New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-04
Tells Prison National
Committee Conditions
Are Almost Hopeless.
PLANT OBSOLETE,
CELLS MISERABLE
Still Plans to Give Convicts q
Square Deal" in Hope OF
Better Results.

Thomas Mott Osborne, the new war
den of Sing Sing prison, told the mem
bers of the National Committee OF
Prisons and Prison Labor what he
thought of his new position last night
at the annual meeting Of the organ
ization.
"My taking the Office" he declared,
"was not a sacrifice, but a wonderful
privilege. | do not hope for complete
success in the position, and if any one
Of you has ever been to Ossining and
seen the prison you will realize that
that is impossible. Everything ma
terial connected with the prison leads
in every way to absolute failure. Inc
plant is utterly medieval.
"When was a prisoner for one week
in Auburn thought my cell was pain
fully small, but it was a palace com
pared with the cells III the block at
Sing Sing. They are smaller there IN
every dimension, cold, damp and mis-
cradle. a man almost has TO stoop
upon entering one, and in fourteen OF
the cells two men are locked IN at
night. | am told that at one time three
prisoners occupied a cell together
How they did it do not know
While il was impossible to produce
the best results, the new warden de-
clared. he added that he felt more
hopeful last night than at any time
since he took Office on Monday.
"If / needed the greatest proof OF all
that my work would be ultimately use
full" he declared, 81 received 1t week
ago Saturday night, when | first visited
the men at Sing Sing. | am going to
have their support, and that is the
main thing"
The protection of society, as well as
the improved welfare of the convict,
was his aim, Warden Osborne said.
81 feel that il is better protection TO
have a man come out of prison feeling
right toward society than to have HIM
leave feeling revengeful toward II. And
a square deal for the convict will bring
that about
Adolph Lewisohn, an officer of the
national committee on prisons and
prison labor, thanked Mr.. Osborne on
behalf of the society for accepting the
office of warden.
ave know he will make success
of mis- work." he said, "and that a great
benefit to the state, the community and
the prisoners will result. Conditions
at Sing Sing will be greatly improved,
and in the near future, we hope, Sing
Sing will be abolished altogether and
farm of 1000 acres substituted,
where the prisoners will be cared for
under the cottage system"
Warden Osborne smiled in approval
at the mention of the jail's abolition.
George Gordon Battle, of the law
firm of O'Gorman, Battle E. Marshall.
told what he had done in recent law
suit in Rhode Island, brought by E for
mer convict named Anderson against
the state to recover money for his SER
vices while in Jail. The case is test
to determine whether the Rhode Island
law permitting the state to let out
prison labor on contract does not con-
stitute slavery Mr.. Battle also had
his word of praise for Warden Os-
borne, who presided at the meeting.
At an election of officers Mr.. Os-
borne was reelected to the chairman
ship of the committee, which he ac-
cepted on condition that he be per-
mitted to withdraw at any time if he
determined that his holding that Office
would be in embarrassing conflict with
his official duties.
The meeting was held in Earl Hall.
Columbia University. and was attended
by two hundred members.
Governor Glynn sent to Warden Os-
born yesterday a notice that he had
refused further stay to Lee Dock and
Eng Hing, the Chinese gunner, and
that he must proceed with their execu-
tion Monday.
They were TO have been executed four
weeks ago, but owing TO the shake-up
in the prison that came with the GUST
ing of former Warden Thomas j. Nc
Cormick, the Governor stayed their exc
cution. Warden Osborne. the prison
belief is, will not witness the actual
killing. but will leave il to DR.. Charles
Farr, the prison physician, TO give the
signal and Electrician Currier to throw
on the switch.
One of the callers at the prison yes
terday was Mrs. c. d. Field, a wealthy
woman interested in uplift work, wlo
has visited the institution for twenty
years She met the new warden for the
first time. and offered to cooperate with
him in instituting reforms Warden
Osborn went through the workshops
yesterday with Superintendent of In
dustries Egan. He has not yet met
Mrs Madeline Ferola. the condemned
prisoner from The Bronx, who has the
womans lighthouse on the hill, oppo-
site the prison Office, all to herself.
Mrs. Ferola. who was convicted Of
killing her sweetheart, frequently asks
about the new warden and an oppor-
l. 1.