Tynan Claimed Charges Against Him were Falsehoods
Dublin Core
Title
Tynan Claimed Charges Against Him were Falsehoods
Description
Warden Thomas Tynan claimed he would not resign until a proper court order forced him to leave the Colorado State Penitentiary. The following article portrayed Governor William Sweet as an egotist and political failure. The article included letters that were written by ex-inmates who supported Tynan and claimed Sweet was a fool. According to Tynan, if he resigned, Governor Sweet offered to destroy the prison reports he published. Tynan was disinterested in the offer and turned it down.
Transcription:
DECLARES WILL HOLD THE PRISON BY FORCE IF TYNAN IS TRIED; SAYS PERJURY CHARGED TO BE BROT AGAINST SIGNERS OF AFFIDAVITS
State Warden Claims if Somebody Gets Hurt It Will be Because Opponents Are Aggressors, but That Only Court Can Open the Gates
Warden Thomas J. Tynan of the Colorado State Penitentiary, whom Governor Sweet is attempting to remove, Wednesday in an interview with the Daily Record, declared the affidavits which Governor Sweet Secured to bear out his charges of cruelty, inefficiency and intemperance against Tynan were fabrications, mistatements and falsehoods almost in their entirety.
He said the his legal counsel were arranging data and evidence which will be used later to support perjury charges against practically all of those who made the affidavits. This procedure, the warden intimated, would not be taken until after the charges are heard by the Civil Service Commission, and the Governor’s witnesses have against under oath made the same statements on the witness stand.
It is becoming more evident that the Sweet Tynan controversy will be a long drawn out legal battle and may not be settled for several months. The Warden contends that Sweet has no legal right to suspend him and his legal advice is to hold the penitentiary until a court order is obtained ordering him to give up the position.
The warden said today that the penitentiary gates have been locked and will be kept locked and only those on business will be admitted. He intimated that any efforts Governor Sweet might make to forcibly gain possession of the penitentiary or to forcibly remove the warden would be met with adequate measures to defeat the Governor’s attempt. The warden said if somebody got hurt it would not be because the penitentiary authorities were the aggressors, but because they were defending their rights. He said that he did not wish to be understood as stopping so low as to be making threats because he certainly was not making any under any circumstances. He said he was stating the policy that would be adopted if forcible measures were employed to remove him from office. He said the only right way to handle the situation was through the orderly processes of the law. He said he would abide by the law and its decision would be accepted without a word.
There is no doubt in the Sweet-Hicks-Roberts controversy, now in its first stages before Judge Butler of the District Court in Denver, that no mater what Butler’s decision on the Roberts injunction suit Thursday morning at 9:30, the case will be carried to the Supreme Court. If Roberts is granted the injunction against Henry Hicks which he seeks, then Hicks and Governor Sweet undoubtedly will seek the opinion of the higher court. Roberts will certainly do the same thing if his petition his denied. This will, of course, throw the matter into the regime of Governor Clarence J. Morley because as the matter is now there seems to be no functioning Civil Service Commission and that body must be in functioning order before the Sweet Tynan matter can be brought to a conclusion.
P.J Hamrock, Civil Service Commission refused to recognize Hicks as a fellow commissioner. Mrs. Querau, an appointee of Governor Sweet refuses to recognize Roberts who was ousted by Sweet as president of the board so that there in reality at the present time is no complete civil service commission of the state.
As things stand now it seems that a Supreme Court decision will be necessary to clarify the civil service commission status and until that is done the charges Sweet makes against Tynan cannot be legally heard. In the meantime Tynan will refuse to recognize a suspension order from Sweet and will not give up the penitentiary. This makes the prospects of the a final settlement of the controversy rather remote as the “mill the Gods grind slowly.”
Since the controversy arose between Sweet and Tynan the warden has been receiving hundreds of letters and telegrams from over the state assuring him support from many quarters. A reading of these letters and telegrams would give an idea that these people doubted largely the charges which Governor Sweet had made and that they seemed to realize that it was a strange political move on the part of the Governor.
