The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-18
The Prisons of the state of New York

III our favor.
The Prisons Of the State of New York.
The Commissioners appointed to inves-
tigate the affairs OF the state prisons, and
of the Reformatory at Elmira, have made
their report.
Mr.. SINCLAIR ToUsEy, of this city, who
has Withdrawn from active business in the
prime of life, to devote himself to public af-
fairs, and Mr.. LoUIs ID. PusBURY. Super
intendont of the Albany Peniteutiary, were
members of this commission; aud from
them we had reason to expect a report of
far more important aud satisfactory
character than that which they have laid
before tho Legislature. They fluid abun-
dant fault with the management of the
prisons; but was there an intelligent per-
son in the State who supposed they were
well mauagedl They say that purchases
for the prisons have been made at cxorbi-
tant prices. whilo the labor IS less pro-
ducive than it should be; but what busi-
ness Is ever carried on by Government IS
inexpensively and probably As by COM
! petent individuals
They specify frauds, some Of them OF
! large amounts; but what might reasona-
! bly, have caused some surprise would have
been the citation OF any large business
transaction to which the state was n party,
which, from its inception 10 its close, in
all its ramiaca ions, was entirely untanted
by corruption aud free from extravaganza.
II was hardly necessary to have q COM
mission appointed TO inform us that the
grounds occupied for prison purposes at
Sing Sing comprise several acres, in close
proximity to the Villages" that there is a
railroad, with scores Of trains running
daily through the premises, on which
convlets have captured locomotives and
escaped" and so on-all Of which has been
IN the daily papers until the reading Of 1t
has grown tlresome.
There is interiectcd into tho report n
short essay on discipline, so uui1ue, ana so
different in style from the man body of
the report. as 20 lead the rel les TO suppose
| II must have been written by different
hand. Discipline" we are tOll. should
have neither friend nor Zoe, permit no
| cruelty, allow no passion, no idleus-s, re-
quire no work beyond ability" Its yisi-
lance should De rs slecplcss as Time"
Well THIS il must BE- confessed, woul Il
/ be, Mt once, an impartial and u wide-aWa<o
/ disc pllnc, very COCA kind Of discipline
/ indeed for prisons. Unfortunately it is as
rare a, II IS desirable. Whore are we going
TO find 1t, except among the PI-snuRys2
Asst seems to be hereditary in that family,
perhaps If they VIII take to themselves the
divine injunction TO our first parents, " Be
fruitful ami multiply, AMI replensh tho
EARTH II WI be- the simpe,t and most
efllcacious way q solving the difficult
problem OF prison management.
1t Is shocking to read in this report that
among the punishmcnts inflicted on feu.alo
prisoners n sing sing arc the IRON cage
placed over aud around the head, weigh
ing SIX or eight pounds; tho gag tho
strait jlckot, aud confinement in dun
2 ons, sometimes with shackcs.
We learn with sorrow that the Comm =
silnors have discovered n new kind Of
rabies in the human species; they dis
course, NJ some length, on the "Tab.l
curiosity Of visitors to the prisons 1t
Is to be hop and believed, however, that
tins new yuicty Of madness Is not, ike the
dread al hydlopholl, uece- arly fatal,
aud that It Lay al least, he cured hy
safety.
AH' lfi'' .'|N|' II'NNN-f ~lN- inc re-
port "lrra N oynrrrowdcl.' lhIs is uu-
dn0hfpiIy ava unp0ltaut ftct, hlt 10 would
hayo uc.n IDud .ol much moro Interest,"
ur hn. tI.- come -- oucrs appended a
clos .,fy eXpiaiun, tho difference between
ov. crow lel and uu lcrcrowdod
!. itIstui %, utter failure 70 rise to any
no lNato conception of the yasncss of
tus VIII IT, -uhj-ct of imprisonment that
We n,o-i severely condemn this report Of
ia Commissioners. I'm the simple state
Mon, that an our prisons are crowded is
continued one If the most imposing and
solemn facts that can bo presented for
humnu contemplation, How is il, why is
IT, that our prisons are crowded? what
Is tAe measure Of accountability that rests
on the Christians Of this community for
such condition Of thingsi These are
questions Of peryaling interest of far
reaching significance.
1t Is now recognized "a duty Of the
Spto to educate, up to "A certain standard,
all the children living within its borders.
great majority of tho prisoners are. n