The New York herald., 1874-08-31
OUR PRISON SYSTEM.
A Lack of Discipline at Sing Sing
and Its Consequences.
CONVICTS VERSUS CONTRACTORS.
Why Warden Hubbel Was Removed
from the Management.
NOR Al VA $40 N.

since the recent action OF the State Prison In
spectors enecting change in the management OF
Sing Sing Prison speculation has been rife as to
the causes which led thereto. Although many
wondered at the apparently sudden termination
OF Warden Hubbell's philanthropic labors In be-
half OF the heretofore despised convict (Which
labors however, were by no means or disinter-
esteG characterl it Is safe to that to
was the summary removal from office 80 great a
surprise as to himself This Is accounted for by the
fact that within two hours OF the time when the
vote ending his oncial existence was taken, one Of
the inspectors, while dining at the Warden's
board, voluntarily expressed his warmest appro.
baton OF the manner IN which all arairs OF the
prison had been conducted and cordially congratu-
lated Mr.. Hubbeu on the security which he might
now feel in regard to retaining his position.
THE REASONS WHY
Intent upon ascertaning, If possible. additional
Information touching the reasons which brought
about the displacement OF Warden Hubben
HERALD representative called last Saturday on a
few leading citizens Of Sing Sing, some
OF whom have made prison matters study for the
past fifteen or twenty years. When the name Of
Warden Hubben was mentioned one and all OF
these expressed the opinion that he had in all
respects proved
4 SIGNAL FAILURE
in hts management OF the prison. II appears that
as far back as September, 1s73 when Mr.. Hubben
presented his report for the fiscal year ending
with that month, his fate was sealed and his re-
moval decided upon by the Board OF
inspectors or ttis report 1t Is under
stood from the most undoubted authority,
that while It showed upon it's face
a deficiency much greater than that of the pre-
vous year, Warden Hubbell claimed that in the
improvements made, at an actual cost of about
$50 0Oo the State had been benefited TO the amount
of $130,0OO, thereby wanting to make 1t appear
that he had saved for the State the respectable
sum of 100000 over and above the financial ex-
hbit Of the preceding twelve months. This as
sumed gain 1t may be stated, was easily made to
appear as bona tide item in the report of
the appraisers Of State Prison property
said appraisers having been appointed as
such at the instance OF Warden Hubbel
himself SO plain was the absurdity upon its face
that Inspector Kirkpatrick positively refused to
sign the report in that form the ground that it
was transparently erroneous. The report, it is
understood, was subsequently amended as to
CONFORM to the actual financial condition OF the
prison, in order to secure the signature Of the
Inspector named.
Another prominent feature connected with the
mismanagement which marked Warden Hubbell's
administration OF prison government was the
utterly impracticabe and chimerical theory Of
'MoRAL sUAsIoN"
on which he essayed to manage the convicts, with
view to securing greater share OF benefit
both TO the jailblrds themselves we'll as to the
State and to the community Ut large. 1t requires
something stronger and more definite than an
ambiguous sentiment OF philanthropy TO success
fully manage the crime hardened and in many cases
incOrrigiblc men who are constantly gravitatng
towards our state prisons. TO many who are
familiar with the antecedents or Warden Hubben
the professed humane views entertained by him
towards cOnvlcts when he last took charge OF the
prison, are at once unaccountable and incredible.
Tnls is explained by the circumstance that during
Mr.. hubbels first term OF TWO years as agent and
warden oil Sing Slug Prison he attempted his
tavorte rule of ''moral suaslon," but with no bet
effort to gain popularity with perhaps too Kind
hearted members OF the Prison Association. at the
the st,e snory after the exprataon ses Of
his first term OF official existence at
the prison mentioned S Mr. mubbel was
and. strange to relate, the only speech he ever
made at Albany was IN relation to the manage
ment OF state prisons, and in connection with
which he strenuously advocated rigid treatment
OF refractory convlsts, earnestly @ nest urging that
should be revived in all our penal institutions.
Under these circumstances Warden Hubbeu can
hardy lay claim to possessing the level OF
not not universal; taat when his his imIaediste n
luIcTeSbS WCTc dt stdEe uc COuiu lay hSlue MS
..moral suasion" theory and in its stead hgura-
lively take up the t-O-nne tails" when he
Iegsaae 6ariSg his last 'e term tue convlcs
have done literally just about as they pleased. II
three or four lelons became tired OF working in q
department. where marble dust was manufactured.
Tor instance, the easiest way OF securing change
to more pleasant employment was to throw a lew
pieces OF steel into the mill, thus nsurlng the IN
evltabe destruction Of property valued at, per-
haps, $l,000 besides stopping all 1urther
operations III that department. Tor days while the
ma w hpinp rennirpt nj This
has been done, and on the contractor reporting it
to Warden Hubbell an immediate investigation
parties might be punished Accordingly four con-
victs were placed IN dark CELL and at the expira-
to TO- the Wardens onice Here they were
asked with almost parental solicitude
Wv gS see put Of anS as ne
ther Illustration OF the interest felt IN their
welfare, they were considerably removed to
actly contrary to what the contractor desired, as
by this means he was deprived Of four of the
withstanding his representations to the Warden.
that Official refused to return them thus sustain
dinate attempts. On another occasion o quantity
OF sand was thrown into
CUPoLA OF MOLTEN IRON
by one Of the cOnvicts in the saddlery hardware
shop thus, as all workers In iron know, endanger-
ing u loss Of the entire blast The matter was duly
manner in which all such Investigations have been
carried on of late the guilty party escaped without
punishment In the cabinet shop the convicts
have more than once cut the betting OF
the machinery and deliberately smashed
articles OF furniture before they could be
sent to market. 1t has been no uncommon
occurrence for the convicts employed in the shoe
shop to amuse themselves by not only severing
the Oeltng but also by maliciousy cutting into
strips with sharp knives the boots and shoes
awaiting Shipment to New York: In each OF these
instances the contractors laid their grievances
before Warden HubDell but without deriving any
consolation Tor their loss guarantee against
similar acts OF malicious mischief In the future,
until necessity compelled some OF them to give
up their contracts altogether. Under other
prison administration when a strict system OF
discipline was carried out 1t was invariably the
custom to first punish the offending convicts for
such garing instances OF insubordnation as those
above described. and then return them to their
allotted tasks, having a iull knowledge or what
they would again nave to endure ii they repeated
the offence. On the contrary Warden HuDbeIl's
mode or dealing with the convicts, as is
asserted, was In all respects calculated
TO bring about contempt or discipline,
"a in removing tho unruiv iallbirus from