A letter from a paroled prisoner to the Deputy Warden, George Buchanan is typical of the many such letters being received. It follows,
Serene, Colorado
Columbine Mine
January 5, 1925
Mr. George Buchanan,
Deputy Warden:
Dir Sire:
Just a few lines to let you know that I arrived o.k. and my family glad to see me back again. I am not feeling well myself. Dear Deputy I was reading in the Rocky Mountain News the charge against the Warden and yourself and I see a good many things that I know that they are lies. I know for what time I was there I seen a lot of things and have lots I am just wondering if I could not be of sonic good for you and the warden.
I am for the law and not for crooks. If I had known that this was going on I sure would told you what was going on in there but I don’t think that it is late yet. If I can done anything I yill be glad to done so for I have always been a square shooter and I always will be Dear Deputy. If [I] can be of any good let me known.
Yours as over,
MIKE QUINTANA
Reg. No. 12527
Serve Colorado
Columbine Mine
A telegram which is but a sample of the large sheaf of similar ones on the warden’s desk says:
Denver, Colo, Jan, 1925
“T.J Tynan:
“Very sorry to hear of your illness. Sincerely trust you [?] pay no attention to Sweet. Surely [?] and disappointment don’t drive him desperate. The good people of Colorado prefer commendation of you by Governors Shoup, Gunter Carlson, Shafroth and others whom you have served in reverence to the twelfth hour [?] of a disappointed egotist. Anything I can do for you call on me.
“David Heaton”
It became known to the public Wednesday, according to the warden that one of the penitentiary commissioners, [?] the State Board of Commissioners had been approached by Governor Sweet, shortly after the William Mott Osborne reports was made with the proposition that if Warden Tynan would be prevailed up to resign his office the Osborne report would be suppressed. The commissioner is said to have told the governor that Tynan would not resign and the governor could make the report public at anytime he desired, as far as the warden or commissioner cared.
Transcription:
DECLARES WILL HOLD THE PRISON BY FORCE IF TYNAN IS TRIED; SAYS PERJURY CHARGED TO BE BROT AGAINST SIGNERS OF AFFIDAVITS
State Warden Claims if Somebody Gets Hurt It Will be Because Opponents Are Aggressors, but That Only Court Can Open the Gates
Warden Thomas J. Tynan of the Colorado State Penitentiary, whom Governor Sweet is attempting to remove, Wednesday in an interview with the Daily Record, declared the affidavits which Governor Sweet Secured to bear out his charges of cruelty, inefficiency and intemperance against Tynan were fabrications, mistatements and falsehoods almost in their entirety.
He said the his legal counsel were arranging data and evidence which will be used later to support perjury charges against practically all of those who made the affidavits. This procedure, the warden intimated, would not be taken until after the charges are heard by the Civil Service Commission, and the Governor’s witnesses have against under oath made the same statements on the witness stand.
It is becoming more evident that the Sweet Tynan controversy will be a long drawn out legal battle and may not be settled for several months. The Warden contends that Sweet has no legal right to suspend him and his legal advice is to hold the penitentiary until a court order is obtained ordering him to give up the position.
The warden said today that the penitentiary gates have been locked and will be kept locked and only those on business will be admitted. He intimated that any efforts Governor Sweet might make to forcibly gain possession of the penitentiary or to forcibly remove the warden would be met with adequate measures to defeat the Governor’s attempt. The warden said if somebody got hurt it would not be because the penitentiary authorities were the aggressors, but because they were defending their rights. He said that he did not wish to be understood as stopping so low as to be making threats because he certainly was not making any under any circumstances. He said he was stating the policy that would be adopted if forcible measures were employed to remove him from office. He said the only right way to handle the situation was through the orderly processes of the law. He said he would abide by the law and its decision would be accepted without a word.
