The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07

Fro. the Secretary for Twesty Years Of
the State Beard OF Charities OF nlinois
seeretary Of the Nstioaal Prtso. Assoc
eistie.t CHIEF OF the Dangerous and De-
pendent Glasses Department or the Ma
tieaai Buresa OF Statistics.
To THs EDITOR OF TIE sUN-Sir: have
known Mr.. Brockway 90 long and sointimatsly,
and sm 90 familiar with his methods as well as
with his aims. that my opinion Of tho man and
Of his work ought 70 Be worth something. Tho
uplifting of humanity has beou with him life
long passion. When he was Superintendent Of
the Detroit House of Correction he not only
procured permission 10 build q house Of
shelter for discharged female prisoners.
but organized largo mission Sunday
school In the neighborhood OF the prison, where
he labored earnestly and kept the young of both
sexes who were exposed TO the initial step In Q
criminal career. At that time he was an en-
thusiast in the line OF Sabbath schools and
young mems Christian associations and prom
inent platform speaker ut religious conventions.
His experience with convicts, however, moder-
sted this early enthusiasm, because conyicts
showed themselves % insensible TO all con-
science that the effects Of this teaching and ex-
hortation disappointed him.
For time he was an ardent experimenter In
the line Of intellectual culture; later no became
deeply interested In manual training and phys
ical treatment. But through all his career he
has been consistently devoted. In theory and
practice, to the reformation and rehabilitat
Of the prisoners conhded to his charge. He has
thought Of nothing else, had no other ambition
in life, and his mistakes whatever they have
been, have had this zeal as their occasion and
motive. ! have never met prison officer with
20 acute and profound q knowledge OF the GRIM
fnal character and disposition, and would hest
tate to condemn methods OF dealing with con-
NictA which Mr. Hr0ctwav mia
however contrary to my own previous impress
sions and judgment, without the most conyinc-
ing proof that lac was mistaken In the basis of
his treatment.
have not q doubt in my mind that unless We
are To return to the discarded Pennsylvania sys-
tenn OF prison discipline with q separate cell for
each convict and no ASSOCIATION or communi-
cation between prisoners which can by any
means b prevented, the principles embodied In
the organization and management Of the Elmira
Reformatsry are thoroughly sound. Mr.. Brock
Nay 10 not their discoyerer nor inventor; they
are oldsrkthAn he; but It has been his
merit and his good fortune to be the first
to make the application OF them In their
entirety, and to demonstrate their prac-
tcability and efficiency He has been pioneer
in the later semi-seieDtidc prison reform. whose
reputation has reached the ends OF the world.
aud whose influence Is felt for good not only in
AbscbSs wv IN AHA ~ - reputation
and influence, which will not die with him: and
IL 10 the property OF the State Of New York.
Around himself and his work as a centre q spe-
ciAl literature has grown mp, confined TO no one
language; and the attack upon him, II unjust,
as believe IL to be. ID an assault upon the pol
icy he represents, . policy to which the State of
New York u committed. which 10 her pride and
her boast. and which has made converts and
found imitAtOrs both 1t home and abroad.
II is difficult for me 70 separate in thought
the man and the cause, or TO SEQ how friends of
penal reform can lend . willing ear to calum-
nies against the man which emanate from ire
claimAbls eonvicts and merit NO consld Grafton.
The condemnation OF Mr.. Brockway seems 70
me 70 involve the rejection OF all that
he has advocated and sought 20 accom-
plish, namely, the substitution OF O ra-
tionAl for an irrational treatment OF crime
and criminals, the indeterminAte sentence,
marks, grades, the parole; In . word, the
humane EFFORT TO make the reformation Of the
wrongdoar . more prominent aim In criminal
Jurisprudence than the punishment OF the
wrong. That he Il impoocabls or infAllibls his
best friends will not claim. But We know him
70 DO honest. kind. unselhsh, devoted, intelli-
gent. We know that the great majority OF the
men who have passed through his hands have
been benefited BY his treatment OF them. And
all tho oAths OF all the enemies no has In the
world viii not change this belief.
rREDERICE HOWARD WINS.
Fro2 . FOsAs- PrsslAsas 81 tks PsaAsxI-
NAala aaaGa naaHA - Ekakxsaaa -