New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-10
SING SING PRISON.

Discomfort, disorder, revolt, have become
chronic at Sing Sing. Nor can we much won
der at this, for 1t is but the normal outwork-
ing of the prison system created by our pres
ent Constitution, which makes our State Prisons
part and parcel of the political machinery OF
the State. The Inspectors, who are the govern
ing power, are nominated by party conven-
tons, elected by party votes and bound, as a
matter of course, to obey party behests. With
every revolution of the political wheel there
is, of necessity, change of the whole prison
staff. The old incumbents are, to man, swept
away and new ones, without experience and with
little if any regard to fitness or probable efii-
cheney put in their place. The system is radically,
incuraby vicious, and nothing can come of it
but such bitter fruits as we see it actually
bringing forth. The Grand Jury of Westehes-
ter County, in their presentment published in
these columns n few days ago. recognize this
fact, and so far we have already expressed our
approval of their finding.
But they have embodied in their report other
opinions, to which we can by no means yield
our assent. They say: 1.-THE influence OF the
Prison Association we believe 10 be injurious in
this respect: That it contributes to false
sympathy on the part of the community
(which eventually results in the conyicts
"being regarded as objects of sympathy
"and pity rather than offenders against
"the peace and welfare of the community;
"and this on coming to the knowledge of the
"prisOners Gas it certainly does moro or less)
"causes general discomfort"
This is a very unjust asperson upon So
ciety which is doing much good and has won
the confidence of the public; and we should be
sorry indeed if the brutal and despotic spirit
which dictated that sentence obtained the as
tendency in our system of managing convicts.
After all, the prisoner is wretched fellow
creature, suffering from the most dreadful of
all diseases and the true Office of prison is not
only to punish but to cure. We have no sym
patty with Carlyle's savage exclamation con-
corning prisoners: "a collar round the neck,
"and a cart-whip hOurished over the back;
"these, in a just and steady human hand, wero
"what the gods would have appointed them. To
guide scoundrels by love is, l take it, method
"that will not hold together; hardly fOrthe flower
{" of men will love alone do; and for the
sediment and scoundrelism of men it has
"not even a chance to do" There is far more
truth as we'll rs Christianity in what DR..
Chalmers says of the same class of persons ::
"The little that / have seen of the world
"and known of the history Of mankind,
teaches me to look upon their errors in sOr-
ROW, not in anger" 1t is upon this principle
that the benefcent labors of the Prison Asso-
citation have been conducted.
1t is certainly not surprising that the jury
which regards humane treatment as democrat
izing should lament the disuse of the cat and
the shOwer-b bath, and the comparative midneSs
of the punishments which have been introduced
in their place. "The only punshments now re-
sorted to-" they say, care the hooks, the iron
helmets and solitary confinement" 1t is
known to our readers, probably, that the Legis-
lature at its last session enacted Il law for
bidding the use of the shower-bath, crucilix
and buck, in all the prisons Of the State. The
intent of this law is obvious viz, the prohibit
ton of cruel and barbarous punishments. Has
that been accomplished Apparently not-cer-
tainly not if what is reported to us is true
punishment by the hoOksp-why has not the
Grand Jury explained It'll 1t seems to us that
such explanation would have been quite within
the line of their duty; and if what we hear is
correct, it would have shed some light at least
on the origin Of the recent troubles at Sing
Sing. A citizen of Sing Sing says
at will draw your attention to n mode OF punishment
which Is resored 70 at Sing Sing Prison. which Is the
worst ever heard Of the most injurious 10 the person.
and the greatest torture that DO imagined The
shOwerbath is place Of enjoyment compared to IT, The
mode ~ this: Hooks driven into the walls the con-
victs hands are drawn behind his body handouts are
placed on them; then the arms drawn up ana inc
body raised so that the toes just touch the
floor; and the convict hangs on those hooks by
his arms drawn up In the manner described. jus.
imagine moment the cruelty OF this punishment ana
t. Why, we would not be allowed to use DUMB beast
In that way outside OF State Prison, and yet TINS INC
punishment now commonly resorted 10 IN sing oing
they had several men hanging there few nights ago
and heard the screams exOrted from them by lhelr
aROuies at considerable from the place OF pun