New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-26
William A. Brady Gives
Prisoners Premiere OF
New Piece.
OSBORNE, NOT PLAY,
FEATURE OF THE DAY
Warden Makes Christmas
Different and Gets Set
of Resolutions.


an audience exactly where he wanteC
It, At Sing Sing prison, before a FIRST
night" audience Of convicts, William A
Brady staged for the first time a play
entitled Sinners" Not a thing was
lacking the play was put on exactly as
though the audience, in evening dress
were leaning against the cushioned
chairs Of a Broadway playhouse
The first performance Of sinners
was just before l o'clock In the after
noon. Two hours before that the com.
pany had come up from the station
and eaten luncheon with Mr.. Osborne
IN his rooms at the prison and seen
the special little tree that his assist
ant Charles H. Johnson, and the other
members of the staff had put up for
him As surprise. Mr.. Bradys own
men had made the stage ready, and
set the scenery he had brought from
New York in a great van.
When the curtains were drawn apart
no. IL does not "go up" 81 Sins
Sing-the stage lights cleaned into
the faces of rows upon rows of men
There were more than 500. including
all ages of manhood, all the colors
races and creeds. Almost every one
had taken off his coat and settled
himself 20 be comfortable a few
prison officers stood about the rear OF
the room, but only because they
wished to see the play. Nowadays, al
Sing Sing, at the motion picture shows
on Sunday afternoons, there are NJ
officers present. Monitors keep order
Yesterday a staff of men from tho
Golden Rule Brotherhood acted a.
ushers, but had nothing else 70 do eX
that il threatened 70 drown the actors
lines.
Applause Was Plenty.
Interest was tense, and tears and
laughter alike brought response. Wher
a well intentioned but blunderinr
young man told the heroine, "You
should have starved hrsti' and she
snapped at him. Did you ever try it?'
hands cracked palm on palm, but when
the kitchen maid refused the green
back. saying, Thanks, ! don't take
charity and a New York rounder an
swered, "Wel, this towns a hell OF
way from Broadway" the audience
applauded just as strongly.
"'Sinncrs,' young man wrote u
The Tribune last night, depicts high
life in q city, but the plot materializes
in a country town, Gro-t Falls, y. II
II develops a number Of love scenes
which eventually untangie.'
IL is. however, the story OF a young
. 80. Il fr4n ~
city life. but who escapes unscathed
Her erstwhile companions visit her at
her country home, where they meet hen
mother. and under the spell Of a real
home" throw away their artificial
ties All OF course, ends happily.
Owen Davis, Of melOdrama fame
who wrote the play, saw it from the
little gallery. lie sat with Henry Ro.
maine. the father of one of the ac-
trcsses, and Robert Warwick, who will
use Sing Sing to-day as background
for the "Alias Jimmy Valentino film
m which he acts the name part. A
number of other visitors were IN the
gallery.
The cast Of Sinners was as fol-
/ lows:
Bob Merrck Observation-Disclosures. A1crcn Harris
Horace Worth OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. John Cromwell
Joe Garfield. "atIln hglseI
Mary Horton. Anee sfsl5
Mfe hnfI'i ''''.'' ...''' 'tt9'l tt9'l
Hiida NcHto1...... ....- .Geruud. Dallas
Polly carr ........... ............ .lrcuc Romano
sadie. Frances Mcleod
II was a strange Christmas at the
prison. Good Christmas dinners have
not been unknown In the prison for
several years, and there was one yes
terday, with turkey, fruit, pie and
cigars. But IN addition the men min
glcd and talked freely, just as men
do outside prison walls. They sat
about the yard, smoking cigars and
"Tom Brown" cigarettes-"with the
compliments Of Thomas VI. Osborne,
and a box TO every man-until the
theatrical performance IN the chapel
There was none of the hopelessnoss
of some Christmases. over all the
prison hung an atmosphere Of general
good will
Osborne Big Feature.
The feature Of the day was Thoma'
Mott Osborne. Prisoners and keepers
alike praised him for his note Of broth
erhood IN prison work. His realization
that humanity in dealing with the men
shut from the world is his proper
course was a subject those men spoke
Of to all visitors who stopped 20 chat
Along this line one Of Mr. Osborne -
close associates said:
'HIc and all Of us realize that we
are going 20 have TO combat one criti-
clsm. On the outside many are go-
ing 10 say that we arc sentimental
lists and theorists. II isn't true, how
ever We believe only IN justice 20
all men"
TL. ...4.1-. -. -; ch ,Lo ,or. ,,-,r
den rs held was exhibited by the
fashion in which the men cheercd his
name vi hen he was asked 20 come for
ward and receive set Of resolutions.
And his own spirit toward the men
was demonstrated when he said "a
them:
"All we've got 10 do now Is 10 work
together. Let's work together. you
the officers and |, and wen snow the
world that something going on here
ut Sing Sing"
The resolutions were presented just
after the second act Of Sinners
The president Of the Golden Rule
brotherhood walked out on the stage
iato the parlor OF a little New Hamp-
shire home and called for Mr. Os-
borne. Tfcn he asked Mr. Brady
daughter, Phce, VINO played the inno-
cent heroine whose virtue trlumphcd
in the cnG. 10 make little prcsenta-
ton speech Mss Brady picked up
the big frame, and read 10 Mr.. Os-
horne what the brotherhood thought
Of HIM. Sho did IL very nicely. too,
except that she stumbled shockingly
Continued on page 4. column