New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-10
lBACK FROM DEATH HOUSE
Maurice M. Lustig Returns to
Stand Second Trial.
"H0T?" SUN BEAUTIFUL
Alleged Wife Slayer Has Lost
: Bravado and 81 Pol.nds
u Since Incarceratio !.

Maurice NJ. Lustie who for h ~ two
years has been I'm the death lac = sing
Sing, saw the sunlight for the fir lime
since his Incarceration yes, ID y when
ne was brought to the Tombs BY equity
Sheriff Jacob Schmiedipger 10 as OBJ
NAMED a new 1rial, the Cour of Appeals
hnding errors tu the trial = the end OF
(which he was 70 und guilty Of posoning his
'@ife.
When the verd let against him had been
ihnnounced, moro than two years ago and
he was being led across the Bridge Of
lEighs, Lustig turned TO the keeper with
him and asked: "Say. DO. have you got
the makings?" 1t Is said that he rolled
cigarette and puffeG away &C My as he
was locked in his cell.
II that episode 's tue. he h,s lost HIS
l'ravado since p. 80. Mn in - death
house Clad iu rurR suit, forr days
stubNle or RI face, In dragged his feet
Ilistles via unmis takable JOY. in the
!hot 81 III, 5corchod the courtyard OF
the Ton esterday. The cells I'm the
ldesth rou., are four feet by six; q bed
Three feet by six takes up most Of the
lspace there is only one window in the
building; the only exercise the prisoners
get is shutting 20 and fro in their stock
ing feet (shoes are barred In the small
space in their cells ard a weekly prone
made TO the bath at tine end Of the CORR
dor
7 Hot lie said TO those who questioned
him through the iron grating, why this
Isunshine is the most beautiful thing in the
Iworld. You just try doing without It for
1.-TWO years and you will appreciate it,
too"
!! Seventeen men went away" from the
ldeath house to fulfil their sentence while
Lustig was there. He left eighteen behind
him. There are seventeen permanent cells
In the death house. and this year so many
were sent there that four temporary cells
had to be constructed. There is also a
padded cell Joseph Ferrone, an italian,
who attempted to attack a Juror and then
gashed his own throat when he was found
guilty Of killing his wife last winter, oc-
lcupies the padded cell. I.ustig said Fer
rome was in a straitjacket
They try to keep it from us.-when the
men go or" said Lustg, but we know;
iny God. We know
The night before one Of the tenants is to
die every one in the death house sits up all
night long. They have what they call a
l
with the man who is to die in the morning
On the morning before Lustig was brought
down three men went away"
: 1.-THE treatment" asked Lustig. oh,
that's all right. Warden Kennedy is a
prince, and so is James Connaughton. the
p. K'-Prineipal Keeper. you know"
II is unusual, Lustig said, for the prison
ers TO discuss their crimes with one an
other. The only person to whom they will
speak of that is their clerical adviser. Lus-
tig says he knows of only one or two cases
of discussions of that character between
the bars.
Although escape would seem TO be impos-
sible, two keepers are always on guard in
the daytime and three at night. Once In
two weeks those who have money can buy
tobacco; three times a week they can receive
newspaper. Those who go Off sometimes
leave what money they have in the warden's
Office for one of those doomed to wait. Each
prisoner is allowed to fill three sheets OF
notepaper a week IL he wants to write to
any one in the outside world. The letters
are put in yellow envelopes and are CEN
sored before being mailed. Outside each
cell hangs an electric light, which burns
might and day. II prisoner wants to read
Tor write he can draw the light through the
Ibars and tie it in place with Irvine.
/, On Tuesdays and Fridays they go TO the
,prison barber to be shaved. The shaving Is
compulsory. A haircut may be had once In
six weeks. There is also prison dentist.
Ills services are free. although the cost OF
The material used must be paid by the pris-
oner. Lustig had some gold crowns put in
while he was there.
1t was on June 80, 1910. that Lustig ar
rived at the death house. On June 80, 1917
he received word from his attorney. Ben
ltamin Reass, that new trial had been
granted. He weighed 146 pounds when ne
went In. Now he weighs 100. His hair has
fallen out and his sight is affected.
1T is a real death house" he said grimly'
and added more bitterly-"a slaughter
lhousc"
Lustg probably will not be tried again
before fall DR.. Deghuee, who testineu
against him. has a claim Of 5000 against
ifhe county for services and DR.. Smith, an
other medical witness. a claim for s'So'
Rose Tunk, the young woman with whom
Iustig was said to have been infatuated
shortly before his wifes death, is said TO
have died in Colorado since the trial She
refused to come to New York to testify
against him.