The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-17
DIEDLING SAYS OSBORNE
TRIED TO HIDE CRIME
III. Diedling, in Making Eleven Charges, Uses Willett
Story That Warden Attempted to Hush Prisoners
in Sing Sing-Wants Indictment.

some of the REASONS WHY Or. Rudolph
Diedling of the State Prisons Commission
believes that Warden Osborne should be
removed from office and also indicted
were disclosed yesterday by DR.. Died
hhgs counsel. Eaoui T.. Ucsvernine of
90 William street. who made public GER
tain portions Of the TESTIMONY taken by
Or. Diedling recently at Sing Sing and
some OF his recommendations based
thereon.
Dr. Diedling's report. together with the
testimony, has been sent to Gov. Whit
man. superintendent of Prisons Riley
ana District Attorney Weeks of Vest
chester. the latter having made us,
OF II IN tho inquiry he has been conduc;
ing INTO Sing Sing conditions. The state
Prisons Commission has not acted upon
II as "a body and will not do so, IL IL
understood, until Its next meeting. De-
cember 81.
Eleven Reasons for Removal,
In his report Or. Diedling gives eleven
reasons why the warden should be re-
moved. They are rs follows:
Failure to report ~fclonies and mis-
demeanors to proper authorities.
.-ncliberatc p~reineditatcd efforts
ny the warden to conceal from the
proper authorities knowledge OF these
felonies and mlsaemcanors.
3-Refusal to submit records and in.
formation to a commission conducting
an official investigation.
f-Because his Methods OF conducting
tho prison ave demoralized the dis
ciplinc.
5-Bccause his methods have reduced
the efficiency of industries in the prison.
S-Because his methods expose in
mates to felonies and assaults from the
more viciously inclined among their COM
p%anions.
1-Because these methods have facili-
tnted the escape of several prisoners.
s-Bccause he has taken the discipline
out of the hands of paid civilian keepers
and from the better element among the
prisoners and entrusted II to the mos.
vicious and degenerate Of the inmates
many of whom are third. fourth, NTH
and even tenth tcrmers.
?--BcCTiuse his methods have permitted
and encouraged the introduction of
women visitors into the prison and az
forded opportunity for immortality.
lO-Becauee he has permitted prison.
ers to leave the prison without proper
guard required by law.
l1-Becausc he has permitted prison.
ers and others TO visit the death house
and convcrse with condemned men with
out proper legai!zat.on.
Why lie Wants Indictment.
DR.. Diedling would have Warden Os-
borne indicted because he alleges, tho
warden became an accessory TO the
crime OF felonious assault. because he
refused to allow the Commissioner To see
.,r -, "a To-, a,-1 t.na, ,As la. "a
prisoners TO escape
In excerpts Of The testimony made pub
lie by Dr. Diedlinr's attorney 1t appears
that cx-Itepresentat!ve william Willett
was the Commissioners star witness.
According to III" testimony given out
yesterday, Willet, told OF an address
made by Warden Osborne 10 the men
convicted in tin" convicts' court OF vicious
practices in which he discussed the pos
sibility OF the District Attorney In
duiring into IL. matter. According 10
W!l!e,t. tn" warden said on that occasion
that thu Information ne had btaiHe
mad been received lin the nature OF a
confession In TN" confessional. and that
he didn't propose TO disclos. anything,
The warden, WS,ctt testiicd. even went
go FAR as 10 say that he would go to
jail frs'. Willc't also quoted him as
saying
III COnTSs YOU men won | a0nllI mat
you did anything wrong, and the records
&: the our have been stolen. and 80
the District Attorney may have ono
trouble
Willett said that he and other con.
v.cts present Inferred from this that the
warden was urging them TO onosal evil
dencc from tho authorities with respect
TO these cases. q
Among other things Wiliett testified
while the sixty or seventy assist
ant sergeants-at-ar1ns Of the league were
charged With the disciplin" of the prison
IN many cages they were the participants
IN rows.
Accused Men Lcssuc Omr-rs.
The men involved In tho cases OF
vicious practices were, he said. in almost
every case either members OF the cXecu-
tive or OF the board of dele :
gates or assistant observation-disclosures or
mon. All Of these. he explained.
special privileges ~ officers
undcr the league. When asked II the
OF the league gave orders 10
the prison officers Will.tt said
''Thcy don't give the orders. They
don't pay any attention to tho officers.
The officers stand round and look wise.
When I was assaulted 7 ran to the officer
for hep and n" ran away. The officers
absolutely afraid" Z
Willett insisted that he had advised
rden Osborne TO have an interview
the District Attorney about the vice
cases which he, Willett, had handled as
Judge OF the cony.cts' court. After get
ting a letter informing him that District
Attorney Weeks IA been ordered to
take up these cases. Willett said, the
called him and other members
Of the Judiciary board 10 his house and
that he didn't intend TO tell
and wanted TO know what their attitude
would be. Nobody else volunteered to
TO Jail" said Willett, according to
testimony, "ard the matter was
dropped"
convict named Oscar SuparnaD. n