The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-17
CONVICT LABOR IN NEW YORK.

The experiment of abolishing contract
labor in the New York penitentiaries has
proved failure, and led to unexpected
results. The opposition to contract la
Dor is based on the ground that it brings
the State in competition with individuals
in manufacturing, and convict labor in
competition with honest labor, to the
great disadvantage of the latter. 1t was
In Difference to this sentiment and the
demand of organized labor that contract
labor was abolished in New York. The
subject has been agitated in that State
for several years, and has occupied much
attention. After considerable discussion
in the Legislature, the question of abol-
ishing convict labor was submitted to the
people In 1883, and adopted by a large
majority of those votingupon it. Mean
while, bill was passed, against the ad-
vice of the Superintendent of Prisons,
prohibiting the making of any new con-
tracts after the expiration of those then
existing. This practically abolished the
contract system, only employment on
public account being permitted. By this
legislation $50 prisoners were thrown out
of employment. 1t was soon found that
the expenses Of the prisons to the State
was largely increased by reason of hav-
ing to maintain so large number of idle
prisoners, while the lack of occupation
was likely to prove injurious and
demoralizing. These evils have be-
come more apparent and pronounced
as time passed and the Legislature failed
to provide any remedy. AS convicts can
only be employed on public account, and
no adequate provision has been made
for employing them in that way, the ma
jority of them continue In enforced idle
ness. The moral results are very bad
and opposed to every principle of penal
reform. But an unexpected result of an
other kind is now found in a dispatch
from Sing Sing, dated the 18th inst,
which says:
Edward Frederick, aged nineteen, and
JgseDb Trogan, aged twenty-four,. were
taken, to-day, to - the Auburn Insane
Asylum for convicts About IL o'clock last
night the prison officials were startled by
sbTsks Som, ag. from fha d the Of Mrh
Donnelley. aged twenty-five, who was
serving three years sentence, the keeper
found Donnelley crouching in corner call
ing to some one to save him from the devil.
A light was placed in his cell, and Don
nelly calmed down. Principal keeper Con-
naughton saws that the men are going in
sane owing to their having no work. II
trust" no said. that the Legislature will
do something very soon for the convicts
If they don't, we will be kept busy all
summer. sending insane prisoners to the
asylum"
: This dispatch mentions three prisoners
who have become insane within few
days mainly, as the officers think, from
lack of employment. Thus it appears
that the abolition of contract labor and
enforced idleness of prisoners resulting
therefrom, is q direct cause not only of
financial loss and destruction of prison
discipline, but of insanity among the
convicts. One can easily understand
how enforced idleness, long continued,
cooperating with the other horrors of
solitary confinement, would produce
such results. All prison officers and
prison reformers in New York are now
earnestly laboring for the repeal of the
law abolishing convict labor, so that the
prisoners may be set to work again.