New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
PHOTOGRAPHING CONTTcTS.
THE MEN IN SING SING SATISFIED WITH
THE WARDENs EXPLANATION.

THE MEN IN SING SING SATISFIED WITH
THE wARDEN's EXPLANATION.
The work of Identifying the inmates OF the State
Prison at Sing Sing Under the Bertlllon system Is
going on satisfactorily. Up to last Saturday tV oil
the prisoners had been Photographed and YESTERDAY
Major Brown L. s. A.. came up from Fort Hamii-
ton to begin the work of taking the measurements
or the GOO already photographed only one made any
trouble by attempting to close his eyes and dstort
his countenance 50 as make the pictures taken OF
him unreliable When the enforcement OF the sys-
TEN first begun there was considerable discon-
tent among the inmates Of the institution VINO uiu
not fully understand the purpose and intent OF the
law Warden Sage has the happy faculty OF accom-
pshing with ease whatever he undertakes with the
men under his control and the secret OF his method
to be that he treats the men ike reasonable
beings, and while the law as he announces IL must
be obeyed 1t Is not so much the physical force that
lies behind 1t that exacts obedience as the con-
fdence the have In his open and aboVe-ooaru
way of doing things and his manly demearor toward
them at all times. To meet this discomfort the war
den caused a circular TO be printed and distributed
in which the purpose Of the law was set forth Inc
men were told that the idea prevalent that the pct
ures and measurements taken were for general dis
tributon among the law officers OF the state ana
that they will be accessible and open to the inspec-
ton OF the public generally was not the case Inc
opposite was the truth. The identity OF the inmates
OF the prison will be better protected under this law
for the Warden any official OF the prison. or any
prison give out any descrption picture nsa ny
prisoner That only be done by the Superin,
tendent of State Prisons at Albany. The law was
framed 10 facilitate and aid in the identiflcauon o.
criminals who returned 10 prison, anu nor 10
annoy and humate men who go out seeking 10 Iedd
a better life From the day the circular containing
this information received there mas peeh no
further disposition 10 find fault with the carving
out of the law, and when the amount or tme thae
would be wasted in trying TO obtain saistaG'9 9ns
photograph OF rnruly sitter Is conSlueteu the
paip i'm alone
on Friday when reporter visited the nttie puiiu-
ing in the prison yard specially erected for the pho
tographing and other processes OF the system the
ATTENDANTS were in a state of mind over a subject
they had in hand When convict is TO nave ms
picture taken he is adorned with false shirt bosom
a collar cravat and "a coat, 40 that to all intents
and purposes his photograph Is taken In fuil clti-
zens dress The trouble on Friday was that the
convict to be photographed was colorea man man
weighing about 800 pounds. and while the attendants
had managed to find collar big enough 70 20
around his neck from the large assortment on hand
n coat ample enough to fit him seemed OUT OF me
question However. ulster was tnaily hun.ed up
al the State shop, and the sable Falstan was uu'!
taken full face and profile