New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-09
MANY RULES CAST
ASIDE BY OSBORNE
Brotherhood Pleas Win
Films on Sunday and
More Visitors.
ADD PRIVILEGES
FOR PRISONERS
Sing Sing Court" to Pass on
Minor Discipline Cases
Other Plans Made.


Thomas Mott Osborne advanced an
other step yesterday in his co-opera-
ton programme at Sing Sing. In
letter TO the chairman Of the Golden
Rule Brotherhood he announced the
abolition of mass Of outworn rules
and regulations, the modification OF
others, and the early consideration OF
still others to which the men object.
Ho also made some requests Of his
own.
Speaking in the chapel Monday
Warden Osborne took UP list OF
pleas presented TO him by the brother
hood and answered each one. In yes
terday's letter he made a written rec
ord Of these pleas and his disposition
Of them. The new arrangements are
as follows:
Moving picture shows during the
winter will be held in the chapel sun
cav afternoons, instead OF Saturday
afternoons, whenever they VIII not
interfere with religious services.
Members of the brotherhood in good
standing will be allowed TO receive
visits from friends or relatives on
SUNDAYS and holidays under reguls.
lions to prevent too large number OF
visitors at any one hour.
The rule which requires prisoners 70
get special permission from the war
den to write letters TO persons whose
names are not on the correspondence
cards filed by each man viii be changed
so as to permit the writing OF such le'-
tiers as are necessary. g.,
Men may buy postage stamps with
their own money from the correspond
ence department instead of relying on
friends and relatives TO send them from
the outside, provided the stamps be
bought in at least 20-cent lots.
All money on deposit TO the credit Of
members of the brotherhood in good
standing may be spent for legitimate
purposes whether the name and ad-
dress of the sender of the money was
given.
Members Of the brotherhood in good
standing may receive sweaters OF uni
form gray and shoes from the outside
doubling Up" Discarded.
doubling up" in cells shall be done
away with as soon as possible.
Places in the dormitOry shall be
given, first of all, to men suffering from
heart trouble and epilepsy and to those
who are crippled, etc;
LIGHTS in the cell block may remain
on mill 10 o'clock, for the benefit OF
those who wish to read or study. The
rule in the dormitory will be made
after the men have voted on the ques-
ton.
The executive order of the brother
hood sitting as court, shall be al
lowed to examine all minor cases OF
discinline and determine the nature and
extent of the penalties to be inflicted.
The court shall be held between the
hours of 8 and in the afternoon, and
the sergeant-at-arms shall be autnor-
lied TO procure the attendance OF WIZ
nesses. The right of appeal to the war
denis court shall be granted prisoners
or prison officers at the hearings. The
co,rt also NAV warn or suspend a pris-
oner from the privileges OF the broth
erhood.
only two minor requests were held
nm nv Warden Osborne. One was that
the screens be removed from the visit
ING rooms and the other was that sun
dav papers be permitted. The warden
said he would keep these under con-
slderation for the present.
mis- turn. then, Warden Osborne
said he wished 10 make some requests
of the men. Calling attention to the
open air privileges in the yard, winch
have been in force since July 3, he SAID
he thought the inmates should keep
better discipline in the prison and
shops, march better and be more aert
and vigorous in their bearing, and OBJ
serve better order in the cell block,
so that those who wished to read or
study should not be disturbed.
Remarking on conditions in the cell
block and yards, he said he would like
more cleanliness, and promised TO pro-
vide barrels for waste materials.
81 would cali attention" the warden
wrote. "to the fact that every piece of
bread wasted means just so much off
from the food supply. A very small
amount of bread wasted by each inmate
mean in the aggregate the cost of many
barrels of -four, the money for which
might just as well be put into a
greater quantity and better quality of
food"
Better work and increased efficiency
in the industrial departments, the war
den pointed out. should be the aim of
the men, since it was the one concrete
test of the new system. He also con-
tended that, since the moving picture
entertainments were 20 be transferred
20 Sunday afternoons, the men should
work longer on Saturday.
Warning by Warden.
"In conclusion" the warden's letter
read, "et me warn the members of the
brotherhood not 10 become jealous or
suspicions of their officers. The su-
thorities Of the prison must necessarily
deal with the men selected 10 act as
representatives, and frequent eonsulta-
lions will be necessary TO carry out the
purposes Of the brotherhood. Sus-
picion Of the motives and characters Of
those whom the men themselves have
lifted into prominence should be
avoided.
Il give my grateful thanks TO the
men for their very kindly reception of
the new warden, with the hope and ex-
pc tation Of all working together TO
better the conditions Of Sing Sing
nriaOu