New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-13
HINTS AT REPUBLIC
FOR BLACKWELL'S
DR.. Davis Cheered as She
Talks Honor System
to COnViCtS.

y
to COnViCtS.
A convict republic on Blsckwelrs ISL
and under the honor system was hlnted
at by Miss Katharine b. Davis, Com
missioner Of Correction, in talk TO
the prisoners in the penitentiary yes
terday.
This possibility end the fact that the
prison ctripes are TO be replaced on
the good prisoners by a garb Of olive
drab with no jail insignia were told to
three hundred or more prisoners who
attended the Protestant service yester-
day afternoon.
The convicts cheered her announce
ment
Miss Davis told them that she had
determined 10 abolish the uniforms
now used in the prison. In the near
future these will be worn only by con-
vcts who have misbehaved, and will be
known as a mark of dshonor.
Instead Of the barred uniforms the
prisoners will wear suits Of drab.
Miss Davis said that this honor sys-
tenn was working eXcellcntly at the
Boys Rcfcrmatory at Southampton, in
Orange County and also she believed
il would work on Blackwell's Island II
the prisoners themselves took interest
enough TO sec that it was not abused.
She caused laughter when she told
the prisoners that she had tried to es-
tablish solf-government at the Bedford
Reformatory when she was head OF
that institution. She had put the prop
osition to a vote Of the inmates, she
said. and was surprised to find that
majority Of the girls did not want self
government. for tho reason that the
girls did not believe that women should
be ruled by women.
Aid for Prisoners.
n the honor system is adopted or
Blackwclls Isl""d and solf-sovernment
&c mt into effect it will mean man.
additional privileges fer the prisoners.
The convicts themselves will be charged
with the duty of seeing that these
privileges are not abused
Miss Davis already has ordered the
now uniforms for the convicts, ana
ybo, the first batch arrives they VIII
\. givcn to fifteen men who arc no"
on the honor roll. They will be useo
-. an incentive to the other conVlc,s
~ behave themselves. and gradually
will he distributed until only thCsc
convicts who refuse to obey the ruieS
u,iIl wear the present uniforms WIN
the bars on them. u
Neither Miss Davis nor Warden
uaves likes the physical condition oil
the prison. ,,r sbe
eoid "I'n going TO change condition.
49, 20 make life decent and bearaole
Tor Won But we must be patient.
Plans for Improvement.
.Tve been advocating the needs OF
.,,ii Jorartmcnt ever since I've been IN
oace hut 10 make these Improvement,
~ rot IN &c. money from the bo&rd
af rst;mote, They are nice GentleiNeh
Who believe. and rightly. too. IN 10"
VA .hont n,t q 1000 900 is needed to make
the improvements desired. ~
wb;Io Miss Davis was speaking Or.
r + noxter. only few weeks ago
rbvsician on the island. sat IN seat
t,ho Gfth row. He was recently con-
,';c,od Of selling morphine TO the prs
onors and was sentenced 20 a year
;r,nrisonment in the 7enltentlary' ne
hnad ,,op was shaved and he wore an old
noir Of trousers and tick SHIRT.
Mis- Davis spent the entire day on
p,aclweIl'e Island. and in the evening
J,;ons were so satisfactory that
~ dcc;dod 20 return to the city. she
so;d sbe believed that the lnsurrectlon
was over. and Warden Hayes agreed
w;tb her. The keepers, however. were
NOT 50 optimistic. Several OF them de-
clared that they feared another out
hrcak when it became known tnat
Miss Davis had left the island. She
MANNED 70 return again tomorrow
She attended o'clock mass IN the
morning, and after Father Neville mad
introduced her she gave the three
hundred convcts assembled a heart-
.o.bear. talk. in which she urged them
n cooperate with her in keeping
order. ,ln
NO Church in the Christian world.
sbe said. 80 strongly teaches obedi-
once 20 lawful authority as your
church therefore look to you men
"a assist me in conducting this insti-
tuition in a proper manner
The Protestant services were held IN
the Episcopal chapel at o'clock in
tho afternoon. The Rev. 5. II. Watkins
presided. and the Rev. Philip Schuyler,
canon of ST. Luke's Cathedral, Port
land. Nc. assisted.
The entire prison population OF
1.iO5. with the exception OF the 100
believed to be rngleadcrs in the re
cent insurrection, sat down to supper
last night.
The turbulent leaders arc still on a