Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-02
UPHO-OS THE WARDEN.

MsIor Speucer Inttmates That the
 Statutes Have B-en Violated fSy the
 BOard OI ChSritI-s.
 The New Haven Leader yesterday pub lished report of an alleged row between the state board of charities and Warden
 woodbridge of the state prison. It stated that last Sunday, in the presence of the prisoners. spirited scene took place be- tween Colonel Woodbridge of the prison and President Tracey and Miss Hall ot the board of charities. President Tracey alleges, among other things, the warden prevents letters ot complaint from being
 mailed by the prisoners to the board ot charities. The matter of Dr Tracey \ opposition to the Cronin hanging machine | and the refusal of the stata prison direc- tors to admit Secretary Whittlesey of the state board of charities was alluded to ln
 the published reporls.
 Major Spencer of this city. who Is "A
 state prison director. when interviewed concerning the matter said:
 Il would suggest to the people of the | state ot Connsc lcut, who are interested in
 this affair. and who wish to understand 1t
 lutellHently. that they read the statutes | concerning the relations of the board ot
 directors. the state board of health and
 tue stato board of charities to the state l IAlSOAs ueS VIII lbeu ESeullg sSS
 whether d member of the board of charl-
 ties has a right to go into & shop where a l large number of prisoners are at work,
 elbow to elbow, and stepping up to one
 prisoner, eneag' hlm In conversation in
 hearing of the others, so that the man ou l the right can hear and the man on the lett
 can hear and the man in the Tear can l hear, The regulations say that the board l of charities in interviewing the prisoners
 must conform to the discipline of the
 prison. Do you call that conforming to
 the discipline ot the prison?''
 Major Spencer assumed for himself as a
 member Of the prison board joint respon- sbihty with the warden for the discipline
 of the prison and said that the members
 of the board had knowledge of the out break that has been imminent on the part ut the board of charities for many months. Said he: "When the time comes to pro- tvct ourselves We will be found ready to
 meet all charges in a manly way. If they
 want to investigate We are ready. The board has every confidence in the world in Warden Woodbridge"
 Major Spencer was particularly pro- voked at the statement in an interview of
 pr Tracey'S that Mir Whittlesey, secretary of the board of charities, Was not ad- mltted to the hanging of Cronin, although be had Il light to be In explanation of l this matter the major said: There was
 no disposition on tue part of the warden | to keep anyone away that was entitled to
 be present. Several days previous to the execution Cronin received from his lawyer
 request that he name Mir WhittleSey as one of the three persons whom he wished
 10 h- present at the hanging. This | Cronin would not do. l was there at the l prison when Mr WhittleSey made hls second application in person. It was the night of the execution and extreme uuc- 1 ton had been administered to the pris-
 oner during the day. His spiritual ad-
 vIsorS had asked that all keep away from l him. They said he was in a proper frame
 of mind and should be kept quiet. It was 1 between and ( o'clock when Mir Whittle- seY arrived. I was there but the other directors of the prison bad not come. 1 The warden asked nae what he should do. whether he should grant Mir Whittlesey l permission to see the prisoner to ask for
 the permission he sought or not told l the warden that the man was now in the
 hands ot his spiritual advisors and ln | readiness for the execution and should
 nut be annoyed and perhaps made to l break down. We told Mir WhittleSey that
 We would consult the other directors and | let him know their verdict. Later We did
 and they all agreed to the same idea that the warden and had expressed. At 5:30
 a half-sister and her husband called to see Cronin, but they were not admitted. If
 We could not admit them. why Mir l WhittleSey ''