New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23

The New-Jersey State Prison. cold. gray. squatty,
set down in the very midst of of the dis
trcts of Trenton the capitol city. is not cheer
less as it two weeks ago. 1t is still place of
punishment. and some eleven hundred men would
not mind walking out of it's heavy, barred gates,
but it is not so irksome it When the men do
out and all except the life timers expect to-
they will not feel so degraded as before. 1t is all
a matter OF clothes.
ut is not the clothes that make the man." some
wise man has said. 1T is the clothes that hurt
the convict any who has done time Will
testify Ever since the penitentiary system was
organized the stripes have been in force, and from
the very first there has been protest from those
who have to wear them. Now. Trenton has fallen
into line with many of the Western prisons and
abolished the stripes. In the future they will be
used only extra punishment.
The official suit for New-Jersey convicts is
a grayish blue. The shirt is lighter than the
trousers. Neither bears distinguishing mark of
stripe or bar or arrow. Yet an escaped prisoner
would attract much attention outside dressed
In this peculiar color one did in the old
style suit of red and black stripes.
II have never believed" said Warden Osborne
to a Tribune reporter who visited the prison
few days ago, that you made man any better
by degrading him. The stripes did degrade. They
broke their spirits down for good and ALL sent
them out into the world when their punishment
was either hardened criminals who would sin
again from choice. weaklings who would not
have the strength to withstand temptation. I
have gone. The change would have been made
the first of the year, but did not care to put
the State to the of new clothing until the
supply hand used up
Before deciding the uniform I wrote TO
most of the prisons in the country, and received
samples of the material they were using. 1
surprised to find that many prisons had
abolished marked clothing. None Of the wardens
seemed to find serious objections to the new I'M
striped order of things Several of them advanced
us a new and powerful form of punishment II a
prisoner does not behave put him into
stripes. which lowers and degrades him in the eyes
of the other prisoners"
Only half of the Trenton convicts had received
their new clothes at the time OF the visit. The
contrast was striking when watched them
marching for exercise around the sides Of one OF
Trenton's green courts. The men with the new
suits held their heads bit higher than did those
who still the old.
you like the new clothes?' the reporter asked
of a man who has hardly begun to serve a ten
year sentence.
You cannot imagine he said. speaking quietly
and with great earnestness. what a load went off
my shoulders when I said goodby to that old
striped suit If they had taken five years of my
sentence I could hardly have been more pleased.
All of the men, even the most hardened, are
tickled. Why. man. those stripes just burned into
my back Often I've caught myself looking over
my shoulder to if the scars were really there.
Some days it was the red stripe that burned. and
on others it was the black I believe should have
gone mad if the uniform had not been changed.
You had better believe will behave myself so as
to keep in the plain uniform"
Those connected with the prison laundry see
great advantage in the change The colors of the
striped suits would run. especially in hot weather,
and it was impossible to keep the bedding and
Undertaking in good condition
The abolition of stripes is not the first in
novation instituted by Warden Osborne. He has
been connected with State institutions for the last
thirty three years First he was warden of the
Hudson County Jail, at Snake Hill. N j. Then
he became superint endent Of the Jersey City Hos
pftaI He left that position to become warden at
Trenton. In his public service the warden has
been close student of the care Of criminals, aud
he has visited many of the prisons. He became
convinced that no good end served by clipping
the hair OF prisoners and ii abolished at
Trenton some time ago The men must keep their
hair reasonably short, but 1t may be long enough
10 part in the fashion they wore it before being
deprived Of their liberty.
EFT was pitiful," said the warden, ito hear the
men plead for their hair. New arrivals hated the
Ginning process more than any other part Of their
retention Men who had about finished their terms
would plead necessarily that they might let their
hair grow They said that it stamped them
couyicts at the very time when they needed every
thing to favor them. No one wanted to employ 8;
clipped head. There was truth IN this, and 1 am
glad to say we have done away with it
When men leave Trenton Prison the warden
saws goodby to them at the entrance He usually
has a few words OF kindly advice for each