New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-03
LOVE FOR CONFLICTS.
Dcrotion of Some Visitors to Sing
Sing-The "WidOzcs' Colony"

Of Sing Sing A new rule was put into force
last week which has made the hearts Of the
condemned prisoners heavy. so they say. FOR il
has cut down still further communion with those
Who love them. Until recently visitors might
Ie admitted TO see them twice each week and
each time for hour. Now they may come
only once a week. II spite Of the fact that Z
longer interview Of an hour and = half is
Permitted. il does not bring the soIace Of more
frequent though shorter visits The p ison
authorities, however, explain the change by
saying that the prisoners have been more than
reCompensed by a recent order permitting
them To exercise for an hour each day in the
prison yard. The new privilege IS Z sort Of re-
turn for the curtainent Of the other one
But the rule relating 10 the condemned men
VIII have no effect upon the faithfulness Of
those who do not desert man, however dark
may be MS crime. All the other prisoners are
allowed 10 see visitors only once IN two months.
and then only for an hour. and yet not few
have devoted mothers or fathers or wives or
daughters who have been coming 70 see them
regularly for the good part 81 = century.
There Is inmate for instance. whose
daughter has come 70 cheer and encourage him
for thirty-thTee long years. He is The Oldest in
ha5itant Of Sing Sing and S5l. soon enter his
eighty-ttird year. H committed murder -
Suffolk County 50 long ago that most Ct his
The judge sent him TO prison for life. He has
lost almost all his faculties. and now spends his
life in the hospital, whore the nurses prepare
special dishes 10 keep him alive. Throughout
the month which follows his daughters visit ne
talks about little except what she said, and AL
the second month he Is Specializing on what
news she viii bring him when she comes again
Of recent years she has brought along her own
children, and the old man Is soon as he beholds
them laughs and Jokes Il he were free again
II the hearth Of the Old family home. one time
sickness kept the devoted daughter from the
prison three months and the old pined
away almost 70 2 shadow.
II striking contrast with such devotion is the
love Of many wife who. at the first few visits.
becomes hysterical when the keeper at the end
OF the hour takes the convict husband back 10
his cell, but who after few months, comes no
more. There are many such cases, and one had
a sequel the other day which though pathetic
in one way, touched as well on the ridiculous.
A forger. sentenced TO 4 long term. left be-
hind IL Nev-York wife who attractive
OF manner and so tasteful of dress that she al
ways made the other convicts stare each time
she visited her husband At length she came
more infrequently. and finally the forger lost
al track Of her. Her letters. which used 10 ap-
pear in the prison mail every week also disap-
pea-ed- 4 couple OF years passed, and one day
the forgrr, leaving his work TO see his mother,
who like all mothers. had remained true, and
who continued 10 come regularly as al first,
entered the reception room to behold sitting
there the woman for whom he had so long been
.anguishnS-
ooh. my darling wife," he cried. and he start
ed TO rush toward her, but was stopped short
Another convict sprang between and, throwing
him roughly TO side. exclaimed:
Get out, or I'll fix you. She's mine"
And so she was She had married man con-
victed only the week before OF larceny.
AZ one time IL quite common for wives
10 make their homes In the village OF Ossining.
and they came TO be known the Widows
Colony" Some were the wives OF condemned
men. who visited them twice each week, and
others had husbands convicted OF lesser crimes.
whom they could only twice a month. but