New-York tribune., 1901-12-10
FANNING FIGHTS LANTR1 :.
HE WILL APPEAL TO WHALEN AND
STATE PRISONS COMMISSION
CHAPLAIN Mr-SRo SAYS THAT IF HAGAN
WANTS MORE TROUBLE THE GRAND
JURY WILL. BE BROUGHT IN.

WANTS MORE TROUBLE THE GRAND
JURY WILL BE BROUGHT IN.
N q Tanning. Deputy Commissioner OF Cor
rection, last night gave out statement III
which he said he going TO refer certain
points in the controversy between himseh anu
Commissioner Lantry to Corporation CouhSei
WhaIen and the State Prisons Commission Inc
statement follows:
regard the investigation Of these charges
against Warden Hagan very important ma m n
der service TO the city which VIII be OF Il lasig ,ar
6IHdi 6ene to w5cb Il 4 me he now lodged with
him has pointed ou; No doubt ne & eSsv 20 does
nor iDcllp5e ali The charges. but those charges
which he did not name which nGlnoe have their
proper importance in the final verdict 1t rt Is uV
tenmToissio1er as well as to Commissioner Lantry
in order that our motives and acuSns bs ondi
tion OF the Tombs shall be completely examined
taken. When all this has been done IL VIII De seen
den Hagan was justifiable- Any Investigation that
10 all persons concerned
A question has been raised 10 my authority
in summarily suspending Warden HSgan wnen @
Commissioner Lantry was in the city. The charges
received by me after office hours on s5itaruaS
Before deciding on any acton eAaIlieu $50 !
officials of the Tombs. and after these eSai1ainS nina
mitted the charges with a statement OF my acuoh'
Warden Hagan is reported to have lighted his
cigar with the order of suspension and 10 nave
pmb6y , afsa n s aftes refsting @ to the Tombs
affirm that my action was strictly Wlthin me & law
and that Warden Hagan is guilty OF lnsunordlna-
tion / sorry TO say that in these respects
these questions are hopelessy at issue between
Commissioner Lantry and myself i small transnale
tion Counsel, with letter asking his opinion I as
right TO suspend warden Hasan.
After m & snty t,s o4nnr hsd eSainea bs s%
nounced that the warden had admitted entertain
ing the convict Bssert several times at dinner IN
the Tonlhs. and giving Bissert the use of his 0he the
warders) private room on other occasions: Tor +
m prTass rsns the record Of this Confession With
other data concerning Bissert's privileges to the
their judgment as to Warden Hagans case which
is in the hands OF Commission Lantry hut their
orinon whether such conduct Is IN accord
with their rules of prison discipline
Commissioner Lantry in the office of the De
partuent of Correction, yesterday began an in
vestigation Of the complaint made by Deputy
Commissioner Tanning against Warden Hagan
OF the Tombs on which Mr.. flaming ordered the
suspension of Hagan and was overruled by Mr.
Lsntry. He sent for Hagan and questioned him
in Fanning's presence. Then he gave a tenn
porary leave of absence to Hagan and went to
the To1nbs where he spent large part of the
afternoon in a secret investigation, examining
various subordirates and excluding newspaper
men from the examination of the witnesses
Chaplain Munro said yesterday that if Warden
Hagan wanted his record shown UP further the
chaplain was willing to call the grand jury
take hand in the affair.
II was said at the Tombs yesterday that the
trouble between Hagan and Chaplain Munro
arose over a demand made by Mr.. Munro for the
use of a cell in which store some tracts and
other literature he was accustomed TO distribute
10 the prisoners Warden Hagan said he could
not have the use of a cell as a storeroom Mr..
Munro appealed TO Deputy Commissioner Fan
ming, who decided against Hagan.
THE cHAPLAINs STATEMENT. -..=
Chaplain Munro. who was not at the fnvest1-
cation yesterday. said >.-
/ wish it TO be understood that have made no
charges against sny Official in connection f with tns
ago an official Of some standing at Police Head
and called his attention abuses existing at
the Tomhs prison Last Saturday Mr. Tanning
He went to the prison and spoke TO a number of
persons ABOUT these things and think nearly
told that they were compelled 10 lie to the
Deputy Commissioner, lest they be broke" or
Mr.; Fsnning then came to me and asked me
So ~, Ga Ss him fs the H Wbf should Toqd E Is Rof il lie
crfms to tell the truth? Tn not under the pay of
the city government and therefore I'm not afraid
things / told him. | believe the Deputy Commis-
existing abuses provided he has the power
Then / sat down ano wrote him a letter called
he Tonnhs prison for many months past l simply
asked him. in the interest Of morality and good
government. 10 remedy them. But | made no
charges against any Mr.. Tanning has that
letter. and he give il the public if he likes
The statements | made therein true and every
the truth Will say so. I believe the Tomhs prison
should he conducted righteously churcn.
and there is reason in the world why il should
not be SO administered
I'm satisfied from long experience with men
that the keepers cf the city prison upright
men. and will do their duty fearlessly if they are
allowed. ] believe, further. that Mr.. Hagsns man
of the TomhS for the last years has
been a rank failure Now. If Mr.. Hagan wants TO
a fight against because tell the truth.
up any further I'm willing call in Mr. Philbin
and the grand jury TO take a hand in the matter.
LANTRY DOES NOT THINK MUCH OF
CHARGES.
When Mr.. Lantry was leaving the ToTnhs late
in the afternoon he said 10 newspaper men that
he had finished his investigation. but would not
announce any decision until this morning. II
am inclined to think that there is not much in
the charges" he said in reply to question.
Earlier in the day he had said that if he found
Hagan guilty of the charges he would not sus-
pend him. but would dismiss him.
Mr.. Lantry was asked yesterday if Bissert was
allowed to leave the Tornbs al night when he
supposed to be confined there, and he sai6
he did not believe there such a violation
OF the rules.
David Willard. who has charge of the school
for boys in The Tombs. by Tribune
reporter about the case Of Charles L. Smith,