New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-31
WAITING FOR DETTMER.
WORK FOR coNvIcTs WILL BE PLANNED
ON HIS RETURN.
apooKLYN,s PARK COMMISSIONER AT PRESENT
ON HIS vAcArIoN-KINGs coUNTYs PRis-
OVERS WILL. NOT BE IDLE LONG
THE TRIBUNE's CRUSADE FOR
HUMANITY RESULTS
IN VICTORY.


IN VICTORY.
..,,tas Commissioner John IT. Burtis was the
.,,hor Yesterday of the statement that IN short
90, rosshlv within week, The Trbunes move
80, IN secure work for the idle prisoners IN the
I-,,Ss County Penientiary on the East Side ianos
Nm No crowned with success. When the horrible
announcement came from the Penitentiary tha'
ohle-hoded men were being transformed INTO ~
c,rahIe maniacs because the Charities Commis-
,ors had been unable TO find work for them TO do
to- the anti-contract convict labor law went INTO
sSect on January /. The Tribune suggested In It's
EDITORIAL columns that the convicts should be SET
=, work improving the Eas, Side lands. Gradually
ho objections 10 this means of keeping the prison.
-s healthy in mind and body have been cleared
80 until there now appears 10 be no valid rea-
80, why T,c Trbuues suggestion should not be
c,cd uron by the PARK COMMISSIONS: and the
.,hu~'tie- Commission o'S.
rark commissioner Jacob q Dettmer is now al
sh..er Islani taking rlrt OF his summer vacation
when ne returns 10 BrJoslyH on Tuesday he viii
- waited uron ~ Charities commissioners Burtis
or6 Henry who will submit TO him The Tribune's
rropostion and MIR. Burtis said yesterday that he
tnew positively that Mr.. Dettmer would without
besitation approve the plan and begin 10 arrange
for the work
Mr. Burtis early Endorsed the idea, and Mr.
,,arrv Is now In thorough accord with him. MIR
sujs tn, other Commissioner is now In Europe,
So, oven II he were at home and bitterly opposed
"a the project h. would be powerless to prevent
ne ADOPTION as he Is minority Of the Board.
park Commissioner Dettmer needs only to say
,hs word and give his orders to secure the work
~ sa,r hundred Of the convcts. Mr.. Burts says
.,e prisoners will begin the work just soon as
,hsv are told what to do They are eager TO work.
.nd are now looking forward to the time when
- can begin the labor which will break the long
,-;od of id,eness and inactivity which has made
ssa,,acs Of nearly a of their mates No
ha al n hA
keepers to keep the prisoners Wei III manu- oh 'he
grounds near Crow Hill.
.rba men will be safe while working outside
,he prison walls" said Mr.. Burtis yesterday AS
,hev aro in their cells They would not dare TO
s,,empt TO escape. Their striped uniforms would
make them marked men anywhere in the city, and
,bav know what they would get If they were
light In an attempt 10 break away We could
sand four hundred of them out on the east side
,aras at A time and march them back again with
ont me slightest trouble. They want to work
,rbev have had long and bitter experience IN
,dIanes, and although they would be glad enough
- their unhampered liberty. they are not likely to
look for II IN ATTEMPTS u i"Oo VIZ" INV ~ "
their keepers"
7ha, bugaboo OF the politicians. the labor vote
which has been one OF the obstacles in the way or
finding work for the convicts, has Nahsheu' Al
has had 10 terrors for the Park Commissioner or
in. Charities COMMISSIONER who have had less
confronting them than of its greater bearing as a
nrohem Of charity and humanity. and now the
practical politicians have apparently withdrawh
their hostility TO the schemes to find work Tor
the prisoners. ,>.-.. -.
Warden Patrick Hayes is machine Democrat OF
the Old school. and at present candidate t3i ms
suppose therefore. that he would say or 90 nom,
Ing hat would injure his standing with organZed
iaSor Yesterday he put himself on record IN IN
tquiyocal language as an advocate Oh the East o'ue
Dr Homer L. Bartlett who for dozen years or
more has been the penitentiarys PHYSICIAN. aiso
came yesterday in favor Of The IriDunss i sus
cestion. There Is doubt. he says. that the loe-
ness in the penitenary has been the direct cause Use
Of the insanity there But few or the men, ne
said have perfect heads: most OF them nave ue-
formed heads which show signs OF moral oDliquity;
This is reason why they should oe empo!e1i
wsaS minds whose heads are fled with fantastic
ideas when kept in idle conhnement become W h
,CaS and can act be for 40 but
10 me that the suggestion that me men pc put "
work improving the city's East Side park lahos Is
Commissioner Theodore B. Willis, Of the Depar;-
uent Of City Works fell into line yesterday Win
ness b,, sending to the Charities Commissioners an
order for large number of floor brushes; Mr. Willis
received from the penitentlary rev Gays hsnsh
making He saws the brush was well made and or
The best quality. and intimates that his order VIII
'e joan Han and John w East. two of the pris-
oners who have recently become insane "eiS
be placed in the Government Insane Asylum Ihey
were accompanied by Deputy-Gnited States Mar Mar
shal Koch and two assistants han anu raS' rn
nC in order that there would be no trouble len IN
handling them and TO prevent any KIND OF inter-
The AIdermanic Committee Military Affairs
which may find work for the conylc's IN inakimS
various supplies for the armories. held no mee'ihs
last evening. as had been expected