New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-27
QUE STATE PRISONS.

MEyRERs OF THE PRISON ASSOCIATION.
ALBANY, Aug. 25.-The conference of lnspec-
tors and officers OF our State Prisons aud the Prison AS
ISOLATION announced several days ago. took place nero
on Tuesday The prisons were represented oy In
spectors Hammond Mcneil, and Scheu' warden NeiSon'
and Dr. Collins Of Sing Sing. and Dr. WON Oh Chton' inc
Prison Association by Gov. Hoffman, Controller Allen,
Prof Dwight, Judge Edmonds. John Stanton Gould. L.
r.. HubbeIl, Drs. Wines aud GriscOm. aud the Hon.
Gideon HAYNES OF Massachusetts,, who had been lhVIed
TO be present corresponding momber0 OF inc Assoca
ton and as prison oGcor OF great experience, AS the
Conference was intended to OF the most familiar CHAR
acer no formal organization took place AL III ocooA'
the members being convened in the Library OF tue oen
Gov Hoffman stated that could feel moro seiSpH
than he did tho portancc OF the questions to DC con-
sdered. the need OF reform was obvious and urgent
Dr. Wines having been called to state the occasion
and object OF tho meeting. said that the suggestion came
originally from an officer Of OF the PRISONS Dut was
Immediately adopted by the members OF the Prison AS
socaton and that the object as he UNDERSTOOD w. wa
i'm the state but moro particularly how discipline u 10
be maintained in the prisons under the present law since
the showcrbuth aud other coercye puhshhehts ha'o
been abolished by act OF the Legislature o .hon
The inspectors aud OTHER prison officers were t, e
psons particularly that of Sing Sing They stated that
restless aud uneasy feeling had poryaded the minus .,
the prlsoneTs since the abolition OF the showerDau ana
that they had apparently broken the rules ana ehgIsG
revolt expressly to see what tne OnlcsIS wou,
NV yaV Of repression They were turbulent
and ungoycrnahe, not unfreGuently assuming
officers with deadly weapons, and putting them IN
peril OF their lives, The dark cell was not found nm
cicnt curb their characterization and Violence beside
being highly objectionable on the score OF health ana
loss OF time OF prisoners Some quick ana snaI pun
ishmcn was needed TO hold them N GnecK Ngtnng s Ws
Sugit had been found absolutely necessary 10 lNenC
another punishment which was IuspcIdlns tAc c SDh
ened together behind the back Dr. Wolf said
vslIgT MA
he regarded not only cruel hut dangerous, ana hau
entered strong protest against lts use ta t"e 20,
ened do away with ts dangerous Character SUI no
did not like IT, DrCoiilns oil sing sing man dlnti tt,,
ucr4;' and warden Nelson SAID that he had seen
prisoner after having been subjected 10 u IoI SIX OF est
hours PEER and scoF nc Il by singing ana dauGlng IL
was claimed that the late revolt at sing sing hau peh
entirely quclled. and that the order u ,i
cpne maintained there at present are as good rs they
have been for . number or years past. - ~,
the Prison Association submitted their views Ht more or
less length They admitted, very freely the emblrrass
surrounded a. the result OF the sudden change IN the
"i'ion tiaf the Irgsai,Ire had made grave mistake
IN requiring the law 10 90 into operation immediately on
,,S I"s,'Lrr, yor tho change They also dWclt
sfro,i5Iy on the further serious obstruction TO dis
cpine at the Sing Sing and Clinton prisons, arising
from their insecurity IN the case OF sing sing on ae
count Of the prOXmity OF the railroad aud tho t0ta
81 Enclosing wall. and in mat oi CAnOn from
rho weakness ~ sOckade surrounding the prison
premises All NJ which circumstances were perpetual
invitation 10 the prisoners to attempt 10 regain ihrlr
liberty by escaping IN inc man. hoWeNI5, ,ne I.iaihs
ZION were directed 20 the evils Of the existing prison
s.u az the safe for which the authorities in charge
were IN no way responsible, such the dominating
P,,', t,n c,y ,n, fucfuatjors thcucr resulting in
their administration the necessary inexperencc ana III
competence Of the officers, especially ne under olcorS
me muIiipH'Hlon 49,. .,. IN, "a, r,,Ty aId ra
fOrmatory methods Of training as tie resultant
Of the whole plan and process. inc urgent urgent
pf
,risors y REQUIRED by the law Of 1871 but which remain
uuuuIt the present time, was unanimously Insisted
CIV" a detailed ard highly interesting sketch Of the
which he aud other members OF the Prison Association,
10 our and country, II not Va a it, details, ~ least
in its fundamental principles DR. GriscOI road short
ma ner M very interesting character ia which Le pro-
posed the euCtcung ora convict sentence ofa Orehch
81 prison rules, Just AS II - now abbreviated by compi
Sir HAYNES OF Massachusetts, by special request. sub
mltted at considerable length description Of his own
methods " government ANA discipline with their results
pa the CuaresIuWu Prison. From bis statement the fol
warden NJ the Massachusetts state Prison that no blow
had been struck upon prisoner ~ al! at time mat 40
punishment had been indicted other than the da cell
HAT tu- punishment Wu- noe found necessary more tiu
two or tli,r time. q week average tnlt ~ WIS IN
continued minute after Tie prisoner promised
OucruCc which wgs generally within lrw hours; Iaat
deprivation ~ pH'i-.-e was iona very G, We ~ us
Clue; that ur S'titsp'tt ana hhhool Oh tit prison.
~ al proper ways seduion'iy cultivated
that prison hulllulr, on winch lhc WUic DOdl oi TIC
convict, were INTO the prison yard for and hour and
a half two hours, and permitted 70 converse
and nmuse themselves In their way,
had been instituted u $780, with tho Aapptst
moral and disciplinary results that popular aud scie-
trc lectures had been instituted four years with
like results: that the prisoners greatly dreaded depriva
uuu OF these WduiEruccr, svmuch tlat u was power
ful stimulus good conduct; and thai the contractors
found that the recreation of the holidays had inspiring
and uVigoraug effect the cJnvlctS that, 80 Tar
s thuy were concerned, thcy were qUltc willing 10 ALLOW
them 4 full hour each week lOr this relaxation
The Conference developed tho fact mat on essential
points Prison Association and Prison authorities are
m accord The meeting adjourned 10 ub.c 40 sing
sing some tine duI4ug the month ut October notice or
the day De given by Gen Hammond, President OF the
Board Of Inspectors when 10 probable that certain
propositions W be agreed upon, 10 be submitted 10 the
Legislature.