The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-12
r-ated behind the ocnvicts not, as before, facing


Sundays, are given 10 understand drag he ~
wnh the sinners al sing sing: the workshops a,e OF
course closed, and nothing 10 ne done asycn le
manning in the &C Is all day except turing onr 81 or
tne hours ~ WORSHIP. We rather Imagine that
DIVINE service l. ans taius Uni pasti re 70 TIE ma
Joniy OF We .opCueaiop, md counts ~ pr'h apN
source of tunls hmcnL To .olne III the cony cts ~
lie n,ssi eeape onersDt from former seventh
osy liei1--fom thuussrd dollar teams, and 2:40 on
tie avenues.
TOE owAHA;N.
The Chaplain OF the Prison, Rev John Luoxey is
well qualified for the position he has occupied during
some nine W ,rs We had the pleasure Of pa sing
Try aeIeeaiie hal hour with him, and We conf
cent that the courtesy with which he treats the con
victs must have a beneficial effect upon them Mr.
Luekey has gathered together library of 6O6 books
which he lends out to euch Of the prisoners as may
ask for them. The works are OF general interest
and works Of fiction, even, are not excluded unless
the chaplain consider them of bad or questionable
tendency. Soon after his arrival Huntington request
Cd Mr.; Luckey to supply him with reaaing matter and
the following works were sub litted t. his choice
warren Miscellania, "kossuth and ms Generals
and "Boswell's Life of Johnson The convict chose
VIE last III friends of some Of the prisoners send
them books, which, like all letters, pass through
the hands of the chaplain, who examines before
handing them TO their destination.
We asked Mr. Luckey what his opinion was in re-
GARD 10 the pardops granted wholesale by Gov.
CLARK. He sheok his head, and informed us tina
thai gentleman a ye'y weak minded man; the
female relatives OF convicts would g. to him, and
their entreaes were too powerful for the exGover-
nor 10 resist and that only in three instances had
he, the chap aim ever advised any executive cemen
ey being shown during the Governors term of Off
Former Governors had generally commUni cated with
hi, in reference 20 prisoners 10 Sing Sing, bat such
vas not Mr.. Clmk's practice. MIR. Lucky also OBJ.
served that during the pine years he had oeen chap
lain of the establishments, he had remarks that only
one per cent OF The criminals had returned TO il
cend tine and that he believed the habits of industry
acquired by them at The prison generally made good
citizens OF them eventually. He had no doubt that
humber Of innocent men were sent there, and in
g. caaa of f,arf for
SIX years on charge OF burglary. The prisoner
was put INTO the BARRIERS shop, where he had the
suty Of fixing Of the conycts and the new corners
from time 10 time. The second year OF his
term he was called upon TO operate upon
one Of the latter. Taking hold OF he nose
OF the stranger. and raisiDg his mead to
commence operations, he discovered that the in
fvidus was the very man VINO had committed the
crime for which he was sentenced. His agitation
vas such as 20 make him drop bis razor, particular
" the newly arrived gave hirl to tIderstond he
would do for him if he betrayed him. The keepers
noticed the barners agitation, aud questioned him
az TO the Cause of ii, 0nd on additional inquiries
being made his nnOCeucy was MADE cear and he
was Ultimately set free.
THEY TREAT FRESH 0oSvICTs
On the arrival OF aconviot at Sing sing be IS first
submitted 10 t5e chief keeper, Mr. Stewart, who de-
cides IN which shop he will put hiu. Should ne
Possess alias il is inserted opposite his name in
ne " Book OF Aliases which work has now becoae
OF considerable size. He Is then taken 10 room 10
which he ID uOdressed to the skim and then placed
arrangement must he highly dsagf eeable 10 those
individuals wbO have been accustomed TO pass their
tlrne amongst TIE gree; unWasbed, but most eXces-
sively Notifying TO such as have been cleanly ia
their habits. Some Of thu latter occasionally object
but they handled roughly III return, and forced
10 60 through the ceremony. The superiuous dirt
being removed. they are then weighed and met
sur,d, suit oi striped cotn is furnished them aud
they take their place amongst the initiated.
MEAES
Breakfast is served in the cells at 1880 A. NJ, aud
etase Af htnn ,.l =
composed OF coarse wheat and indian -four, and the
coffee is made from the lcayines OF che bread at diff
fereDt meals The fragments that remain after each
yepas gathered together, baked and grou nd and
decoction is made therefrom, hch will &c fa7ora
bly, compare with Java or Mocha II cannot be q
Pheasant rejection the part OF the educ led por
tson OF The conscts, that some greasy niger has
been biting TIE day before at crust viii ;h be is
now swallowing as LIQUID.
At noon the prisoners are marched ont Of the
various workshops into the dining room, which also
contains the kitchen. The cooking ia done by
steam the same boilers viii eyentua v he used for
heating the main building. The eonviols marched
across the centre Quadrangle in single hie according
30 their trades darkes and white men all being on
a par. Each man is armed with knife snd .1TE
and they outlumber their unarmed keepers fifty to
one, yet the latter awe them. We remarked thai
onehird OF the mtions az eesi is left at diuner
ample is the allowance TO each nan the bread Is
roasted into coffee, and The meat Is hasned for next
mornings breakfast. The supper is served in the
cells az 1870 p. and consists invariably of much
any, when bread is served instead
PUsrsuaENrs.
or course among such "a number OF evil dispceed
persons, there msny who ar Inclined 10 disobey
the prison rules. To bring then their senses, Ger
tain corrective agencies are employed which never
fail Of the desired effect. These consist admon-
ishings in The frs! place, followed by deprivation of
diner.
Confinement In dark cell.
The shower bath.
Dark cell and shower bath conbred
Ircned with ball chain and yoke.
Dark cell, hall and chain.
Shower bath, ball an chain; hair cropped.
The onence for which the ato' penalties are i'm
posed, INSIST of attempting b e-cape, destroying
food, csobedence. profanity, die lrbing the prison
at night escaping irod prison, 6gh. NJ, insolence,
Ian ching ana talking -hop, ieayinS shop withori
permit, lying, making false keys, noise in room,
glecting work. quarreliag. refusing t. work. spelling
work Intentionally, smoking, interfering with otnsr
convicts. Tho shower bath ~ persuasive agent
which always succeeds in winter but Is rather luxu
~ than otherwise in summer. The yoke is an ror
bar, weighing some fourteen pounds. aud fttedto
the neck and wrists; the convicts nickname 10 1.-THE
cruelty" The keepers state, howeyur, that these
extraordinary measures only required fOf q few,
persuasion ayailing in most instances.
WORK SHOPS.
The trades nos carried on at Sing Sing prison ar
the following
Tailoring tor the prison.
Hat making.
Cigar making.
Cabinet making.
Ca-pe,s and rugs,
Meta work for harness, silver plating, &c.
Saws.
shocks.
Fries.
Tapestry
The men in each department are let out by the
State on contract except the taiiors, who merely
work for the establishment
THE HAT DEPARTMENT..
This branch employs 1875 men, who are leased out
70 Mr.. Charles Watson. The manufacture is coD-
fired b felt hats, and the machinery for weaving
them Is Of very elaborate character. Passing from
the first room, we enter the apartment where the
hats are washed and pressed; vitrio water is used
IN the process and very disagrees5e odor accom-
panies the operation. The vitriol not merely stains
the skin bu, frequently renders II sore ultimately
the convict becomes used 70 the arrangement.
Nh