The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-24
BLACKWELL GUARDS
USE FISTS FREELY
So Inmates Tell Prison Com
missiOn-SOmc Men Got
More Than Year.
ADJOURNMENT TILL AUG. 3

Seven prisoners in the penitentiary on
Black wells Island testified before the
Sta,e Commission Of Prisons yesterday
as to conditions at the prison OF wh'ch
they do not approve. Four OF 'ne
keepers whom these prisoners charged
with using clubs and fists too freely
came right back with the admission that
they had used clubs and fists and would
do II again when they thought 1t neces-
eary. This attitude OF the keepers IS
not pleasing to the commission.
incidentally the commission lighted
upon n method employed to send men to
the Island instead of to Sing sing Three
of the prisoners alleged that d
Rosalsky had sentenced them 10 long
terms in the penitentiary' whete 'he
maximum term Is supposed TO be one
wear. II was pointed out by Commits
sloners Uurd and Wade that the sem
tepce of a first offender to SIM sing If
indeterminate The man or boy IN sncn
cases, for he usually is scarcely out OF
his teens, might by good behavior ana
by appealing to "A warden in sympathy
with him get out OF prison and become
a rood citizen. The commission Is CON
vlncc0 lnat unueI i've SSS'c" ny 49,"
men are sent to the p~enltentiary for long
terms there is no chance Of these men
turning over "A new leaf In life.
Long Prison Terms.
This system is founded on the dis
cretionary power which a Judge has IN
cases of assault in the second degree.
ITnon conviction for that offence he may
send a man either to Blackwelrs or TO
Sing sing. Hut II he sends him to Black
vre,i's be can give him a determinate
..ntepco In the three cases brought to
tne c1nnn h,a ms,od or, Sentences
Of four years. six months and fines of
$1,000; in other words a sentence oil
nearly seven years. The contrast pc
tween this long term at blackwell $
Island and the indeterminate sentence
10 Sing Sing was commented on 10y the
Commissioners and a recommendation
touching upon 1t will be made TO the
Governor. II was said.
Charges OF maltrea,ment at the hands
of keepers turned out TO be hardly
worth investigation No convict would
say that he had been cruelty beaten and
their stories of the use OF clubs ana
fists agreed in general with those told
by the guards. All the prisoners ques'
tioned protested against the klnd OF dis
cipltne that sends a man INTO sohtitr!
confinement to live on bread II watel
and to lose all his privileges Tor SIN
weeks merely because he breaks SOM
petty rule OF the prison. They talkeo
about the inadequate facilities Tor wash
ang clothing and about the lack OF some
other things that are now considered
necessary In any well regulated pena
institution.
A. he left the stand the last witness
said he confidently expected that he anc
the others who had testified would b'
In solitary" before the end OF the week
Ironworker Ie''s ss"rs'
Cre case which attracted especial al,
sen,ion was that of a Young iro,
no,,,der sentencej 10 six months ON IN.
I.Iand for h,,,inp another man while h,
20. iptoxicated 4, WAS his firs, of
farce n. said and his clean on, appear
ancs steady eve and f~rankness OF ad
drsss ieIv cauph, Tho notice -
,bo commission This man declare,
sh.t n n,cL,y, NJ nade olga ret,es ,onl,