New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-04
HUUANITY IN PRISONS.
KINGS COUNTY PENIlENTIARY METHODS.
WARDEN GREEN TELLS HOW WHIPPING ~ DIS
PENSED wGTH-TnE CONTRACT SYSTEM.

The first and most important witness examiner WIS
John Green the warden of the Kings County Penlteh-
tiarv. He brought with him package which, wneh ul-
rolled disclosed three ordinary raw-hide WHIPS ana
three straps about three feet long and
an inch inch and n half wIdc' anu Oh
different thickncsscs of leather rveted together Win
brass nails The warden testified that previous 10 MS as
sumine control of the PenItentary whipping was Ia
vogue He abolished IT, substituting systeIn ot rewards
to encourage the men. When he appointed convcts
could receive visitors only month. To prisoners
who behaved well he allowed visitors daily during the
hour and Sundays when religious services were
not being conducted The system ha good effect upon
cOnvcta making them submissive and anxious 10 re-
tain that privilege when n convict was unruly
the warden would deny him visitors for n month, ana
fornchng he would ask the 10 revoke sixty
DAYS OF the dcnqucnt's Communication. az IN PRISONS,
the warden said the tasks Wert reduced and the men
had no more work than they properly could do padding
woud be unnecessary" lie merely used the dungeon
and dark cell and convict contucd there would he ln
mcdiatcy released signifyne his submission. Shoe
making only was conducted in the Fcaitentary. The
men worked in camsa bad system, he Thought, unless
the superintendent OF the contractors understood hS
business. The BAY state shoe ana Leather Company
nal the COM rae, az IN. Pcntcn'iary. M Buck their
superintendent tried TO The institution but witness
would not allow IL. Bucl, complained OF TIC "cdgc-
rlmmers being lazy ana the witness locked all Of them
up. Buck was in a towering rage. saying that It was
mhcard Of in the annals 81 prison history; that the con-
tractors work totally blocked, and that there were
other means III punishins tn men. The witness re-
leased he tdmnors. he u-ht tlat they had all the
Work tlcy could do, f not moro. lie offered 10 th"
company 10 have their instructor, Worl for month
the result 70 De hsas Tor q couyct's labor Tho Offer
was declined. The Commissioners oil Charities finally
allowed HIM = regulate t.c tasks. H. Immediately
reduced Chem pcr cent. Then Buck came 10 him and
said that 10 came down 70 doher between them Mr.
Green replied Ga. duut The coayc'. for ten months
in year worked ten hours dar. and in December
and January cigat hours. The amount OF work
was perforated during The short days durnc the long
days Nevertheless, the shoe company demanded ana
received 500 rebate because Tor two months ibe COL
ylcte ga not woIa ten hours dag, 49, per contract
9TH county uylr ably get the worst % IT, thc VIZ
ness added. Tho food a. tAc FpteutoI. Was good.
For breakfast coffee and br al served. and ior
supper tea and b-,a Eor dinner meat was served four
times ID week. bonn soup once, pork and beans once.
and Goldfish or marscr- ON Fridays million pairs OF
shors were manufactured ycary the company having
253 ahuIcl. besides the conycs WORKING ia The in'u-
ton. When he assumed control, Mr. Green said there
wa. yearly d.iccucy ot $4,000, books NOT being KEEP
Now hc turned 10 the county yearly surplus over
Cxpcus.s OF $4,000. In answer To qu' stion pro
pnuudeI hy warden Brush he said: If IN PRISON
where whipping was necessary would rc-.sr am
opposed toIt" Tho urA'r cXa lnItion oi tho warden
was adjourned un the committee shop.d hold session
m a lauv chairman Kcycs stating tlat the sessions
held hs city were for the purrote OF hearing hni
nCss men
Euscu. smith, q lawyer. tcet.ncd that he had made
study 90 the p son contact stem. bG BE- had not hal
any practical experience. lie was askrd TO pnt me
views IA writing. InturXt witness vas John D. Madean
a shoemaker. lie had been manufacture iug sAoTi
time Dee said lie believed be contract IS ten go bc
worse faq the slave b,. 81 The south. and he and Bis
cou,rld.. comb tnel because shoes made n the
prisons rhcu honest mrn outside could NOT secure wo
OF were k,pt going half time. The c"'ics BIC said
worked harder than frc, worlmcn. making toooo'p
pair, .,. yer lie was positive thit tho contract ~
tom reduced % per cent and drove 20 per cent 81
the v,tkmcn ost 81 tIc bI-inc~r. lie admitted how
ever tlat cYu-amcrs WEI, b.ylt.L Another me-.
