New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-25
C0NWCTS CO ON STRIKE COST OF LIVING REMEDY
More than 200 in Sing Sing De-
mand More and Better Food.
THROW DOWN THEIR TOOLS
100 Accept warden's Promise of
Better Treatment Others
Locked Up-Extra Guard.

,.,, than two hundred convicts IN Sing
s,, ,rlscn went on strike yesterday. re-
go ~ work unless they received more
ara better food Warden John ;. Ken
80 was called upon - argue the point
rob the sullen prisoners and after half an
Nopr's talk. IN which he promised the
.,..o,,rs what they demarided. one hundred
,,d sixty NJ the convicts returned To their
Srp.. Eighty more. however. refused 60
.ce.p, Rernedvs promises ~ more and
h,,,er food saying they had received
,.c,plsss before. and when they laid down
'bsir tools were taken back 90 their cells,
Getting only bread and water. Precau-
ions uill be taken to-day 20 prevent a
,o.s,hle outbreak among the men.
This strike startcd IN the cart and wagon
.son whore eighty men were at work one
=, the convlrts suddenly stood up. threw
sov,n his tools and announced 60 the keep
:, IN charge that he ard his fellow prison.
ara would not 90 smother stroke ~ work
unless their food supply was betterod and
increased Tho keeper argued with the
man. but they we're determined. they said.
20 QUIT ard they were then marched back
70 their cellt
warden
., ma charges and went 90 tho cells and
,slked through the bars with the convic;s.
They told him that their food supply was
hal ard insufficient and that they would
not work on such rations as were provided
for them Tho warden told tho men that
n. would see 10 ~ that they received bet
Ter treatment in thc future. Before these
mss would 20 back 90 their shop. however.
they insisted that convict then in the
dark cell be released
After satisfying himself hat tho men
meant What they said. warden Kennedy re-
l,ased the man from thu dark cell and the
man went back 20 work
~ the men were crossing tho yard con-
nets employed IN tho shoe shop shouted.
How did YOU mako out9" Eve won. said
the victorious strikers. and tho shoe shop
men Immediately dropped their tools and
announced they would have 20 have more
food before they would do any more work
Warden Kennedy vas again called upon
70 arbltrnte. ana he az once saw that the
strike had been arranged among oil the
men employed in tho shops. Tic talked to
the prisoners thirty minutes. making them
the same promises he had made 20 the first
Froup OF strikers. but they ieered at him.
saying they hsd heard those words before,
and ths, they demanded food. not language
Seeing that the men we're determined.
Kennsdy ordered them hack a. their cells.
they had already had their regular break
Fast, but under the werdens orders were
rut on a diet ot one alice ~ bread eech
sod plenty % water
Kennedy thought HIS troubles for the dsy
we're about over then. but hardly had he
reschsd his oflce when he vas told that
n. oonvicts working IN the Knitting shop,
70 the number Of eighty. had also gone on
strike on the food question
The warden went out and spoke 20 the
sisss,ishsd men saving he would see that
they had more food. and finally persuaded
them % return 20 their work.
In order that any possible outbreak to-
day might 81 queiled the warden VIII have
an extra susrd - armed men OIL duty
Throughout the shops. But there was an
yneercurrent Of exultation among the
MANY hundred convicts a. Sing Sing last
nisht because ~ the'r victory over the
warden