New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-12
PRISONERS KEPT SANE.
NO TRUTH IN REPORTS OF MENTAL DE-
GENERATION AT SING SING.

COLONEL SAGE ABLE TO PUT CoNvIcrs TO "ofSh
ON STATE MATERIAL.
The report that the prisoners in Sing sing are
becoming insane In great numbers because or en-
forced idlesness Is seen in print every fe" "eeh'
and the idea that mental destruction follows I'M
prsonment at Sing Sing has become so wen esta"
lshed that prisoners have asked the Judge "hen
sen:ence was being passed t. send them 10 SOME
prison where they might work and keep their rea-
son The fact that the Constitution OF this state
prohibits contract work in the State prisons coN
nIcd with reports from Sing Sing. has caused many
people to believe that the prisons were tuli Oh "o"
who were tottering on the verge OF INSANITY
Colonel o. V Sage. the warden or Sins o'"s
Prison said that the usual prison conditions re-
morse homcsickness. worry and cherries sur
roundings with nothing to look forward 10 ou'
years OF hard labor and tho same condiuohs-uo
much to shake the mental balance OF conVc's an"
that some cases OF insanity must necessarily DC
found IN any large convict community
"'rhe great preventive" said Colonel sage ana
the only one which applies equally to all classes Vi
convicts is work. Work. exercise, proper loou an"
the knowledge that good conduct ana strict oo'V''
ance of the prison rules Will be rewarded are INC
things which have kept prisoners i'm good men
tai condition. and have sent only two cohNlcts
to the prison for insane criminals TINS year -
was a hard task at first to find WORK LOT an ."o
men but when the prison received orders io' 'Hs
clothing shoes. brushes and other supphes ie9N
nv other prisoners the men Ntie SUI" So 49,
work They have not been idle for many months
OF course there is always an idle company con-
sisting OF r1en who are awaiting assignment 10
duty who are being shifted. or whose "orh mas
bce, COMPLETED and then the lame the pima ail1
tho incompetent and the men who are In the nos
nItaI must all be accounted for as ldle.
tben ali toget her we have now about -FOUR nuh9reu
idie ont Of A total prison population OF 1,h3 me
health and general condition or inc CONVEYS II
good and the reports which have pcen clcuid'eu
a. "a the increase Of insanity are false. ,
Aside from the clothing. shoemaklng ana y. usl
,rating industries men are kept busy IN the ston.
n",fing wards and carpentcr-shOp, ana the ar
ciass which was organized by Coionel sag, slNt9
,o.d and useful employment to about Sixty cor
The art class has its sessions during me regu'd al
,,or, hours i'm n light and well-ventllated room III
w." sawo huildiug with the brush factory, ne
"niass" consists of men who have some khoWleuse
~ dro wing painting carving. ana men VIZ" ee
Snnear "a nee and record give the waruen d III. 80
a., Ypcct ,heu TO be capable OF acquiring KNOWLEDGE
rbe warden's office been fitted recently VIII VIII
eaboratey carved furniture. ana tne "Ali -. els
oonii1Dr have been finished with carved pdhe..s
ubich we're made IN the prison ART ue
ond All about the place are evidences Of . Ie o
aLI ,,,ork done by the inmates. Much PtosIe
has also been made in the printing uepaI ant
,,icb n twenty-ytar acts as supeIIn'euuc
,Tbnre an The re- ords billheads. stationery anu ~
other blanks used in the various prlSonS "'o
rbe Visitors TO Sing Sing will see that II Is a DJ
- and that the reports TO Illness anu idpI.
pp,,'eTaton of the oonvicts are for the most pdi'
untrue.