The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-16
OSBORNE'S PLEA FOR
FAIR PLAY GRANTED
District Attorney Weeks TO
Compare Sing Sing Records
Of Former Years.
PRISONERS ARE TO HELP

WHITE prA,Ns. N. ". Nov. 1.-THE
proceedings Of the Grand Jury investi-
eating assaults and discipline at sing
Sing indicated to-day that District A.
torney Weeks has come around 10 War
den O%sborne's view OF what Is a fair
and thorough inquiry and will act &c
oordingly.
Twp stops which Mr.. Osborne and his
lawyer. Huntington W Merchant. have
insisted Mr.. Weeks should a " he
would give the warden a fair show be-
fore the Grand Jury were making a COM
parlson OF assault, records during Mr..
Osborno's regime and In preceding years
n the ~subppnalng or convicts favor
able to him to offset the testimony OF ex-
Congressman William Will'tt and
others, who are hostile. Mr.. Weeks to-
day tool steps to do both.
The first man to appear before the
Grand Jury this morning was Principal
Keeper r ed DOrner. who had q big arm
full OF record books covering most Of the
cases OF assault and other disorders for
which punishment was Administered In
the prison from January, 1912, to June
~, 1914. when Thomas J. Mccormick
was warden. II was records sucn as
these which Warden Osborne was anN-
.pus 10 have compared with similar
records since ne has bel wardcn-a
comparison which he said would DIS
prove any charge that prison discipline
had become more max and brawls more
frequent.
Though Mr.. Osborne Mr.. Mer-
chant we're we'll pleased that the Dis
trict Attorney was giving them what
they asked Mr.. Merchant would be glad
~ Mr.. Weeks would subpoena also the
hospital records. showing how many
prisoners were treated after fights.
These records show that only oae-thtrd
as many have been so treated since
Warden Osborne took hold as IN the two
preceding years.
However. II was a good day for the
warden in the Westchester county Grand
Jury room az far a. could be ascer-
tanned. Whether TO sccede 70 the war
denis other request. that couvicts favor
ing MIN he sem for. or for some other
reason. Mr.. Weeks ~subprni.d four men.
who arrived early .o-day wearing the
green and white button OF Warden Os-
hurre's Mutual Welfare League. ono
Of them. George Evans. is "A Judge o.
the league court. Two others, Peter
Cullen and james Jasper. are said 10
he ptrtisans al the warden. The four;n
] IMAM, NflpEe l.A'ilN NfN lipN EHNNH ohA
was cent over In mistake for Frank
Persist.
Although Mr.. Weeks was reticent. AZ
usual, about the character Of tho testi-
nony given by Evans, Cu!len and Jas
per. Il was generally believed 10 have
been favorable 20 Warden Osborne.
THIS belief was borne out hy a con-
,ersat!on between one OF them n a
county detective. which indicated also
tina; the league members are Indignant
a, the AID given Mr.. Weeks h.. their
former Judge. William Willett.
That fellow Willett ought 20 get his
this convict said a~nvrily. Hes = RAJ.
"A sgucaler that's what lie Is, What
docs he want TO help get Osborne fof
IL knows what the Mutual Welfare
League means To us men IN Sing s!as
/, means "a chance TO be men
II IL expected that Willett VIII con-
t.nue his testimony tomorrow. MI OF
to.day's witnesses were returned TO Sin
sing this afternoon, indicating that the
District Attorney is through with them.
Warden Osborne will not get his oppor-
,uu.ty TO testify until next week. Mr.
Weeks said to-day.