New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-25


the old prison in New-York were removed to Sing
sing although the prison was not peted until SO.
Tie original plan contemplated but eight hundred
cells. In 1881 another story was aided, increasing
the number of cells to one thousand
In 1885 the Legislature decided on the erection OF
separate prison for females, at Sinr-sing NJ Nc
Donald Of Westehester aud NJ Seward Of Cayuga,
Il former ia the Assembly and the latter in the SEN
ate were instrumental in the passage Of this measure
through tie legislature An elegant building was
completed in 1910 and the female couyicts in other
prisons transferred thereto In 1915 a third State
Prison was established st place called DannemOra,
in Clinton County, about sixteen miles northwest Of
plattsbuIgh This location chosen for the purpose
Of employing TIE convicts at mining iron ore, and az
tie ssme time to obviate the objection against prison
labor as coming in competition with that of plechan
les After a considerable and careful examination of
this objection, by those competent judge the opiu
ion seems to be that il is fallacious There are Ger.
tarly many advantages 20 the State and more 20 the
prisorer in learning him q mechanical trade But we
co not pretend to argue that point here The Clinton
Prson has been complete failure so far 1t has al
ready cost the State 100000 above it's earnings
Not tun of iron has ever been made BY the cOnyics,
and from tie nature of the business it is doubtful if
there ever can be profitable or safe prosecution of
that business by prisoners
Such the history, in brief OF the Prisons Of New
York. The Prison system of our State has, at times
received considerable attention, and had few years
since acquired high reputation abroad. Gov. Sew
ard, during bis administration, encouraged the intro
ducton OF Libraries for the prisoners into the several
State Prisons, and urged also ameloraton of the
discipline. and the employment of moral instructors
for the convicts In 1545 the Prison Association of
NewYork formed; its objects being mainly to i'm
prove the discipline of prisons, and to relieve dis
charged conyicts In l347 an entire revision of the
laws Of the State relative to prisons was made under
the direction Of John Stanton Gould, Member Of As
seubly from Columbia County. He embodied in one
act complete CODE which, if it had been faithfully
carried out by the Inspectors, would have placed
prisons in far better position than they now occupy
Under the new Constitution, which went into effect at
this period new board of Inspectors was elected by
the people An entire change in all the officers of the
prisons soon succeeded. All the reforms which had
been introduced were, Of course arrested disturbed
~ such a radical and sudden revolution.
In 1s5l thorough and faithful investigation was
made cfthe condition and affairs of the several State
Prisons by committee of the Legislature, and a re-
poit occupying some two hundred and fifty pages was
submitted to the assembly of 1882 An abstract of the
report published at the time in THE TRIBUNE, aud
excited considerable attention. This report has
been effectively acted upon by the Legislature. The
attention Of the Governor, however seems to have
been given TO it, and in his last snua message he has
taken up several prominent points embraced in the
report ard laid them before the Legislature. The fol-
lowing are some of the propositions that submit
ted by this committee doduced from their eIsmina-
tons: That a great majority OF the couyicts are
susceptible of being Influenced by the same good
motives ard impulses which influence other
men end therefore that system based upon reason
and Kindness tending inspire feelings OF selfrespect
hFeulncss and penitence ought to be adopted in all
our prisons, far is practicable that the use
OF the yoke and showerbath punshmeuts should
be dlscontinued; that ell punshments for breaches
Of disc pine should be inflicted under the direction
Of tie Warden, and by some person uuconcerned
IN the OfeIse; that some systematic aid aud en-
couI cement should be afforded to discharged con-
victs by tie State, by allowing them compensation
for oyerRolk or otherwise; that rigid and fire.
quent examinations should be made Of the prisons
ard county jas in the State, under legislative drec
tiOn and that the government Of the prisons should
lie entirely separated from party influences. The
lastnamed reform, are confident, would
almost certainly secure the others. Every step
that has even been taken in This State or in the
world, il amelOrating and improving the discipline Of
pfisOus has been successful
The expenses of our State prisons are 10 their
magnitude indicative of the importance Of attentive
and judicous legislation on the subject. The
total expenditures for the support OF the three
prisons for the last ten years has been nearly two
millions of dollars, viz: Sing Sing S795,3O2, Auburn
S69l 971, Clinton FIVE years $3i4,343 The ratio of
increase under the present mode Of inspection is
startling. In 1914, according TO the report al
uded to- the expense for each prisoner at Sing Sing
craged sos H. and in 1850 it had reached 1928 SO;
and by the report Of the Inspectors for the past year
we learn that it has amounted to 1892 80 for each
convict 1t is but justice to remark here that in 1874
the Sing Sing prison chiefly under the charge Of
John w. Edmonds, at that time one Of the In
spectors-
The Governor says in his message, that crime hasin
creased 10 faster than the population of the State 1t
is ven better than ths-the increase Of crime as it ap
pears by the following table has been during the last
ten years at the rate of about 10 per CENT While pop
uation has increased in the time az the rate Of
g per cent. The number Of male prisoners in the
several State Prisons for the last twelve years has
been as follows
Ysr. Aulg.n. sins sing Clinton Total.
isss............7so rs las
i5l5....:.......5sI ga 1874