New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-10
WORK DONE BY CONFLICTS.
EXHIBITION HELD BY THE PRISON fE-
FORM ASSOCIATION.
A VARIETY OF ARTICLES FROM SEVERAL PENi-
TENTrARIEs - INTEREST TAKEN IN THE
ELECTRICAL CHAIR MODELS AND

rENrrARrrs - INTEREST TAKEN IN THE
ELECTRICAL CHAIR MODELS AND
VIEWS OF INSTITUTIONS
The three days exhibition of convicts work ana
Of various prison apparatus which has just pee'
held by the Prison Reform Association In It's Duih-
Ing at No rs East Fifteenth-st.. has attracted
wide attento, and has been the means or IN
structIng hundreds of persons upon subject OF
which most of them knew nothing, put "h'ch -
one OF unusual interest. The collection OF aroc'e'
representing the products OF convict lapor ca'o
from all the notable prisons OF this State-o'"s
Sing, Auburn. DannemOra. the Eimira htio'''"
tory the Kings County Penitentiary ana the Asy
lum for the Criminal Insane. at Mattea"ah an"
from the Eastern Pen!tentiary OF fennsyNhn'"'
These exhibits from the New York state ihsu'u-
tiong have nearly all been made within the last SIX
months since the new law regarding co"'''
labor has been in acti:e operation. The numpei Vi
different industries represented and the amount oi
work accomplished In the comparatively SNORT ''o
are remarkable. Judging from the eNhip''9' '''o
convicts have proved themselves apt pupis i'll inc
several Industrial schools which have been organ
lied
THE SING SING EXHIBITS
Among the articles from Sing Sing there were
some beautiful examples of skill in wood-carving
The most ambitious effort In this direction was
large hall settle I'm dark oak, which Is 10 stand IN
Warden Sages room at Sing Sing. Several CHAIRS
a desk table chest and other pieces OF furniture
showed handsome carvings In a variety OF designs
I he progress OF the classes in nod"lhhg WIS c'l-
denced by a collection OF plaster casts. most OF
which were reproductions of the conventional pat
terms found on the pillars and other decorations or
the chapel at Sing Sing. There were interesting
frcehand drawings. showing wide range Vi sun
jects and other specimens Of genuine talent III
many directions
I'm, Il was clear to an observer that all the
ofta IN (
| the foregoing products. were reserving soHe'n'hs
of esp.cal interest for the last. Most Of them had
hcar that tho electric chair In which Carlyle har-
ris died was In the exhibit and each man or woman
before leaving asked with ill-concealed curiosity
where that grcwsome article Of destruction was on
view II proved be located I'm "A small apartment
opening out of the larger room and was usually
surrounded by ar awcstruck little group listening
II the man in charge happened to be present. 10 "A
description OF the way In which II was operated
The system OF leather bands and other devices TOT
securing the condemned person in the chair APP
pears complicated, but it Is said that the whole
| operatio from the time the criminal enters the
room until the current T. passing Through his body
occupies usually less than minute. so swiftly ana
surely do the assistants perform their WORK
In tho same room was q, perfect exempllhcation
in every detail OF the Berton system OF measure
mens and Identification charts. The manner In
which these records taken was illustrated upon
any one who desired 10 offer himself as subject
Some OF the photographs Of criminals were OF great
interest. and showed the success OF the system.
THE WORK DONE AT AUBURN.
The work Of the Auburn prisoners Is Ike that OF
their fellows Sing Sing in many respects. though
the chief industries are not the same In both
places. The weaving OF cloth for convicts suits.
the making OF wooden blankets and the sewing ny
the women upon different articles for women
wer" the chief occupations represented IN the
exhibit.
THE THREE CLASSES AT ELMIRA
one room was devoted entirely 70 the Elmira
Roformatory The kind Of work Ter" exhibited
includ,d carving modelling uphostering metal
working carpentry and other trades. II Is the
purpose Of me R"formatory 10 give It's inmates
the desire and ability 10 an honest living be-
neyng that from poverty and ldeness come the
grea, majority Of tho crimes committed In the
country. The different grades of uniforms worn by
the Rcformatory prisoners indicate their standing
and progress. \ suit Of cadet blue. put on az en-
trance is worn by those IN the medium class. II
thcy troubicsom" transgrcss The rules Of he
lowest class and TN, DEGRADATION Is Indicated by
uniiGrn 81 bright r"l ihr s'sn 81 pro'nT' ic
suit The regulation prison stripes are not worn
at Elmira.
ARTICLES MADE by INSANE CRIMINALS
one OF the -traugc~i collections IN the exhibition
was that - articles fashioned hy IN" unfortunate
inmates 81 a." Mntt"nwnn Asylum for the Grim
iual Insane IL general these w.r" objects OF
real value hciug merely m" odd productions To be-
expected from such ~orkm"n. although 1t should
De understood that th" makers are nearly all kept
busy hi some regular occupation. ana that ihes"
queer conselfs coniriyed IN their leisure hours
There vas miuiatur, fIil-regod snip huilt by
man under sentence Tor murder. Tn, hull. about
thre" feet In length. j. nid" ~ plaster OF paris
while the square sails. h'rt II halfn"d out with
WIND are al wood The choice Of materials f.
probably unique IN boaf-hpil Ing IN" convict who
mad" this is - masou's helper iu his regular work
hours Another patient. convicted of murder M the
second dcgr." si"ndS hi~ sIat' nom rs ~ pro,
ducng rude limitations Of hanknoi's with pen and
~ good money. Many OF tho asylum inmates draw
ami paint fairly well. aud on" man. under IN" de-
fusion that he is famous architect conirivcs gro
resquc-looklng structures which ne calls yarouslv
temples halls. etc. pr Allison. vino has chaig" Of
stories or their strange IDEAS and practices.
THE HEADS or CRIMINALS
In tho same room with this exhibit series Of
plaster casts Of the heads OF noted criminals afford
cd opportunity for careful study Nearly every ono
Of the casts showed some popularity In the dcvel-
opmoni OF the head or the formation - the feat
urcs Most OF them had = certain brutal express
other cascs seeming to show an almost total lack
of intelligence. hut There few heads OF Grim
nals who men Of intellectual ability and edr-
cation which stood out ia contrast 10 the others
and differed scarcely. II At all from the normal
type.
PRISON MODELS AND PLANS
Prison construction received much attention at
the exhibition Among the models Of wcl-known
institutions WAS ono ~ the old Eastern pcnten-
,iary IN Philahclphia. showing TN" peculiar form
Of IN. hrihing with tho lines or coils radating
from e common centre II Illustrated the plan OF
solitary confinement practised there. and showed
said 20 hc the prison which Diok'ns described I'm
his "Anrrican Not.s. and IL has served as n model
for several English ~ sons There was also cIev
coll arrangement. Besides the models. there wcr.
nhotographs showing exterior and interior yows Of
ff1nn In MIA an