The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-29
c. v. COLLINS RESIGNS
Superintendent Of New York State
Pri3o>s Is Out


Albany April 27.-Cornesius v. Col
Inns Of Troy. state superintendent of
prisons for thirteen years. has resign
ed HIS resignation. which reached
Governor Dix yesterday. takes effect
Immediately.
Superintendent Collins was appoint
ed March 9, 1898. by Governor Black
to succeed Austin Lathrop OF Corn
ing, and mas served mder Governors
Black, Roosevelt. Odell, Higgins,
Hughes, White and Dix. His LAST re-
appointment vas by Governor Hughes
and his term would have expired in
1913. The position pays $4,000 per
annum and the term is five years
Soon after Governor Dix assumed
Office in January he requested Super
intendent Collins TO resign but the
superintendent refused On January
80 the governor announced that he
had appointed William Church Os-
born his legal adviser. and George T..
/ Van Kennen of Ogdensbure TO inyes-
! tigate the management and affairs Of
! the state commission ia lunacy, the
state prisons and relOrmatories and
the excise and highway departments,
/ The prison department was the first
TO be investigated, eXferi acc06atants
from the state compuolleT's Office
having been put q work on the books
in the various prisons early in Feb
/ ruary.
AS a result of. the investigations at
| Sing Sing and Clinton prisons alleged
/ irregularities in the purchase of sup
/ plies were developed, but no charges
| had been preferred against Superin-
/ tendent Collins. In his letter TO the
governor the superintendent gave 10
/ reason for his resignation, but it is
/ understood a business opportunity
was presented, which, If accepted
made ii imperative for him to sever
/ his connection with the department
at once.
Mr.. Collins is a member of the Re
| publican state committee and political
leader of Rensselaer, county. He
took an active part in the campaign
/ last fall and was Theodore Roose-
velt's right hand man. at the Repub.
lican state convention at Saratoga,
when Col. Roosevelt wrested the tenn
porary craftsmanship from Vice Pres
ident sherman the candidate of the
/ Old Guard forces, led by william
/ Barnes, Jr, now chairman of the state
committee.
AS a criminologist superintendent
/ Collins was Well known not only
throughout the United States, but
abroad. During his long service at
/ the head OF New York's prison depart
ment he inaugurated many reforms
/ He abolished tho lock step striped
clothing and the Clipping Of the con
yicts hair Tin plates and cups in
mess halls were replaced by crock
+ cry; a comprehensive school system
/ for prisoners was established in each
| prison; classification rules were en-
forced SO that first offenders were
kept apart from confirmed criminals
and honor emblems were adopted
| each prisoners conduct record being
/ indicated by chevrous on the left
sleeve of his coat
He inaugurated the finger print sys-
TEN of Identification and a system of
numbering underwear by which each
/ prisoner receives from the laundry
the same garments he turns in. San
itary barber shops were established,
competent dentists and oculists were
engaged to give the inmates teeth
and eyes the proper attention, and
prisoners were ordered clothed in
summer in light weight washable
suits.
Through legislation recommended
by Superintendent Collins, Dannemo-
ra state hospital was opened and the
segregation of the convicted from the
unconvicted insane prisoners was ac-
complished Well equipped hospital
accommodations were provided at
Clinton prison for tuberculosis pat
tents, as result of which the prison
death rate was generally reduced,
The indeterminate sentence and par