Evening star., 1915-07-18

enumerated in the Official bulletin of
the Welfare League, and upon which
this opportunity to dress like men
outside is quoted first. Others emu
merated in the bulletin are:
3. Cigarettes. cigars and tobacco are
now allowed to be sent to us.
visits
S. inmates are allowed to keep their
own stamps. This allows one Inmate
age.
6. Instead of being locked in the
cells evenings, we are'fnvited to attend
lectures. moving pictures. song recitals.
classes in stenography, telegraphy,
T. Allowing inmates to attend the
burial of parents and wives.
13. Allowing inmates. when relatives
are leaving, to kiss and embrace them.
w
To those who through honest misap-
prehension or because they want Os-
borne's job charge that under his sys-
tenn the prisoners are leading a life of
pampered idleness and that they are
out Of his control. the evidence is to
the contrary In the last six months
the amount Of work turned out by the
different shops exceeds that turned out
in a similar length Of time since tho
prison was built That means that the
Osborne idea tends to efficiency. Dis
orders have decreased 80 per cent To
appreciate that record 1t must be
borne in mind that prisoners brought
to court for misconduct are judged by
prisoners and that prisoners impose the
sentences. 1t also is of interest that OF
the appeals against the severity of
these sentences those made by the pris-
oners far outnumber those appealed as
being too lenient by tho representative
of the warden.
Where in other years suicides num-
bered twelve to fifteen a year, in seven
at self-destruction. That was the act
Of a man who on the following morn
ing was to be transferred to Clinton
prison. In the old days men tried to
kill themselves because they were in
Sing Sing. This man tried to kill him.
self because he was forced to leave it
Cases OF insanity have decreased SO per
cent: and the general health, in spite
of the rottenness Of the place itself,
has enormously improved. This Is SO
ting idle In the cells. are allowed to re-
main out of doors In the yards.
To sum up: Under the Osborne rule
Of humanity frst," efficiency has i'm
proved. health has improved. discipline
has improved. Since Osborne came to
Sing Sing two men have escaped; and
to each escape tho newspapers gave
much space. In editorials they pointed
out that by the acts Of these two con-
victs the entire honor system at Sing
Sing was proven failure. On the con-
trary. that only two men escaped Is for
the honor system a high testimonial
The escape Of a convict 10 news, the
papers print 1t. and through the papers
the public learn Of 1t. But Of the con-
vict with an equal chance to make a
getaway and who refuses to take 1t,
no one hears. There is no spotlight
for him. No newspaper spreads across
front page:
REFUSE TO ESCAPED
CONVICTS HELD BY HONOR.
l,7OO INMATES OF SING SING
RETURN TO THEIR CELLS.
Ossining, July-Today 100 convicts,
sentenced for from two years to twenty,
or for life, and including burglars, mur-
derers, gunner, petty thieves and saw
ings bank presidents, with no one guard
ing them but fellow-conv1cts. were given
q chance to escape and did not take 1t!
That is the truth. but it is not news"
This month many headliners in the
theatrical world came from the Lambs
Club to Sing Sing to give the inmates a
vaudeville show. I found Mr.. Osborne
and the prison brass band and some
thirty delegates and sergeants-at-arms Of
the Welfare League by the side OF the