New-York tribune., 1911-01-19
SlJPT. COLLINS WON'T 4,
RESIGN HIS OFFICE.
o,ison Official FIatly Refuses,
Request Of Governor Dix
to Get Out.
NO CHARGES FILED YET
Removal May Be Accomplished
After Hearing Has Been Grant
classmates Consent
Not Necessary.
rBy Telegraph to Tho Tnoune.I

1900
-..,ested Cornelius V. Collins. Superin-
.,r5snt Of Prisons, TO resign. Superin-
..,5snt Collins has refused fatty. Pend
49, on investigation Of the affairs Of the
olson Department, the matter rests
there.
Though the appointment Of the Sup
,~,rtendent Of Prisons must be con-
e,7,ed BY the Senate, he may be removed
-. the Governor without the consent Of
,ts Senate. on the filing of charges
.,oirst him. with provision for hear
a., in reply 10 them. No such charges
1--we been fled yet against Superin-
,endent Collins
.bout week ago the Governor sent
,,- superintendent Collins TO come to
,,o Executive Chamber. Mr.. Collins
u.,, The Governor told him informa-
ZION had been laid before him which
S,d determined him' TO request the Su-
,.r;nteDdent's resignation. Mr.. Collins,
,.,prallv exercised and somewhat per-
,,,,sd bv the suddenness Of the affair.
-,fysed with great promptness and con-
s,5srahle emphasis. Then he said that
bs didn't know what information had
-, ,resented to the Governor, but he
,horgbt an examination into the state OF
.s.,-s might cause the Governor TO
change his mind.
u,,er the Governor was asked tonight
,nou, his Investigation Of prison affairs
he replied
"Th4 Investigation has not been begun
&c, The prison department is one OF
several iepartments which l intend 70
Investigate. II is the same proposition
which have mentioned aften-the pur-
chasing power Of the public dollar should
be as great as that Of the private dol
lar"
The Tribune has information. Gov
ernor that YOU have requested the res
ignation Of Superintendent Collins" Mr..
Dix was told
The inyestigation has not been begun
yet" replied the Governor. Il am not
content with the information have at
hand. intend 10 investigate all these
matters thoroughly"
Collins Refuses to Discuss Case.
aperirtendent Collins refused TO dis
en the matter in any way when 1t was
I'D before him. He said the Governor
Es the only person who could say any
thing o. such a topic.
m r-g Of tho raFp7f visits of Charles
r Murphy, OF Tammany, to see Gov
enor DIX they discussed prison re.
forms" according 20 the Governor after
the interview. At that time the Gov
ernor announced that lie intended to
make a personal inspection Of the prisons
Q. the state and an examination FIRST
hand Of their affairs.
II is understood here that ex-Mayor
Daniel E. Conway, Of Troy. is an active
candidate for superintendent Collins's
place at the head Of the prison depart
ment Conway is a brewer in Troy. He
gained prominence in politics by way of
fight against ex-senator Edward Muir
ply. That split the Democratic party in
Rensselaer, County. and the Republicans
got foothold as a result. 1t is rather
curious now that he is working to sue
caed Mr. Collins tltular head OF the Re
publican organization in his county.
Mr. Collins was Theodore Roosevelt's
night hand man al the Saratoga conven-
uon. lie was appointed superintendent
Of Prisons on March 8, 1898. by Gov
tTnor Black, who was his chief in Rens-
se!aer County politics. He has held Of
nee continuously since, and a couple of
years ago was reappointed by Governor
Hughes.
AS head % the Prison Department,
Nr Collins is responsible Tor affairs at
sing Sing, Auburn Prison, where there
also the State Prison for Women;
CAn'on Prison az Dannemora. the Dan
hemora State Hospital for Insane Con-
vets and the Matteawan State Hospital
ior Insane Criminals. He also is charged
WIN the duties Of experimenting the
guiding Of the Great Meadow Prison at
Coms'ock, on the justly celebrated Ike
Sa@er farm. He and the state Prison
commission have been az loggerheads
over this work more than once.
ereat Meadow Prison Not Yet Ready.
During the session Of 1909 the Legis-
'a'V'e passed q bin providing for the
!''Son ana apUopriating S350,oo0. This
money was given for the purpose Of
oe-ilng additional buildings 20 furnish
immediate relief for the crowded Sing
eng Prison The erection Of these build
"'ss was placed in the hands Of the su-
E0'htendent and he promised that he
"Oua have them ready 70 receive five
.-Alfed Prisoners in ninety days. The
O'eat Meadow Prison is still not ready
!" receive prisoners. The contract 70
''"a the additional structures was
even originally TO the Hudson Valley
instruction Company. Of Troy, Mr.. Col
'"SS home town. The contractor agreed
'aAe a certain percentage of the cost
MS compensation. In this case 1t was
Per CEN,
~ meeting Of the Prison Comm's-
IN He.d about year later, President
'o"s'a, then nead Of the commission
announced that the money had been eX-
-'''eo and said that the buildings
"s SUI Incomplete and the Superin-
%, '0'h' had failed TO fulfil his purpose
.s commission then recommended in It's
''''ai report, and later insisted. that
contract plan be substituted for the
NJ, h'age basis plan, State Architect
~. saying al the time that under this
would cost the state 10 per cent
.s'S When bids were let under the con-
Noft y.-atrucffpr