New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-17
THE REPORT.

state and the state RtIOrMdtoIy at Etlnho iVStNN'
fully submit this their report together with the tes'-
many nm which IL il based The commission began their
prson investigation at the Sing Sing Prison early In June
and after several weeks examination, adjourned 70
Clinton Prison. at Dannemora, returning 70 sing sing III
October and after spending as much time 'heie Rs was
in their Judgment advisable, having in view the lnves
cation Of the Auburn Prison and the expiration OF tho
law under which they acting TO Auburn
and made limited investigation into the affairs OF tat
prison. lea wing the work at Sing Sing very FAR from COM
pletion; fact time was too limited TO exhaust an
examination at either one OF the prisons Short as the
limited Of the commission Is, enonsh mas pee
done show that The affairs Of the prisons nave ID he
mast been grossly ms1nanaged resulting in great losses
10 the State and injustice TO the convicts confined
therein.
1.-THE commission describe the present condition OF
the prisons at Sing Sing, DannemOra, and Auburn
and the State Reformatory at Eimiral.
The prisons at Sing Sing and Dannemora are far from
being as secure against escapes they Should NC lh
wooden fence at Dannemora is OF but little use ana as
many of the doors Of the cells and window sratings nre
OF cast iron the prisoners find but little dcuiy I'D
getting away whicn they often do suhjecng the State
70 great expense in the matter of recaping thcm all
im that has aggregated several thousands of dollars
within years. The three State prisons are All over
crowded and notwithstanding the cells 10" small and
insuciently ventilated for the OF one pr ner many
of them are occupied Ivy more-a practice that should
never be permitted in any prison: AS II erfeics with
discipline by aTOrdug opportunities for plottlnS Nus
chief: for induging in degrading pfactlces, loulhe
health and than all, snjectnc the comparative!
yclntentuned convict Ia the danger OF moral CONTAIN
NATION by the more hardened efeuder danger EanSt
which the State should guard all lts criminals lg'
number Of prisoners also huddcd together III F0oS
requiring the constant presence Of NOR, keepers tha
would be needed II each convict had cell TO hnseh
DISCIPLINE As 1T SHOULD BE.
or more importance than ali else in prison manage
ment ia proper discipline. With this prisons may be
eomparatively successful; without IT, never either fa'
cay or az reformatories Discipline should have neheS
friend nor foe, permit no cruelty, allow no passion no
jdeness require work beyond ability duties should
be perfectly understood and thoroughly performed
shold exact cleanliness Of persons and places; IT'S rule
should be enforced throughout the PRISON with an impair
tally that an would recognize and as rg1dy as cGuu
Its vigilance sleeI'eIs Time never res.
lecting the well ever caring Tor the SICK ana never ld
ing TO deceDty Dury the dead. 1890 . Loo, 20
ye,cly punished though there are instances where pun
tsIlments have been uulustly administered Formerly
punishments more severe than at present.
CONvICTs FAVORED.
One OF the most prolific sources of dissatisfaction
among the prisoners and which has done lnuch 10
Interfere with proper discipline has been aVors shown
TO rome of the conyics practice that should never be
permitted in any prison Convicts have complained.
and Justly more about that than anything else 10 their
seldom causes complaint among convicts; paIaty ana
favOritism always do. Some nave been hired to comply
showed TO buy nxuries conduct unchecked correspond
ence; read ali sorts of ncwspapSis aha TO 40 pret
nris6n to Occupy places Of trust clerks weishers
cijcciiona5e practice prevailed in the prison,
than thls OF allowing c0nvi3ts 10 M Pia0os vi
wronged The evidence this subject is very fu and
entirely conclusive It's injurious effects AS cerks
they hVs lad afGsSs ri he oa minutes Of The
Inspectors thus acquiring Information which tney GoMn
use their own advantage have FAD chare OF npGrt
ant between the state and the parties lnhSA
arces purchased apd sold by the state aud make such
returns thereof as suited them This practice opened a
S.oS and Ciutdn in weighing iron and measuring
wood The evidence shows that they did not fait0 use
10 o6pr conVicts Convict clerkshps were frequently
used TO the benefit OF other convicts by the alteration VI
commitment papers, by when cohVcs were uSchai &c"
before their time was out
Here follow under the head of malpractices and
irregularities about 80 references 20 the evidence Oh
various pOints]
CONVICT LABOR.
The prisons should be self-Sustaining or nearly So
Pcrhaps We ought to anticipate such coma Ion OF
tbtnc until the present disastrous System and lts re-
sults are overcome As matter OF coulse, in times OF
great pecuniay pressure when all the bsD Sc interests
of the country langushng the interests OF the state
connected with prisons must suffer; but II tle PRISON
affairs are managed wisely and economically az pru
dent man manages his business, Ge oss If any can
not De so heavy heretofore Inc business calIIeu GU
nj the prisons is Of varied cialActe Inc sing nihs
nrison il now and has been extensively engaged III the
Efrc and narble-tust Dusess, involving The opening
Saa %cts ,neggspaa HTrhr. The Clinton Prison
almost wholly employed in tie WORKING OF ron ihesLih
condition; while the Auburn Prison Is cpgagcd IN
mechanical IL anches OF business exclusively. WI Nc
sccn Inv a reference the evidence that the largest
deficit Is al the prisons where the heavy articles are
taken from the quarIies aud mines Ihls results from
en- ,f,roug branches labor and expenditure grow
Ing out Of the general business neccssatnS Onef
tlan convict labor AID putting IL in the power oil dso
rst employees to defraud the state with lacty cover 9
ue fraud with ease, and do IL 50 cieVcIy rs " a'ou W"
lection.
INSTANCES OF CORRUPTION
,ba interests State have suffered
IN "a great variety of methods the dishonesty Of of
eaIs coul invent is manifest Perhaps III some cases IL
Wa the result Of financial stupidity bat probably II was
Otherwise.
One instance is this: Alfred Walker had been cO1-
ncccd with le Sing Sing Prison iOr several years az con
tr; rt0r Superintendent oil the Marble ard Lime "Orks
aud ~ Warden One sands had a contract, made Wiz .
H. in spccOr by the provisions OF when he nd erected
k,s for manufacture OI Hnc, NSlker beihs Il 60
nariuer with aim IN the year l-Gs walker purchased
the interest Ot Lls copancI tsanGsJ III these ElS anc
fixtures pawn. him 81 500 the Valuation being T2Oou
AZ The legsr about tO expire, he made appnc"Oh 10
the Legislature for The passage OF law duth"1Ihe
renewal Of his lease for five years Then, commenced
Of manCuYtr IN when more persons 'hah "ahci
were evidently concerned.
profitable which reason walker wanted ms lease cA-
tended Prison officials favored purchase q, inc kis
and fixtures, IN order tDa, TIE State might engage 10
b:sness which repre- d 20 he so vastly Iroita
bic Walker fixed bio price al 9l25,0OO alleging that
fair inventory and Applaisa! would show ths 10 De us
far value. The purchase was made by the STATE al
InI,ng the papers which the commission found NJ the
Or son inventory Of this property The appralsa!
ami Yet it amounted 10 Dut $4,000
That tie STATE esegously swindied by r( isOn OF
III Dishonesty mbccty OF the officials IN charge OF
this pris0n there cannot be Is reasonable count Ana
tun 10 esp the climax, the Inspectors appointed walker
su.erinIendent and when thereafter they MADE him
sgcnf and warden Of the prison. he was continued Ia Of
NC a. such sut4rintendCnt Complying his clerk
aid iOrenal and LIS salary as superintendent III addE