There is no doubt in the Sweet-Hicks-Roberts controversy, now in its first stages before Judge Butler of the District Court in Denver, that no mater what Butler’s decision on the Roberts injunction suit Thursday morning at 9:30, the case will be carried to the Supreme Court. If Roberts is granted the injunction against Henry Hicks which he seeks, then Hicks and Governor Sweet undoubtedly will seek the opinion of the higher court. Roberts will certainly do the same thing if his petition his denied. This will, of course, throw the matter into the regime of Governor Clarence J. Morley because as the matter is now there seems to be no functioning Civil Service Commission and that body must be in functioning order before the Sweet Tynan matter can be brought to a conclusion.
P.J Hamrock, Civil Service Commission refused to recognize Hicks as a fellow commissioner. Mrs. Querau, an appointee of Governor Sweet refuses to recognize Roberts who was ousted by Sweet as president of the board so that there in reality at the present time is no complete civil service commission of the state.
As things stand now it seems that a Supreme Court decision will be necessary to clarify the civil service commission status and until that is done the charges Sweet makes against Tynan cannot be legally heard. In the meantime Tynan will refuse to recognize a suspension order from Sweet and will not give up the penitentiary. This makes the prospects of the a final settlement of the controversy rather remote as the “mill the Gods grind slowly.”
Since the controversy arose between Sweet and Tynan the warden has been receiving hundreds of letters and telegrams from over the state assuring him support from many quarters. A reading of these letters and telegrams would give an idea that these people doubted largely the charges which Governor Sweet had made and that they seemed to realize that it was a strange political move on the part of the Governor.
A letter from a paroled prisoner to the Deputy Warden, George Buchanan is typical of the many such letters being received. It follows,
Serene, Colorado
Columbine Mine
January 5, 1925
Mr. George Buchanan,
Deputy Warden:
Dir Sire:
Just a few lines to let you know that I arrived o.k. and my family glad to see me back again. I am not feeling well myself. Dear Deputy I was reading in the Rocky Mountain News the charge against the Warden and yourself and I see a good many things that I know that they are lies. I know for what time I was there I seen a lot of things and have lots I am just wondering if I could not be of sonic good for you and the warden.
I am for the law and not for crooks. If I had known that this was going on I sure would told you what was going on in there but I don’t think that it is late yet. If I can done anything I yill be glad to done so for I have always been a square shooter and I always will be Dear Deputy. If [I] can be of any good let me known.
Yours as over,
MIKE QUINTANA
Reg. No. 12527
Serve Colorado
Columbine Mine
A telegram which is but a sample of the large sheaf of similar ones on the warden’s desk says:
Denver, Colo, Jan, 1925
“T.J Tynan:
“Very sorry to hear of your illness. Sincerely trust you [?] pay no attention to Sweet. Surely [?] and disappointment don’t drive him desperate. The good people of Colorado prefer commendation of you by Governors Shoup, Gunter Carlson, Shafroth and others whom you have served in reverence to the twelfth hour [?] of a disappointed egotist. Anything I can do for you call on me.
“David Heaton”
It became known to the public Wednesday, according to the warden that one of the penitentiary commissioners, [?] the State Board of Commissioners had been approached by Governor Sweet, shortly after the William Mott Osborne reports was made with the proposition that if Warden Tynan would be prevailed up to resign his office the Osborne report would be suppressed. The commissioner is said to have told the governor that Tynan would not resign and the governor could make the report public at anytime he desired, as far as the warden or commissioner cared.
Source
"Tynan Claims Charges Falsehoods," The Daily Record, January 7, 1925, Tynan Family File, Royal Gorge Museum, Cañon City, Colorado.
Citation
“Tynan Claimed Charges Against Him were Falsehoods,” Cañon City: Ku Klux Klan and Prisons , accessed November 15, 2026, https://coloradocollege.website/prison/items/show/63.