Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-06
GIVEN A REPRIMAND
INTENDANT BLAMED FOR THE
ESCAPE OF PRISONERS.
Order Passed by District Commission.
ers Yesterday Afternoon-Result
of an Inquiry.

w. H. Stoutenburgh, intendent of the
Washington asylum Institutions, has been
reprima nded by the District Commissioners
for allowing three desperate characters to
escape from the workhouse the night of
October Is. Not only has this action been
taken but thorough investigation of the
asylum will be made by the board of CHAIR
ties and The escape of the criminals will be
considered as chapter in the inquiry. The
reprimand to Mr.. Stoutenburgh has been
promulgated in the following official order:
Ordered That Intendant Walter H.
Stoutenburgh of the Washington Asylum
be, and is hereby, reprimanded for not ex-
ercising the watchfulness and care neces-
sary to prevent the escape from the work
house on the night of October 10, 1902, of
Michael Murphy, William Adams and
Frank H. Bennett, who had been committed
to that institution on the 10th day of that
month for term of $50 days, on the charge
of carrying concealed weapons
Statement by Commissioner West.
The reprimand was the result of an in
quiry conducted by Commissioner West and
his statement of the case to his associates
OF the District board. Mr.. West said:
After a thorough and careful considera-
ton of all the papers relating to the escape
s.,
16, from the workhouse 1 desire to express
my condemnation of Intendant Stouten-
burgh's dereliction of duty in this case
These three prisoners were intrusted to
his care with warning from the police
authorities which warning Is admitted to
have been received, that they were desperate
characters, who should be guarded with
especial care. Instead of this, they were
placed in cell the interior of which was
not visible to the Waterman, even with Il
lamp; they occupied a cell only about
twelve feet from the ground, instead of Il
cell on the next floor above; they were al
lowed to become possessed of a steel knife,
improvlsed into a saw, with which they
effected their escape; and finally because
the regular night watchman happened to
be absent on leave, no substitute Waterman
was provided, as should have been done,
and for three nights the entire outside of
the building was not patrolled. This fact
alone made certain the escape of the pris-
OnerS the moment they had effected their
exit from the cell.
Recommends Reprimand
Under these circumstances, 1 recon-
mend that Intendant Stoutenburgh be rep
rimanded for not exercising the watchful-
ness and care necessary to prevent the es-
cape of these criminals. If this punishment
seems inadequate it should be borne in mind
that an investigation of the Washington
Asylum was ordered by the District Com
missioners on August /, 1902, and that this
case will form one of the many subjects 20
be taken into consideration during the in
quiry.
Il, therefore, recommend also, that the
papers of this case be referred to the board
OF charities in connection with the proposed
investigation
The men who escaped from the workhouse
We're arrested by Detective Sergeant
Thomas McNamee of the local force and
Sergt. Lynch of Buffalo, n. Y, during the
week of the Grand Army encampment The
men We're seen acting in a suspicious man
ner in the residence section and when taken
into custody were found heavily armed The
men proved to be three crooks who were
wanted in Buffalo for burglary. They were
sentenced to six months in the workhouse
ior carrying concealed weapons, and it was
intended that they should then be turned
over to the Buffalo authorities