New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-11
REPORT ON QUEENS JAIL
Worst Kept in District, Says Hynes
-HarUey Replies.

ALBANY Sept 1o.-The condition of the queens
County fall Ia severely criticised IN report to-day
70 The State Commission OF Prisons by Conlmis-
sioner Thomas w Hynes. who recently inspected
the institution 81 have no hesitation, says COM
missioner Hynes '1n pronouncing 1t the worst kept
TAIL in the Cd Judicial District 1t Is evidently al
lowed to Itself
Commissioner Hynes recommends a compress
change in the management OF the institution Pol-
itics NAV be responsible in part for the delects
complained Of" continues the report, as inc oi'o
of sheriff is elective and there seems to be Iaoor
union objection putting prisoners 10 WORK arouiu
the tsJI There is however. no possible excuse W
offer for the doubling of prisoners ana loT 'Ae
uncleanliness in all parts of the main oullolns:
Commissioner Hynes expresses the opinion thal
,,nder the revision of the charter Of the city OF
New York now in progress this jail snoua De
placed under the direction OF the Department OIL
Correction where 1t rightfuily belongs
sbar,r IT q Harvey of Queens County. when his
attention was called to the extracts from the re-
port of Commissioner Hynes. said:
Mr. Hynes has been trying for years to have al
the jas in the city put under the controi OF e
Queens County Jail is the only one not under tnst
dePartmEent you Know orrections under Mayor
Low 1t unfortunate. perhaps. IN some We
that his report did not appear before the primaries
last Tuesday.
Commissioner Hynes. 1 wish to say. is very
conscientious Commissioner; he is amply quaIlnea
to speak on the subject of prisons and ne SHOWS ,
o
consideration the conditions / am up against.
agree with him that the Queens County jail is n
urgent need of repair. When L first took once a
year and ten months ago, / found that the Jan;
able to accommodate three hundred prisoners, mad
missioner Hynes paid the place yisi& at the time
and made a just and scathing report on the con-
ditiOns. Six months later he made another VISIT
and that time. his report very hatter1ns 10
my management / had locks put on all the doors
many other repairs made, and l had the
place cleaned; and L have kept up the good work
The building in better condition than
1t is now. and a result L have not lost one
prisoner while 1 have been Sheriff
But | have had double [ don't approve
of the practice, but I can't help myself unless
put the overflow the roof; and there are still
a number of repairs which have to be made, but
they must come gradually They are in the hands
of the Commissioner of Buildings. | can't make
them myself. and he hasn't sufficient appropria
tons to accomplish them oil in lump. The paint
at work painting the building now. Com
missioner Hynes thinks l ought to put the prison.
there five stories. 1t would have to be done
from scafTolding, and ii would be a great respon-
sibility. which the county city would have
pay dearly, doubt. to put horde OF mex
perienCed to work under such dangerous
dtions 1t Is true also that the unions object.
| don't agree with Mr.. Hynes that politics enters
into the question. for the simple reason that the
Sheriff OF Queens County cannot be renon1inated
succeed himself and would have no Incentive
in playing favorites. In any case. the Law will
not permit the authority the Jail to be trans
ferred during my term of office, which will
pire year from next December.