New-York tribune., 1904-10-31
HARD RAPS FOR SING SING
One of the Worst Prisons in the
Country, Says Speaker.

kfte- cNsraetsrizing Sing Sing Prison one or
TIE most wretched JsIs IN the country and Fer1-
table breedsT OF consuusptiVe germs ano snoichuiB
other Shortcomings and abuses OF the prison sys'
1era in HeIs-Yo-k Stste. s. J. BarroWs, correspond
de- secretary Of the Prison Association Of New
YORK last night outlined some of the prison re-
eorzns HAT viii be brought before the next leslS-
lsture The statements were made In an aooFess
at TIE Park Avenue Methodist Epseopal LhurSIi' 1I
Park-ave ana Esgnty-sixth ST. which marks the
BEGINNING Of an active prison reform crusade IN
which me churches VII be asked 10 help
.,One Of the worst prisons Ia the country to-OAS
Is Sing Sing, which was erected seEeniy-s'1 seaIs
pro " sad Nr BarroWs. Many OF the prisoners
,S.rA are DEPRIVED o9 three-fourths OF the AR
apace which physicians declare Is necessary -
heath IS Il any wonder. then. large nuAlUers u
Them contract consumption? The prisoners are no.
she only ones who suffer Some seven hunorea OF
sbs leave II each year. and they carry the disease
70 others Many prisoners are so III when re-
leased that they have to be ssnt 10 s'&'s sa-'~
roriuEns 10 be cured. ,., g.,
.,C,ompulsorv idleness must be done away with N
,h3s great state. In the county jails there are
fbousands OF men who would be GLAD TO "oTA Il
there was anything tor them 10 DO. Tie on4y pos-
sible way of bringing this about Is LOT Inc 80
o. take control Of ali prisoners who V:oiate ihe laws
~ the State and ce-tralize them Under one system
We now have sixIy-tWo systems lhe one
fvstern and those Of the slxiy-one counties,
We must insist on the abolition Of the zee sy5
tenn somsthns mas s; nav ihir sherins by
sses 10 wonder the sheriffs OF the aye eounItes s
1ssnt "a keep ;heiF lai.s full n1er me iee 80
TEN they sci Sc 50 week board Tor eaGh - or Is
They can, nd CO. bcarc mem Al cost - anteT-
oe1:e q day They get add .tional tees io5er Lot
sng the a. rival and discharge OF eaon SaeJree
Il was this fee system That 70 ts or Al least
Iloelxe6 one OF our reform lis lest yteI, ~ o.
eTee lie Todicstion The bill pIoVtoea qvventv t1r
-efornnatory for boys Of from siAle1Hs 9-o,, ~.
80 On Harris Island be suppleo LlGi" -Le
sssIs ~ the several counties about New is oT
sbeTysf ~ ls ers Comfy reclsred tnal ne oiS -,
.5sIf that Bin TO Include his jail he sac, ~ So u
sske nv young away VIII Iose sannsrcs olre e.
which depend for my support as @ on, ~ iSieness
SheTe ave number OF young men lyl1e IN it. bs
To-ssp IN the Queens County jall Nho tnisn ~,
TrSerxninF reformation ~ an INSTITUTION eSP1Oe'''
srovfoe6 for their class
The speaker declared that there were "eaAHeo
"a the judicial part OF the prison system IN tl,e
arst place 81 represented the old cooe or prlncpls
=, rs,sf,,tson There vas an idea Of tnoivlouA
vengeance which barely passed into social ven.
,resnce inflicted by society The judges welgheo
sSIs csrfa5n amount Of punishment 10 atone loI a
SSs-fafn amount Of offence, and negtecleo ~ nsa:
Gases 90 Consider the character of Inc onenoSI'
NJ Barnes strongly fsgored the pToosuo!. s3ss,.,
Svsn 10 The extent OF securing patrons sno
for parolsd prisoners. as IS done suecessIuHiy II
S11tserlsnd. and demanded the extension and gen
sral application Of the indeterminate sentence