long and patient experiment, meeting
he thousand difficulties that beset his work
With the same cheerful courage that l ad-
nired in him when we were both young.
have known him 10 make mistakes, and no
nan could be more eager 10 be told what
hey were, and 10 correct them; | have never
him willing to wrong any person cOm-
nitted 10 his chan re, nor do | believe that he has
lone go. the charges OF brutality brought
him | no more believe than ! believe
hat Mr.. Litchfeld makes a practice OF picking
lis coachman's pocket or that Mrs. Lowell once
her cook. As for the statement, so