Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-04
DEAD AT
 SING SING. Sam Parks Passed Away To-Day.
New York Labor Leader Who Was So Prominent in Iron Workers Affairs
 No Member of His Fam lily There.

Osslnlng, IN. Y., May 4.-Sam Parks, the New York labor leader, who was
 sent to Sing Sing prison some months
 ago after his conviction on charge of
 extortlon, died in the prison to-day. He had consumption at the time of his con-
 Vlction and had failed rapidly since he
 was sent to Sing Sing.
 pr Robert T. Irvine, the prison phy-
 sician, visited Parks in the hospital at 9 o'clock last night. This was the last time he saw Parks alive. He was then
 barely conscious and was just able to recognize the doctor. Later he became
 unconscious and remained in that con-
 ditiOn until his death. Only the hos
 pltal attendants and one or two prison
 officials were at his bedside when he expired. This is one of the regular visiting days at the prison and Parks's
 wife was expected to arrive as usual
 on the noon train. Ever since his in- carceration Mrs Parks has visited her
 husband as often as the rules of the
 prison permitted. Immediately after his death telegram was sent to her ] informing her of the fact
 Parks after his first conviction was brought to the prison on August 27 last. On securing new trial he was
 released on bail on September 5. After his second conviction he was brought back to the prison on November to
 serve a term of two years and three l months He was at first put to work in the fire brush shop, but his condi- ton soon became such that he was ad-
 mitted to the hospital and was under treatment there to the time of his death.
 sam Parks was prominent for years in labor circles, being leader in Chi
 cago before coming to New York, and the loyalty to him of his associates was remarkable. He was walking del egate or business agent of the local
 Housesmiths' Il and Bridgemen's union for several years and it was under his leadership that the big strike of iron workers in New York last year was in augurated. That strike involved the national ironworkers' organization and l National President Buchanan finally announced himself as against Park
 and the general strike throughout the country which the New York leader I sought to have ordered The contest was carried 10 the annual convention | of the union, where Parks won to the extent that he prevented the recogni- tion of a rival local union which had
 the approval of both President Buch-
 anan and the New York contractors
 During last summer charges of extor-
 tion were made against Parks and he I was finally indicted. 1t being alleged I that he. had taken $500 from an em- ployer on promise to call off a strike | Other similar charges were made, but | both times he was tried on the same 1 case.
 After returning from Sing Sing, the ] first verdict having been overturned by a higher court, Parks was one of the
 central figures in the Labor day pa
 rade last September. When convicted l the second time and sentenced to Sing l Sing he announced that he had given
 up the fight for himself and for labor
 and wanted to die in peace.
 Tim Mccarthy, one of Parks's asso- ciates, was also convicted and sent to
 Sing Sing on the charge of extortion.