Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-12-13
SONGS AT SING SING.
Hilarious Thanksgiving Day In
New York States Prison.
Convicts Permitted for Two Hours to Exc
excise tho Voices That at Other Times
Are Snent-Bedlam Reigns
Supceme.

Joy overlooked in Sing Sing prison
Thanksgiving day. Song and laughter
filled the old stone building from end
to end.
AS rule, there is not much mirth
in Sing Sing. 1t is safe to say that
never in the memory of the oldest in
habitant was such wild hilarity as
that of Thanksgiving among the folks
who were doing unpleasant service for
the state. Chicken and mince pie alone
did not cause all the enjoyment in
Sing Sing; they come with every
Thanksgiving and Christmas. This
year, for two whole hours, the convicts
were permitted to talk, yell, shout,
sing, whistle. 1t was the first time
such a liberty was ever granted tho
prisoners, and it was bowling sue
cess.
The idea originated with Warden
Sage, and he was SO delighted with
the experiment that the same liberty
will be granted again at Christmas.
One of the strictest rules of the prison
is that silence must be preserved at all
times. So turkey and mince pie were
not in 1t with those two hours of vocal
exercise.
On Wednesday Warden Sage caused
typewritten notes to be posted in each
cell stating that the warden desired to
make the inmates as comfortable and
happy as circumstances would permit;
that he well understood how the most
trying rule to observe was the one inn
posing silence, and that, in view Of the
excellent manner in which this rule had
been observed, everybody except those
in the hospital and extension would be
permitted to laugh, whistle, play mu-
steal instruments, shout, talk and sing
to their hearts content, provided no
improper remarks We're made or i'm
proper songs sung, between three and
five p. M. Pounding on cell doors was
not permitted. Notice was also given
that the hour of three would be an
nounced by three strokes of the gong,
and the hour of five by five strokes.
Every zebra was waiting anxiously
for the gong to strike three and the
quiet excitement among the men was
wonderful to witness. Some of them
seemed fairly bursting toyella and shout,
and to hear how their voices sounded
again when run ut full pressure. Every
moment was counted, and, by accident,
| the prisoners had ten minutes more
vocal liberty than the warden had
| granted.
At $3.50 messenger from the warden
entered one Of the galleries to call q
keeper. He raised his hand and the
/ S,. oh 40 hi ~1,3 ~r
this q signal to strike, struck. The
sharp strokes rang out, and bedlam was
let loose. The biggest dog show New
York ever had was as quiet as Quaker
meeting compared to it. From every
cell came yells, bowls of delight, songs,
shouts of delirious joy. No one paid
any attention to what anyone else was
shouting; and so the din continued.
Convicts just stretched out on their
cots and roared.
Convict two, life prisoner, who has
been SO long inside the walls that he
has forgotten to count the years, had
a hard time getting his talking appara
tus into working order. For yearsand
years aanias only spoken o few wordt
In lsper, and when he spoke out
loud ssis voice almost frightened him
When Warden Sage passed along the
tiers Of cells the convicts gave him three
cheers.
When at five o'clock the big gong
sounded again, bedlam ceased as If by
magic. Many Of the convicts were
hoarse, and some of them could not
have talked or shouted much more.