New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-24
WHAT THE CONTTCTs ARE DOING.
PRESIDENT STEWART TELLS ABOUT THE MEET
ING OF THE STATE PRISON coMMIs-
SION LAST WEEK.

SION LAST WEEK.
The meeting Of the State Prison Commission at
Albany last week was OF more than ordinary i'm
portance When seen at his Office in William-st''
the president Of the Commission LAspenafd
Stewart, said;
..yes IL was an impor,an. and interesting meet
ing There appeared before the Commission large
number Of representatives, OF labor organizations
and they presented their case in able ana excellent
speeches The surprising thing was that We found
ourselves so close together. They summarized their
demands In a typewriter document. OF which |
have a copy here in case any attempt Is made to
chow that we are not doing what We agreed 20 do
In tho first place. they ask q that al oonNicts
should be employed in making thei- OWE wearing
apparc IN raising al sary food required In the
prisons and IN making all needed repairs and i'm
provemen,s That ia just what We are now doins,
ana intend TO DO IN the next place they asked that
all labor in excess OF what il necessary 10 supply
the wants OF the convcts should be used in pro-
vding food and clothing for the inmates Of the
state charitable institutions. We assured them that
this had already been decided on. Then they re-
oiested that all abe-b0diel short-term convcts
v.ithou, trades and not required for the purposes
already mentioned. should be employed on the pub
lie roads This IS what the Commission believes IN,
and would Ike 70 done. The last request was
that United States prisoners not convicted in tais
State should be barred from the prisons Of the
state We assured the men appearing before us
being carried out. The interview appeared to be
satisfactory both sides.
As 70 the employment OF the convcts on the
roads the Commission has decided not 70 20 ahead
with The bill OF last year. which made an apprOpria-
lion OF 10000 10 enable ten miles o. road 10 be
bult by the prisoners IA the vic nifty Of each OF the
three prisons. The reason IS That the members or
the Assembly from the districts in which the Albany
and Clinton prisons are situated nave lntroI4ic,d
bills for convict work the roads IN the neighDor
hood OF those institutions ami We thought IL Just
as well 10 allow those bills ID 20 through and let
those men get the credit for them. II the measures
become laws they will enable the experiment in
which we are interested 10 be tried. and that j. the
Is OF the opinion that on account % the different
condition OF things At Sing Sing il would not be
wise AT present 10 set the prisoners Al work the
roads there. Besides. bin would call for ap-
propratlOn OF 5000 and | understand that II ia
the purpose Of the Legislature and the Governor
to keep the appropriations as low as possible.
AT present about two-thris 81 the prisoners In the
three State institutions are az work. ana work VIII
he found for the others rapidly possible There
Is no suffering as yet because o. dleue5s. The health
OF the prisoners never better. and there was
never less insanity among them
Mr. Stewart was asked about the action OF the
c,a,e Prison Commission in reference to printing.
I'm reulv 10 the question he said: We nave taken
M actiou whatever In reference TO printing In any
sntentIarv what recommended that the
printing OF the State departments Ike the Con-
,roilers office. for example. be done by the
vicfs We did nothing concerning Legislative print
ing A for the penitcnrarieS. they are under the
control OF Boards OF Supervisors. except In New
work where the Commissioner OF Correction H. In
control and In Brooklyn where the Commissioners
~ Charities and Corrections govern. and We have
made recommendation as yet 10 those oniciais"