The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-02-21
SING SING CONDEMNED
State Commission Declares 1t and
Auburn 10 Be Unhealthy.
Famous Penal Institutions That Have
Housed Many Noted Criminals TO
BE Replaced by New Structures.

Albany, N. Y~.-Abandon famous old
Sing Sing prison and its less widely
known companion, Auburn prison, ia
the unqualified report made to Gov
ernor Higgins by the State Prison Inn
provement Commission. which was ap-
pointed last summer to investigate the
condition of these institutions. They
have become breeding places Of con-
sumption and fevers. killing many an
unfortunate prisoner condemned to
their cells. So beyond all hope OF
cleaning up and repairing have they
become that they must be wiped out
completely and new prisons built Or
other sites. -
The commission found Sing Sing to
be a dreadful place. Its cells are
damp, insuficiently ventilated and too
small. The plumbing and drainage
system creates an atmospheric condi.
ton productive of lassitude, prison
fever, consumption and many other
diseases. The same conditions exist In
Auburn, though not quite so bad. TAX
ing all things into consideration. the
commission declares that it would be
inadvisable to attempt, reconstruction
of modern cell houses on the present
sites. =,
Two new prisons in the same rela.
tive regions are recommended. The
one to take the place Of Sing Sing
should have a plot of ground not less
than 500 or 600 acres, somewhere south
of Poughkeepsie. convenient to New
York City. where could be obtained
proper water supply. good drainage
water and railroad communication, and
an area suitable for cultivation.
Its capacity should be not less than
1400 cells The other prison. with &C.
| ,~commodation for 1900 prisoners, Is to
be in the western part of the State,
where the same advantages can be OBJ
tanned.
The cost of a modern prison with
deafened steel cells to take the place
of Sing Sing is estimated at S1.970,236
not including the cost Of the site. The
western prison, being smaller, woulc
cost $250,000 less. The sale Of the
present property would largely offset
this cost.
For half a century Sing Sing has
been the most noted prison In the coun.
try. So closely associated in the pub
lie mind has the name become with the
punishment Of crime that the town. 3
fair city on the Hudson. revodte6
against the stigma cast upon it. !
A few years ago the city changed
its name to Ossining' and has strug-
gled hard to free itself from all coanec-
ton with the penal institution. Ger
talnly Ossining will not desire the new
prison to be located within its limits
and perhaps to take the reform name.
Within the walls Of Sing Sing many
men Of note have suffered for their
crimes. The boodlers Of Boss Tweed's
day fed in terror from 1t, but some OF
them were brought back and immured
within its walls. The Doodle Aldermen
Of later days, when Jacob Sharpe
bribed through the franchise for the
Broadway street railroad. spent years
in it's cells. John Y. McKane. the po.
litical boss of Coney Island, served sew
eraI years there. Ferdinand Ward.
partner of General Grant, went there
for his crimes in Wall street finance.
Many murderers have died there.
those of early days on the scsffold, the
latter ones in the dreaded electric
chair. 49, 4. $
Sing Sing prison was established IN
+ 1923, and has been added to, story by
story. ever since as the prisoners In
creased. -. y.