New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-06
Ends Week in Jail with Night
Spent in Dungeon-CaIls
Men Behind the Bars
Mere Slaves.
SYSTEM is INEFFECTIVE"
Gloss of Individuality the
Cause of Many Returning
as Second Termers'-
Cruelty of Rules
Pointed Out.
rBy telegraph 20 The Tribune. !

Inv 1eleerapn lO AHS AtAo~"'-i
.,burn. n. Y. Oct. 5.-Thomas Mott
osborne. investigator of the penal sys-
tom after spending from 3 o'clock yes
,ardav afternoon until o'clock this
,norning in a dungeon cell at Auburn
,rison. closed his self-imposed sentence
,bis afternoon, and declared that his
exnerience was the most thrilling that
hs ever went through. He was pale
and dazed and the dungeon experience
sasn,ed 10 have accomplished what II
,s,allv does with genuine malefactors.
How he whiled away the hours in the
punishment cell he would speak OF only
briefly. but he indicated that he had
eunered severely and that the dungeon
vas like an inferno. He said he would
nostpone his discussion Of the punish
ment system until his mind had cleared
and he had recovered from the heavy
s,ruin under which he has been work
lg all week.
usbornes entry into the dungeon cell
came about in a perfectly natural man
ner. He had been working In the
basket shop but short time on the
afternoon shift, when he went TO the
sink for a minute. He had nodded
toward the officer in charge, Eugene
Lamb. and in good faith had believed
that the officer had nodded back the
desired permission.
On Osbornes returning from the sink
the officer said:
why did you go away from your
bench without asking me?"
IT looked toward you and thought I
saw you nod that it was all right" said
Thomas Brown" the alias that Os-
borne had assumed for his term in
prison.
well / did not see you and I did
not nod" returned the officer.
Brown" seized upon an inspiration
and replied: "Oh. we'll, it makes no
difference. These rattans are too thick
and hurt my fingers. and I am not
going to work with them any more"
There had been complaint from sew
eral convicts that the rods were too
thick and hard. and that sore fingers
were resulting. The prison officers had
steamed the rods and treated them, but
they were admittedly not up to the
usual standard.
DO you mean that you won't work."
asked Captain Lamb.
"Yes, sir" replied Brown" folding
his arms and assuming the usual atti-
tude Of the stubborn convict.
Get your hat and coat and come
with me-" ordered Lamb, and in a few
minutes Brown was in the principal
keepers Office. He repeated his re-
fusal to work and was informed that
he would have to go into a dungeon
until he decided TO do his work.
He still persisted in his insubordina-
ton and at 3 o'clock was stripped, a
special suit of clothing for jail prison
ers was put on him, everything was
taken away from him, even his pocket
handkerchief. and he was put in a cell
IN the dungeon. where five others were
being punished
The night there, with three gills OF
water and three slices of bread. was
Tonounced by him to-day to have been
The innermost circle of the inferno"
and he would not discuss the matter
IN more detail at this time.
osborne remained on the floor OF the
cell, sleeping about two hours during
he night, and at 6 o'clock this morning
was removed to his regular cell. He
hao got all that he intended to get out
continued on fourth page. fourth column.