New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-26
ALBANY.
PRISON REFORM.

PRISON BEEDkh.
TRIBUTE TO THr NfW SUPERINTENDENT BY 4 coz
viCr-sAVING N Cosr,aND QUALITY "F FooD-
INGENIOUS MODE or EvA0GNG Az Dam.
lFRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUSEl
ALBANY March 25.-The new Superintendent
Of Prisons Mr.. Pil,bury, is an exceedingly busy man
What with governing three large State prisons situated
in different sections Of tie state and caring Tor wei
nlrd rcu,ent,ry in this city, he has little leisure time
at his dspo,al one by h introduces reforms in he
mauaecmcnt Of tine several prisons. Several have
already been stated in THE TRIBUNE Unconscious
praise Of OF them was given by convict Ut 9ns
Sing during the past week. In accordance WIN the
prison regulations all letters passing into or ont Of the
prison are read that any plan for escape may be dis
Covered or indeed anything pIejudical to the prison
management The convict referred to wrote to friend
warning him against being arrested for crime in New
York as the prisoners in the state prisons are now COM
PEELED TO work from morning ti ni9ht The oniy aiieNi-
ton Of his misery, the convict said, was the fact that
the food good, whereas formerly It was not at times
fit TO be eaten II is said that at one time the food was
so unwholo some that the pigs would not cal what the
couyics left The difference in the management Of the
prison s shown IN fact that there is not now waste
enough from the kitchens to feed the pigsa large num-
Der OF which raised within the prsonand the prison
authorities have been compelled to buy food for them
outside Of the prison walls. Mr.. Pilsbury has made
contract for the supply beef TO Sing Sing at Eve cents
fore He has also made contract for corned beef by
Which the state is the gamer 1l9 cent pound over
former prices During the coming Summer IL the neccs
sary appropriation be secured for the purchase OF tools
and stone the prisoners Sing Sing Will begin the con
structlon Of a stone wall around that prison.
The furnishing of supplies For the prisons was formerly
very lucrative task. In the year lsG0, to prevent the
State being derauded by contractors brbg the warden
of prison to give receipts for supplies that were not
furnished. wardens accepting percentage ON sup
plies furnished the Legislature passed Law prescribing
n form Of oath To be taken by contractor when sub
hitting n bill for supplies. This oath was OF rather
ironcad character apparently and dsaGreeabe to GER
tain contractors Controller Olcott discovered the past
week that some ingenious person IN Sing Sing Prison had
had printed contractors blanks containing copy OF the
oath prescribed by the law, but with certain words
omitted and others uterpoated. The effect OF these
changes was 20 make the oath worthless In legal and
almost in q moral sense This kind of blank has been at
taehed TO bills and duly sent from Sing Sing Prison to the
CONTROLLERS office for several years past, without
melon IN the latter's office that there had been any
changes made Below will be found copy OF the OATH
the words In italics being the words omitted in the mOd
fed oath and In brackets the interpolated
I---- being duly sworn. depose and say that
tho ano uI rendered and the PARTICLES iheren services
specified IN tho within bill were actually furlshed rem
De- ., snc sing Prison nor any person for him or in his
behalf hal pccunary or other interest IN the tser
,ba no conn..os presents or profits have been paid
10 him or ANY person his behalf. agreed TO be
paid m the future TO him or to any person persons for
him that the receipt signed represents the correct
amount nor due that the articles included In this
account sold fair cash market prIcesl and that
have actually received the full amount IN cash from the
said agent aud warden.
There are large number of printed blanks used In the
three State prisons and under the former management
each of tie prisons had Its printing done. This sep
arate printing the blanks of increased the
pense Controller Ocot has suggested that they ALL
they arc OF similar form. DO printed ut the same place