New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-15
WAS UPLIETER
LOWRIE 'DRUCCED'?
Enemies Blamed for Plight
Of EX-COnViCt Reform
Author.

The first man TO stand before the
bar a. Essex Market court yesterday, 10
answer 10 a charge of drunkenness, was
one with a national reputation as
prison reformer and upllft worker
amorg men of the jails, Donald Low
RTE. author, lecturer and special pro-
tegc Of Thomas Mott Osborne, reform
warden OF Sing Sing. lie pleaded
guilty.
For several weeks Lowric has been
staying at Sing Sing, guest OF War
den Osborne. Early yesterday Police
man Rudy found him lying semi-con-
scious on the sidewalk IN East 10th ST.
SObered. and with what emotions
could not be learned. he slipped back
again last night into Mr.. Osborne
protection as his guest at sing sing
, having been discharged with a repri-
maud hy Magistrate Appleton. What
he told OF hir experiences and dolng'
in New York Mr. Osborne refused 10
discuss. Elsewhere 1T was suggested
that Lowrie was drugged by enemies
Of the reform administration at sing
Sing in an effort to discrcdIt It.
Lowrie told Magistrate Appleton that
he was drugged while drinking. and last
night Mitchell keunerley, Lowrie's pub
Usher. said. There is something be-
hind this We are trying to get at.
IL was as author Of "My Life IN
Prison" that Lowrie first came into
prominence. That book was the tale of
+ the barbarity of prison lie as he saw II
while doing ten-year term IN the Calf
fornia state Prison az san Quentin.
Mr.. Kennerley now has m hand see
ond book by Lowrie. MY Life Out Of
Prison" partly devoted to his work for
prison bettermeut
~ am interested in the uplift Of
convicts.' Lowrie told Lieutenant VS.
sers. as he clung to the station house
rail TO keep from falling. HIS tongue
got considerably tangled as he went
on. 81 guess YOU don't know VINO l
am. / am devoting my life 10 improv-
ing prison conditions. was IN the
California state prison. Governor Jonn-
son pardoned me.
since that time | have been deliver
ing lectures on prison reform and get
S5U An hour when 7 speak before frater-
nal organizations. clubs and churcneS.
Prom the sale OF my books IN san
In. rcisco received 500, which /
turned over to an employment bureau
20 help men out Of job get work.
Life IN a police station is apt TO make
skeptics. Lieutenant Nissers was skcp-
Mr.. Kennerley was asked last night
10 reveal something OF Lowrles com
ing book. g., ,,...-
this would bring. ] want TO see Low
rie." Mr.. Kennerley replied. His tone
disclosed his belief there was some
thing behind Lowrie's fall.
Magistrate Appleton was asked Tor
his impressions.
"Who is this Donald Lowrie p he ex-
claimed. as he the President OF the
United States?
"Did ne act that way?" ne was asked.
NO. he was very unassumlng.
clean looking. well dressed fellcw, but
,bare have been people rushing IN mere
all morning to inquire about MN.
discharged himwhat YVES the use OF
aGdinc to his troubles? | don't think
he had been on bat-he didn't look
like a rum-dum.'
"You don't think it looked Ike case
of an idol with feet Of clay
"No. IL looked Just like slip-up. Or
II might have been frame-up. DO
YOU know there is one Of the biggest
social WORKERS in this town they could
frame ND that way any time lie IS
seating excise violations. He walks
into saloons TO see If everything IL
RIGHT. Some times he orders drinks.
Ms enemies could easily slip Knockout
drops into his drink May be 1t was
so with Lowric.'
Lowrie gave his address as 3l5 santa
Clara av.. San Jose; his age as forty.
II was I'M San Francisco he found him
self wears ago, penniless and starving
lie tossed a coin -neanS' CtiHe' 'aIi''
suicide. It came heads.
He entered house, stole "atch /
and $50. was caught and sent 10 san
Quentin for fifteen years. but was pa, /
roled after ten years. His parole period /
- evnired. so that yesterdays esca-
made win not clap him into jail.
Another Of Warden Osborne's men
from Sing Sing. John Quinn nigh'
keeper. was discharged yesterday by
Magistrate Harris, who did not want to
burt his standing on the civil service
ligt. Meanwhile, however, Quinn mad nad
been discharged from his Job at sing
SING. He was arrested for hourishins
his revolver in a saloon.