Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder That Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit

Many years before the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, the inhumane institution of slavery had been abolished in many of the northern states. However, the death knell of slavery yielded to a different type of unpaid labor: prison labor. The builders of the prison saw the lucrative potential of the prison serving a dual purpose as a penitentiary/factory. The correctional institution that would be built in Auburn, NY, would use its inmates as a labor force. The profits from the manufacturing business would be greater as the prison overseers held that prisoners were not entitled to benefit from their labor.

Despite the eradication of slavery in states such as New York, racial inequality and intolerance remained. William Freeman experienced both of these during his life, which would factor into his being accused of a crime for which he would be sentenced to Auburn Prison. Freeman didn’t agree with involuntary servitude and would push back at his captors, which often resulted in whippings, beatings, and other punishment.

When Freeman was released, he was sent off with a pittance. Freeman believed that he deserved adequate remuneration for his labor and suffering. The prison authorities disagreed and Freeman was met with a dismissive skepticism when he approached lawyers for assistance. As days passed, a new idea began to form in Freeman’s mind. He would find restitution in a manner that would leave people dead and a community horrified.

The murders left people shocked but also riled up the local vigilantes. Local law enforcement would need to safeguard Freeman from lynch mobs as he was set to stand trial. Former NY Governor William Seward would defend Freeman while also calling out the racism that mitigated Freeman’s guilt. Race relations were being tested and the media was enflaming the sentiment. The verdict wouldn’t be the end of the story.

The flawed methods utilized by 19th century authorities in punishing criminals are examined in great detail in the outstanding Freeman’s Challenge. The prison administrators who supervised the hundreds of prison inmates viewed corporal punishment as a motivator. However, these practices were often capable of inflicting serious injury on the disciplined. In the case of William Freeman, there was more than a correlation between his injuries and his lethal actions.

The privatization of the prison industry has become a focal point in the current day, yet this story should serve as a cautionary tale in scrutinizing the prison-industrial complex. The tragedy may be a foregone conclusion, yet author Robin Bernstein masterfully lays the historical background that led up to the harrowing events of March 12, 1846. Bernstein has written a noteworthy History and Criminal Justice book.