The New York herald., 1874-09-27
A VACANCY AT SING SING.

Politics the Bane Of Prison Manage
ment-ResignatiOn OF Warden Will
iamsOn-RefOrms Lately Introduced
An Improved Tone Among the Jail
birds.
Ii Is most unfortunate for the successful man.
agenent OF our penal institutions that they cannot
be removed from the pernlcious domain OF
politics, where eligibility for office is generally
made subordinate to the dogmatic dictates OF
party hacks. For more than month past
Sing Sing Prison has not been disturbed by
solitary ripple OF excitement 80 much
so that people living in It's vicinity
accustomed, as they have been, to hear almost
daily OF escapades, revolts, escapes and deeds OF
violence perpetrated by the convicts either
toward each other or on their keepers-now sci.
dom hear the word prison mentioned, and are
often tempted to believe that 1t has been trans
lerred altogether from the bank OF the Hudson to
some less S ars asHrd win s SGt
improbable, soon be brought to close, as
Warden Williamson rendered his resignation
to the Inspectors OF State Prisons on Friday, to
take effect soon as his successor can be ap-
pointed. " viii be recollected that Mr.. William
son Is the postmaster OF Sing sing village a COM
lOrtable once, winch he has filed since the eec
ton Of General Grant TO the Presidency. His ap
polntment to the wardenship OF the prison few
weeks since was ehecyed rather with u view to
harmOnizing cOn1ctng party interests, than IN the
belief tnat he cared Tor or would accept the posi-
den Williamson accepted the situation Tor the
time being, but now tnat the Republican State
ConveniIOn has become an event Ol the past, ana
the expiration OF the present fiscal quarter IN the
Post once department approaches he Is ANXIOUS
to return to his first love-" unwilling to exchange
permanently the emouments OF federal post
Ior the less remunerative and more onerous
task of directing the affairs of the
prison, with its precarIous tenure Of office. The
Board OF Inspectors will meet at Sing Sing during
the present week, when the perpleXlng question
OF deciding on new agent and warden VIII have
to be sO,vei. In TINS connection the fitness OF
Alfred Walker for the position, on account OF his
large experience in PRISON matters, IS again being
vigorously pushed TO the 'front.' by his friends.
During the few weeks OF Warden Wiliiamson's g
management he has introduced many commenda-
bic reforms Among these 1t may be mentioned
that better quality OF cd has been furnished the
cOnvicts th n that usually set before tnem and to
this Is attributed in q great measure the excellent
order which has OF late prevailed among them.
eating houses by means Of which some OF the SUBJ
ordinate officers have contrved in the past TO derive
handsome incomes. The pracuce OF allowing
some the more fortunate inmates to OBTAIN the
New York daily papers been strictly prohibited,
no daily newspaper being now admitted into the
prison under any circumstances. large numDer
Of convics, who had been living on dalnties at the
take of the food in the mess room, thus
effecting q considerable saving to the State.
and, at the same time, doing away with great
source OF discOntent on the part OF the Ja1birds.
In conversation with Warden Williamson yester-
day the writer ascertained that during his term OF
office In the prison he has not heard solitary
complaint from either a contractor, Keeper or a
convict lie said 1t was "Only necessary that the
convlcts should know that they have boss, and
tNcn they Would rive no trOuble.u