New-York tribune., 1910-01-10
SING SING REPORT.
FOR BETTER SURGERY.
Henry Solomon Says Prisoners
Go Away Handicapped.
tay Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

tBy Telegraph TO The Tribune
Albany. Jan. 9.--In a report regarding
an inspection of Sing Sing prison on JAN
Cary and 8, made public to-day, Henry
Solomon. of the State Prison Commission.
recommends the establishment there OF a
proper hospital, with attendants and ap-
pliances. suitable for surgical operations.
Among the 1886 prisoners there, he said,
we're many afflicted with diseases amen
able toFmodern surgery. Yet these condt-
tons had been almost totally disregarded.
and the convict at the termination of his
sentence sent out physically imperfect TO
continue his struggle with the world
Says the Commissioner:
THE question can be asked: Has the
state done everything possible for him
unless his physical imperfections have re-
cesved as careful consideration as his men
tai and moral ones?
The relation OF physical defects to crime
is generally not fully appreciated Often
a mans physical condition makes it
easier to steal a dollar than to earn one
Add TO this condition slight disregard
for right and wrong, and we readily see
how physical distress might conduce 70
crime"
Commissioner Solomon recommends the
to improve the surgical end of the medi-
cal department and the appointment Of an
assistant physician and a-trained nurse
He recommends also the discontinuance
of the practice of giving to released con-
victs railroad ticket TO their homes, sug-
gesting that the equivalent in money be
substituted. as many desire TO go to other
places than the scenes of their past mis-
fortunes
When going through Sing Sing prison.
he says, "one is impressed with the good
management AND cleanliness, but one is
also impressed NTH the utterly inadequate
and unsSnitary conditions existing there
and the great Importance Of the early con-
struction of the new prison at Bear Noun
tain to care for such a large abnormal
population. The urgent need of this new
prison cannot be too greatly emphasized"
The new prison at Bear Mountain would
have to be given up If the Legislature de-
cided tn accept the Hartman gift for
park in the Highlands of the Hudson. Con-
siderable opposition to the Governors rec
ommendation that the gift be accepted has
sprung up among legislators because of tha
urgent need for a new prison. The contcn-
tion is adve need that it would be difficult
to find q proper site near to New York, up
tory up to Newburg would be closed to the
prison under the terms Of the gift.
Much of this opposition is prompted by
local feeling on the part of upstate legis-
lators. who fear that the prison might, be
placed in their territory. There is some
talk here that Commissioner Collins might
try to establish the prison on the Baker
farm at Comstoek. WASHINGTON County, but
that would be at least six hours from New
York and the railroad fare would be con-
siderable item. The broader minded Iegis-
iators realize how petty any opposition to
the Highland park project would seem, yet
there is likely TO be not little advanced
on the score Of the prison site and on the
contention that a. number OF wealthy men
are compelling the state to spend q large
sum OF money and to put one of its de-
partments to serious inconvenience merely
to protect their country estates from
prison as neighbor.
Reports Of the inspection by Commits
sioner Solomon of a number of New York
City police stations were made public also.
These were the 18th Precinct station, at No.
253 Mercer street: the 9Th Precinct station,
in Oak street: the SD Precinct station. at
No. 81 West Tooth street: the 18th Precinct
station. at No. 70 First avenue, and the 9Th
Precinct station. at No. i0o Eldridge street.
In all of these the Commissioner found that
the toilet facilities were antiousted and
woefully inadequate. In some the officers
quarters we're not what they should be. OF
the 18th Precinct station. in charge OF Cap
tain F. j. Morris. which was inspected on
December 2S last year. Commissioner Solo
mon says
This place made no eretension whatever
to cleanliness. II was dirty and untidy
e1,e rywhere IT seerne1 fo he storehoflSs