New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-20
y INDICTED
IN SING SING
CRIME INQUIRY
Twenty of Accused Men
Were Mutual Welfare
League Leaders.
GRAND JURY WILL
CONTINUE WORK
Osborne, in Court, Watches lie.
gal Battle for Convict Who
Refused to Talk.

Twenty-Five indictments were re-
turned yesterday against present and
former inmates Of Sing Sing by the
Westchester Grand Jury, sitting at
White Plains. in the course of its in
quiry into conditions at Sing Sing. The
charge in every case was sodomy.
Twenty Of the indicted men are, or
have been, trusted officials Of the pris-
on, high in the Mutual Welfare League
or aids to the warden and his subor-
dinates. Twcnty-one of the indictments
are for the actual commission Of the
crime. Nathan Kaplan is charged with
attempt.
After a legal skirmish, which Warden
Osborne witnessed but took no part In.
Peter Cullen, the convict brought from
Sing Sing Wednesday night, on war
rant for criminal contempt, was held
by Judge Morschauser In the custody
Of Sheriff Wiesendanger.
John B. Riley, Superintendent Of
Prisons, was a witness before the jury
yesterday.
Warrants for the arrest Of the in
dicted men were handed to Sheriff
Wie.endanger late yesterday after
noon. The names which they bear and
the Offices which the men have held
are:
Louis Acker and Thomas Hylan, dele
gates of the Mutual Welfare League;
William Riley, Harry Green, F. NJ. Nc
Dermott, William Snyder. Thomas
Shannon, Joseph Degnan, Marquis Cur
tbs. Martin Mclaughlin and Joseph
Toblinsky, sergeants-at-arms; David
Stone and Frank Harris, gallery keep
ers; Miguel Boada, William Armstrong,
Luigi Fillipelli, gallery guards: George
Dalton, the principal keepers runner;
Charles Miller, Ernest Menet and John
Alloca.
Some of the above men have been
transferred TO other prisons from Sing
Sing. Others are still in the institu-
ton in which their crimes were COM
mitted.
This by no means completes the work
of the grand Jury. District Attorney
Weeks said yesterday that the invest-
CATION would probably continue for two
weeks longer.
Nathan Kaplan, alias Kid Dropper'
former assistant butler, against whom
the indictment charges attempt, was
the only one of those named IN the
warrants who was in the hands OF
county officials. He has been held IN
the White Plains Jail during the ses-
sion of the jury and has acted as
witness.
Following the appearance OF the
grand Jury in court before Judge
Morschauser, who received the indlct-
ments it had returned, Kaplan was ar
raigned. John s. Brennan, OF the hrm
of Brennan e. Currsn, was assigned as
the convict's counsel. He was excused
by the Judge after pleading excess OF
business which would make 1t impos-
sble for him to take the case. ms
partner, Thomas F. Curran, was then
appointed. 80.
After a short consultation with the
indicted man the lawyer announced
that he would plead not guilty, and
asked that he be sent back 10 Sing Sing
to await trial. Assistant District At
torney Fallon pointed out to the judge
that his Office would control the dis
position of the prisoner by the terms
of q writ held by his Office, and Judge
Moischauser, after setting December
IL as the tentative date for the trial,
closed the arraignment.
Before the entrance of the grand
Jury TO the courtroom Warden Osborne,
accompanied BY Edgar Ryder, lawyer,
of Ossining; Huntington w. Merchant,
the warden's attorney, and Edgar
Bromberger, Deputy Attorney General,
appeared to argue the case of Peter
Cullen, brought from Sing Sing on
Wednesday night by warrant issued
By Judge Morschausor.
After acknowledging the presence OF
Mr.. Brombcrger as representative Of
the state Judge Morschauser said that
the court was not concerned as to the
means by which the convict had been
taken from Sing Sing until this was
brought up judicially.
1.-THE fact of the matter remains" he
announced, that the prisoner Is right
fully before me, and that is all that
an concerned with"
Mr.. Bromberger then pointed out
that since he was unfamiliar with the
case he would ask the court TO adjourn
the hearing for an hour or so in order
that he might consider the case more
carefully.
This motion was opposed by Assist
ant District Attorney Fallon, who an
nounced that both parties were there
and ready TO proceed, and that, there
fore, he saw no further need for delay.
He continued to protes. after Judge