New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-19
GRAND JURORS URGE
DISMISSAL OF WRIGHT
blame Deputy Commissioner
for FavorS in TOmbS to
Hyde and CummlnS.
cBlTICISE WARDEN FAll0N
Comics of Report to Justice Golf
Will Be Sent to Governor
Dix and Mayor Gaynor
for Their Action.

1ue.lce COTS grand jurors yesterday
ado public the result Of their visit TO
-. Tombs. when they interrupted the
hat between Charles II. Hyde and Com
r,issioner Drummond Of the Department
:, Corrections I'm Hyde's apartments in
.he warden's quarters Of the Tombs
rbov reported that conditions in the
ronobs were subject to severe criticism,
,sneriallv for inefficiency OF administra-
,ior and recommended that Deputy
commissioner William J. Wright Of the
nenartment Of Corrections be dismissed
and Warden John J. Fallon retired. A
cony Of the presentment will be sent 10
,bs Nsvor and one TO the Governor.
Tbsv have this TO say about Commits
sioner Wright:
Almost two years ago the Deputy
commissioner Of Corrections. William j..
wight was assigned by the Commits
sioner 70 visit the prison daily II pos
sible and 20 exercise close supervision
ocer A. We find no evidence that the
oossignment OF Mr.. Wright has resulted
IN any perceptible ameliOratlon in the
conditions in the Tombs prison either
on the side Of administrative efficiency
or on the side Of improving the physical
condition OF us occupants tANtpN ia III
stances OF special favors.
The special favors" mentioned by the
srand Jury are set forth elsewhere as the
assignment Of William J. Cummins and
Charles IT. Hyde 10 the warden's quar-
ters in the Tombs after their conviction
HYDE and Cummins and Reichmann. who.
IS the grand jury states. were all pres
ent al the meeting at which occurred the
bribery Of which Charles II. Hyde was
convicted" were found 10 be the only
prisoners so quartered during the last
two years
Puts Blame on Wright.
I'VE find" says the grand jury, that
both Cummins and Hyde received this
treatment 10y the direct orders Of Com
missioner william J. Wright. and that
the reason given by said Wright for ex-
tending such privileges and personal com
fort in the latter case was his friendship
for the said Charles II. HYDE"
The grand jury reported that they found
no evidence that any official had used his
position 10 obtain or fabricate evidence
for or against any prisoner or that any
official had knowledge Of testimony which
would reverse the verdict Of jury.
As 10 the statement attributed TO Mr.
Wright IN a morning paper soon after
HIDES conviction. in which he was quoted
as saving that he knew from evidence
which keepers and TRUSTEES IN the Tombs
he'd gathered that Hyde was innocent. the
grand Jury found he had declared his be-
lief in Hyde's innocence and described MS
statement as grossly improper
In other respects than the treatment &C
corded 10 HYDE and his friends the grand
Jury found the management Of the Tomos
al fault. Attacks upon prisoners by their
fellows. the grand jury reported as
"chargeable 10 laxity Of order and disci-
pline" The shower baths they found 10
be generally out Of order The crowding
Of the prison demanded a new building,
they reported. that the prisoners need not
he doubled up" More keepers should be
provided. and those who, like Warden
Faron. have grown old in the service
should be provided for elsewhere.
Find Food Is Poor.
Attention is called 10 the lack Of hos
pital and medical facilities and OF quar-
ters FOR those mentally deficient. The
warden's quarters. they believe, should De
used as q hospital Visitors To prisoners
they think. suffer unnecessary discomfort
because they have 20 20 to the Depart
Inent Of Correction 10 get pass, because
a search Of their persons does not begin
until the visiting hour arrives and be
cause they are not permitted TO see ther
friends on Sundays or holidays. the
food they say. Is poor.
While both Patrick A. Whitney Com
missioner OF Corrections, and Warden Fai-
Ion failed 10 comment on the statements
touching on Mr. Whitney's actions they
agreed in the main yesterday with Che as
sertions and recommendations In the pre-
sentiment Warden Fallon. who has been
thirty eight years in the city's service 's
waiting for the decision Of the courts on
an application for q pension.