The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-15
BLACKWELL'S HAS
CELL WATER CURE
FOR ITS BAD ONES
Warden Hayes Tells Commits
sion How Mems DISPOSE
tons Are Changed.
so POUND PRESSURE
HOSE USED ON THEM

Patrick Hayes. the gray haired
warden of the pen~itentiary on Black
wells Island. received the state Prison
Commission yesterday. lie showed the
members through the place and then
for five hours sat or the witness stand
and told about the conditions there and
his methods OF discipline.
The Commissioners had Just come
from the Sing Sing prison, which on the
day before they characterized as the
greatest crime in the state OF New
York. At the end OF the first days ses-
sion OF their inquiry at Blackwelrs
Island they admitted that things were
worse there than at Sing Sing.
Warden Hayes went into details as to
the doubling up 1000 prisoners in 500
cells. each being much smaller than Is
required By the state Board OF Health
for any one prisoner. He told of using
the water hose, with fifty pounds Of
pressure. to subdue violent prisoners In
their cells. He related the facts about
locking prisoners In the cooler on
bread and water for days until they
promised to behave.
The warden. who was Informed that
II was the prison. not himself. that was
under investigation. intersporsed his de-
scription OF prison conditions with bits
OF philosophy which he had gained
through twenty-five years of experience
in handling ~convicts. He smiled broadly
when questioned about the reform
methods advocated by penologists, and
lbs wrinkled mouth pressed hard to-
i,ether as he gave his ideas about the
treatment OF prisoners.
Throughout the hearing Mr.. Hayes
wa affable. and said he was ready to
put into effect any recommendations
made by the commission. provided. of
course. that Miss Katherine B. Davis.
commissioner of Correction. gave her
approval.
Disap OF TRUSTEES
The Warden does not take kindly to
tho idea of TRUSTEES differing there
and In many other ways from Thomas
Mott Osborne. Warden of Sing Sing, who
has put many prison reforms into effect.
Mr.. Hayes said he had never made a
''trusty' in the penitentiary since his
administration began there two years
ago. or In his wardenship OF the Crow
Hill Penitentiary in Brooklyn. for that
matter.
The only recreation the prisoners
rave here" he remarked. lis hard work
'stiu Pitiits va ~ ~ dih thdN = NV
prisoners did not want to work they went
10 the cooler until they changed their
min
One OF the Commissioners asked IL the
Warden deemed IL necessary to break a
prisoners spirit and regulate the dura-
ton OF the prisoners punishment by his
disposition oward penitence.
"Oh, no. replied the Warden. but
believe it is necessary to change his
deposition
'Then you believe in some form OF
oorture.
mo, SIR: not torture. II there is a
wooden floor in the cell, for instance
md the cell were larger and more com
Portable. you wouldn't get him to prom
Use to behave himself"
The warden told frankly OF sending
prisoners TO the cooler" for severa'
days at a time. The cooler" is a three
tier block OF cells, without cots and with
out sanitary arrangements except OF the
most primitive kind. Tde floors are Il
stone. on which the prisoners must sleer
with one blanket in the summer and two
In the winter. They receive bread and
water until their dispositions are
changed
Mr.. Hayes said he could commit @
prisoner TO the cooler for as long a
period as he saw lit and that there was
no appeal from his decision.
"Your only standard then is a promise
TO behave?'
isn't that a pretty good standard? .
he asked quickly.
D%eatings by Denied.
He denied that he punished severed,
for trivial offences, insisted that IN
never permitted any of the prisoner:
to be beaten by the keepers. and said h'
never had struck a prisoner in his life.
In reply TO questions he explained tina
on one occasion several prisoners ha'
become obstreperous in their cells
these cells are built of stone. have a be-
and practically 10 sanitary equipment
II had become necessary TO use IN
mergency riot treatment. Thai was
water hose with fifty pound pressure I
subdue the prisoners before the keeper
could enter the cells and carry out tn
buckets and the beds. leaving the pris
oners to sleep on the floor.
There is nothing like the water cure,
he explained. The effect wears on a
Boon as the water is turned Off"
The warden could not produce record
to show that precautions had been take
to separate the considerable part OF IN
prisoners who are suffering from com
municable diseases from the ones VIII
are healthy. He admitted that the un
Saiab all' h''F ~ ~ 'Nb''
together in one cell.
The warden said he was sure that tn
honor system would not work q
Blackwelrs.
Secrets u Old Prison.
"If you build a new prison in Ne'
York and send there only men who al
committed after the building is con
plete.' he said, then you DO not nee
bolts, locks or bars. and | will under
take to run it. The trouble with an oil
prison is that the new prisoners 500
learn all the secrets the Old ones kno'
and are governed in thought by then
With a new institution everything woui
be changed"
The penitentiary is without a place IL
recreation. The prisoners leave the
cells only to go to the workshops ar
the places on the island where there
work to be done. 4 very few ~
school in the chapel at times, No eute
tainment Is provided for the prisoner
The warden said that there Is IAN orga
In the pallor To give tone to the house
The commissioners visited the cooler
They saw there men who had sores {
their bodies and others who were ban,
aged.
The investigation will go on to-da
Among the witnesses will be some of Il
prisoners. Frank Ta|nnenDaum. :hc
W. w. leader who served n year for h
raid on the Roman Catholic Church
81, Alphonsus and who Is mainly reGpol
sible for the present inquiry. will be oil
OF the witnesses,