cbauic Boz -, stor .I'o JOHN frtc. c'uub'i1t'i tnc
prcyou. giiue- and &c Jared that u va. uIfa,s that
Great state -hold. DO uu.u- ~. c1ny.'s also punish
bouc-t artisans. Henry o. Pcascr. iNr"di ninuii'
turcr o. BROOKLYN. was next s0o-a. Prison Labor De-
said affected the wooihatcrs most Five
years MO- fur hat p sold FOX 81 dozen.
and row they worth SO % Dozen. J. has making
in The 80 cons was aoiencd tAcI' would 9c more ~oi~
Tor out idti- and ne uc d., li'" "' i ', 80 TO-
price To consumer The hI' n" le wa Hniie ahl h'
complaint wa that the uu ~ wa c'in'd "n TOO 'A
frsiycy ln tho prison. john l.. lIeau. nat hu7hcr
tcstln.G tia through lit c"NN"' f!', ~ N'-'h %
hotrsl batter. averaged ST. week, and the working
rnuufA- Reduced ir'th 'u u" seven" Another nat
trr names H. iet ord testified that tue prl-'n sJvtem
took haudwer. from ontsidcr- Prison iab D was m'rr
labor on has Vas ABOLISHED ne sad. We would %,
lca.t have one months more work III he year Thomas
mon ", re denied w,k through the contract ~ EN- ana
~. 10000 Ia capital Ma Kept ont OF iNr nuSlnr--.
strr fLe r-rc-- sir. called tho committees
,eton 10 the statement 81 Governor tryelduu IN au
Albany di-plch that padding was unauthorized oy a"
i'i kane Jordan na,tr complained that when
sder- 0n strike, c&c"nylc'5 hc thelr place. Ia
c,c ,ust.u,c quarrel between The two iacuOuH,
and convict snUt striker. The Wines mad bccd a
nnn p,', FOR work and ne relied ne instance Il
manufacturer cling CrVcn out OF the business 10y the
lanes Kns,c, a former prisoner at Sing sng, was
now called IN the absence OF mechanics ~ WHchsc-.
lie tc,tiic that he knew two young nen, DO ~ and
Wnlf VINO were padded" by Principal Keeper Dixon
fr strain sin coal for the contractor. Wolf
was hit mp an died from an aDscca7 caused by
tha blows inflicted. Dixon indicted, bat never tried.
rbc witness engaged In the hospital doing odd joua
for s,oke- and simmons lie mad slnecdrc lie heard
the blows from the punishment room lie taid Ihrltrr;
~ secured position In the ho'pal 10y paying $3Q To
Principal Keeper Bcnsou WARDEN hfi'h "lls ihise-
hood ne says tnat blo"s lhHiclcd ia tIr punish
Ioeut room could not be heard IN the hospital near
that the contractors brbing Witnesses AfIcr being
nnctecn months In the hospital wac removed TO maze
room for another 800 man pll up II" more money,
INV lime being nearly out" William Kennedy another
CONVEX tc.ted that ne wax confined at Sing sing from
1879 to 1881. lie was " padded for being Unable To
him from iry-iye 10 forty blows recess being taken
after every ten blows, during which Keeper Big
lin womb ask him how he liked n. llo
wac padded agaia for striking an Instructor William
brown. VINO suffering from lung rUuber. Testified
Thai n. vas released FROM Siug sing Tuesday as lie
went In a sruug man aud DR. Barber. when he com
no,ned NJ scknoas gave him paregoric lie had been
ronrned i'm the dark cell eight days Speaking NJ his
.icknes. he cried out: "Look at me now and wha
lam went In strong aud served two terms" Warden
Davis he said Kept the cells cleaner and better
food ihan Warden BTush. His time up Monday
last Kept until tuesday, certain prisoners
being IA vored that respect He knew OF convict,
Henry Iaiterhcmer being padded" three weeks ago
for strking a fellow convict. The man he struck
also padded
testified that contract system compelled nun TO sell
goods a small price and pay less wage, TO his men.
The contractors Cud sell for ess than could
his goods the wharf for shipment without realizing
any profit. lie would not bid for the prison labor.
The committee will heaI further testimony Friday
next
An ONO ROMANCE.
ToungstOcn CorrfspOndtHce Of me TftsJurg Dspaeh.
10 a Pat mo Nnr tb