Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-01-18
EVANS REPLIES To
ATTACK ON BOARD
Says Statements Attributed to
Charity Associations Head
Are UnfOunded.

Answering the resolution addressed
to the Board of Freeholders by the
Essex county committee, State Char1-
ties Aid n Prison Reform Associa-
ton, in which the dismissal Of War
den Charles A. Steadman, of the Over
brook asylum. and Warden Samuel Z.
Martin, of the Caldwell Penitentiary. is
denounced as unwarranted. Walter A.
Evans. director of the board. has to-
day sent the following letter to Wilson
A.. Farrand. president of the a%ssocia-
ton:
My Dear Sir:
My attention has been called to an arti-
Gle in a morning newspaper in which YOU
are alleged to have criticized the action
of the Board of Freeholders in removing
the warden of the Essex County Hospital
for the Insane and the warden of the
Essex County Penitentiary. ] cannot be
live that you used the language attributed
to yol, but 1t is probably true that you
INDUCED in some criticism of the action
of the Board of Freeholders in removing
the officials above named, not only as an
Individual. but as president OF the Essex
county committee of the State Charities
Aid and Prison Reform Association.
May | suggest to YOU that criticism of
this kind, coming, as 1t does. without any
attempt on your part or on the part OF
your association. to obtain all the facts
in the case. is unfair, both to the Board
Of Freeholders and to the general public?
Do You not think that the Board of Free
holders are entitled to be heard in this
matter. or are You satisfied TO hear ONLY
one side of the case?
The Board of Freeholders has been
elected by the people as the governing
for an efficient and economical admins
%tration of public affairs Is placed directly
upon It's shoulders, and yet, when the
board, in its best Judgment. and after
many weeks OF careful consideration. dc
cides that il would be for the best inter
ests of the public to a a new warden
at the penitentiary and a new warden
at the Hospital for the Insane. yon an
pear to be willing to accept the biased.
unfair and untruthful statements That
have ben made by selfshly interested per-
sons. without giving the governing body
of the county an opportunity to besheard
in the matter.
II the newspaper accounts can he relied
upon. your association has sen tit to ac-
cept as true the statements of a disap-
pointed candidate for reelection to the
Board of Freeholders and a former mem
her Of the board, who has been retained
as counsel for the recently displaced war
dens, and also the bia sed aud utterly UNI
fair editorial statements contained in q
local newspaper. without reference to the
real facts in the case. In other words.
your association has apparently tried,
convicted and sentenced the Board OF
Freeholders solely upon the ex parte
statements Of those who are trying to
utter disregard of all Of the facts in the
case. Yours very truly,
(Signed) WALTER A. EVANS.
To WILSON A. FERRAND, Esqr.
President Essex County Committee,
State Charities Aid and Prison Re
form Association, IS Central Ave
nue., Newark, New Jersey.
The controversy is the outcome of
the passing of a resolution at a con-
ference of the Essex county committee
of the State Charities Aid and Prison
Reform Association, held Wednesday,,
which declared the removal of the war
dens of the penitentiary n Hospital
for the Insane by the new Board OF
F~reeholders, a prostitution of our
charitable institutions for political and
partisan ends"
Theodore d. Gottlieb and Frederick
o. Lindsey, former f~reeholders. were
| present at the conference and char
acterized the administration Of both
of the deposed officials as efficient,
economical and progressive, declaring
| that their removal was an injustice to
the county.
Chairman Wilson A. Farrand sale
hat the fight for the retention of the
men was not 10 be a fight for individu-
ais, but for the very existence of the
basic ideas of civil service, and charac-
terized the act of the board as a back
ward step toward the reestablishmeni
of the discredited "spoils" system in
the conduct of the county affairs.
A copy of the resolution addressed
to the board has been sent to all the
civic and charitable institutions anc
the churches of the county to elici
their support in the action of the con.
ference.
1t has not been decided what action
If any. will be taken in regard to tn,
matter, but it is asserted that the boarC
will stand by their decision in regart
to the deposed men.