The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-11
UNFOLDING BRDcKWkY.
Governor Flower and the Elmira
Reformatory "0utrages."
THE CHARGES ARE DISMISSED.

The Governor Declares That the Harrow
ing Tales Of Cruelty Reported Were Not
Sustained by the Facss Brought Out In
nm onicial Investigation.
ALBANY Dec 11.-Governor Flower has
dismissed the charges against the board Of
managers of the Elmira reformatory, In
volving charges against Superintendent
Brockway Of cruelty to inmates. The re-
ports are as sent exclusively by the Asso-
ciated Press yesterday, DR. Flint and Mr..
Deyo for the board and Judge Learned
against it.
The governor says that he has studied
with great care both the majority and the
minority reports, and concludes that cor
peral punishment has not been admins
tered in such n way as to cause anybody
any permanent injury. He concludes that
the managers are in no way to blame for
the punishment inflicted. There should
be q medical superintendent who should
look after prisoners put under punish
ment, and see that it is not overdono. II
Broekway erred he did so by not knowing
how far a belligerent prisoner could en-
dure physical punishment
Judge Learned's report contends that
there is absolutely no need for such vio-
lent punishment rs was given.
Governor Flower in his opinion says:
SIT Is q source of great qualification that
the testimony shows, according to both
reports Of findings, that there was no truth
in the narrowing statements published in
the newspapers of the injuries alleged to
have been inflicted by the general super
intendent or his subordinates upon in
mates of the reformatory. Upon this point
sall
the same facts and exonerate the managers
and the superintendent"
He also holds that the managers cannot
be considered culpable in holding that
corporal punishment was not forbidden
by law in the reformatory, the grounds
for this opinion being cited at great length.
On the question as to punishments admin
istered being unnecessarily brutal or Sc
we're the governor says:
''Phe punishment consisted almost en-
tfrely of spankings, administered by the
general superintendent in person, with
strap twenty-five inches long, three inches
wide and three sixteenths of an inch thick,
moistened in water SO as to make it soft
and pliable THE statements by wit
nessesl says Judge Learned, that they
were struck over the kidneys seemed to
have been made through ignorance of the
place of those organs Neither is there
any disagreement between the commits
soners us to the effect of the blows. Both
agree that there was no flowing of blood"
The governor points out also that there
Is agreement in the reports that convicts
were not shown to have tainted rs result
of spankings. He concurs with the com
missioncrs in regards to blows with the
strap on the face and head of convicts ms
improper and uniustitable. He specially
disapprovcs the ilogging in the cases Of
convicts Facey and Aaron, the latter I'M
der observation for insanity at the time.
As to the frequency of corporal punish
ment the governor cites statistics and con-
cludes that assuming the propriety of
corporal punishment the number is not
ex ccssive, He thinks this is largely a
matter of opinion and asserts his agree
ment with the opinion of the majority.
The law, he points out, should be made
clear on the subject of corporal punish
ment
He also bespeaks an improved medical
supervision. The Use of a hot iron to force
desperate eonyicts out of their cells lie
speaks leniently Of, in view of the fact
that no case is shown where they did not
yield without being burned by the iron.
He does not hold that there has been any
brutality used by the reformatory officials,
nor that the power to grant parole has
been abused.
Governor Flower therefore finds, as
above stated, Diminishing the charges us
not proven