New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-10
PRISON DRUG RING
Barred BY CLANCY
Former Sing Sing Warden
Says Traffic Is Great
and Hard to Check.
THINKS INQUIRY NOW
is DUE TO POLITICS
Chides Commission for Belated
Interest-Tells 1t What 10 DO
If II Is in Earnest.

The State Prison Commission no"
has in its possession all the data con-
corning the sale Of drugs and whlsHey
70 prisoners in Sing Sing collected oy
James NJ. Clancy while he was waroeu
Of the prison.
Mr. CLANCY who appeared before the
commission Yesterday afternoon by IN
,itation. began his testimony by tell
ing tho commission that It was actu-
atod bv political motives in now ne
ginning an investigation OF the drug
traffic of Sing Sing.
"You should have sought TINS IN
formation while | was warden said
Mr. Clancy. MANY times tried 10
rct the car Of just such people as you
e. hclp me bring about reforms IN tne
rrison. But am sure that but Tor
the carbled stories which appeared re-
Gently I would not be meeting you as
a board"
The members of the commission pres
ent protested that there was no politics
in the proceeding, and then Mr.. Clancy
laid before them not only wnat ne
knew Of the drug traffic, which he
said could never be wholly wiped out
in Sing Sing. but told them of other
things that needed reform IN tne
,rison. and of some reforms he had
started. but which were not put
through because of his retirement
These included the establishment OF
baseball and athletic field for the
prisoners, an extension OF the honor
system and many changes in the worn
assigned prisoners so that when each
man loft prison he would have a trade
or calling that would bring him IN q
mans wage.
Says Clerk Defied Him.
Then the former warden told oil the
obstacles that were thrown IN MS
wav when he was first appointed 70
tho office by Governor Sulzer. he
told Of the petty clashes he had with
clerk in the prison named jenkins
friend Of mike" Walsh, the leader
of the Wes,chester County Democratic
organization. r
"This clerk. who was an cmpioye Oh
tho Controllers office, although ne was
aid ont Of the appropriation for sing
Sing. refused to take orders from
me" .,
"How do drugs get into the prison :!
asked Francis G. Huntington vice.
prcsident of the commission, IN whose
oaicc at - william ST. the former
warden told his story.
"Thcy get in in every way possible
replicd Mr. Clancy. They come IN IN
untold quantities. I'll give you an
,xample. | received information one
dav that a box Of contraband goods
whiskey and drugs, was coming to the
nrison. and that it would be addressed
20 MIR. James NJ. Clancy, Warden oil
Sing Sing Prison, Dept. . 1t came.
examined it in my office. found 1t
TO contain what | suspected.
ITO trap those who had hand in
tho affair / had it placed in the dellv-
erv room Of the prison, where the
smugglers would expect it to come in
tho first place. 1t was placed in a
part Of the room where 1t could be
watched with the aid of mirror by
a keeper in whom | had the utmost
/ confidence Evidently the keeper took
/ his eye off the mirror for a moment,
/ for he came to me and said: Warden,
/ it's gone, and | don't know who took
! it.
Then cocaine, heroin and other
habit forming drugs are smuggled in in
/ undiscoverable ways, despite the great
/ est vigilance. They are smuggled in
fountain pens, pencils, in heels of
+ shoes. in embossed postal card5. in let
tcrs. and in hardkerchefs which have
been treated with a solution contain
ing cocaine and starch"
To check tnc drug traffic Mr.. Clancy
/ told of employing the services of
Continued On page 2. column {