to ask our Warden for permission to
start a Tom Brown League; its members to be men who have never been
punished. Tom, I hope that you and your fellow-commissioners as well
as Supt. Riley and Warden Rattigan will approve of this, for I am
sure that such a League will bring forth good results. I have
associated so many years among the class of men in this prison that I
believe them to be part of my very being; and that is why I have so
much confidence in the success of a Tom Brown League.

Trusting that God and his blessed Son shall watch over you and yours,
and that he may spare and give you and your co-workers strength to
carry out your plans, is the sincere wish of one of your boys.

I am sincerely and always will be,

JACK MURPHY, No. 32177.

With some difficulty I persuaded my loyal partner to forego the name of
Tom Brown in connection with the League. Before my departure for Europe,
just a month after the day of my release, Jack was able to report a very
satisfactory interview with Superintendent Riley, who had granted
permission to start the League. Warden Rattigan's approval had been
already secured.

During my six weeks' absence there was much talk on the subject, so far as
it was possible for the prisoners to talk; and many kites passed back and
forth among those most interested.

After my return events moved quickly, and on December 26 a free election
was held in the different shops of the prison, to choose a committee of
forty-nine to determine the exact nature and organization of the League,
the general idea of which had been unanimously approved by show of hands
at the conclusion of the chapel services on the Sunday previous.

Much interest was taken in the election, and there were some very close
contests.

Three days after the election the members of the committee of forty-nine
were brought to the chapel, and the meeting called to order by the Warden.
By unanimous vote Thomas Brown, No. 33,333x, was made chairman; and then
the Warden and the keepers retired. For the first time in the history of
Auburn Prison a body of convicts were permitted a full and free discussion
of their own affairs. The discussion was not only free but most
interesting, as the committee contained men of all kinds, sentenced for
all sorts of offenses--first, second and third termers.

This is not the place to go into details concerning the Mutual Welfare
League o