The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-14
WILLETT Is CALLED
A RAT BY OSBORNE
Gentlemen Prisoners Worst,
Warden Tells National
Prison Committee.
TAKES WHACK AT WEEKS

r,pEyTowN, y. Y, Nov. t3.--Five
huGdred men aud women prominent In
New York and Westchester assembled at
Ile;herGale. the country home N Adolph
Lewiso.u. his afternoon to attend n
meeting under the auspices OF the Ma
t,nai Committee on Prisons and Prison
Labor.
Mir Lewisohn welcomed the members
and then spoke OF the treatment of prls-
ouers and the coHduct OF prisons and
correctional Institutions. He said most
nrlsoncrs are restored to society and it
i much better hat they come out better
pcrsrns, cured or at least partly cured.
lie said this is the work Warden o.
borne is trying t. do AZ Sing Sing and
h, firmly believes in IL.
D.. Hastings II. Hart. director OF the
child help department of the Russell
sage Foundation. spoke on "Jails and
Needed Reforms Among other things
he charged that in the detention cells In
East Twcuty-secund street. New York,
the conditions were vile,
Following Or. Hart. Dean kirchwey
o. Columbia University mad a short
but iinpass!Oned speech urging support
Of the movement 20 wr"s' 'ho p- sons
from the politicians. He said 1t was q
hard problem : uc1l N.ta %, c,tGa. I..s
enemy Is so we'll intrenched. Miss Clarke
then sang aud Mr., Lewlsohn introduced
Warden osborne of Sing Sing.
THE press has circulated the state
ment that "A petition is to be presented
10 the Governor to halt the investiga-
ton at White Plains" began Mr.. Os-
borne. ITS absurd. Nobody wants to
call of The investigation but we want
a thorough and unbiased investigation.
A great many have said things are
sad at Sing Sing. / find the problem a
glad one. When you see men day
after day with the spirit of God in
their eyes you can't help but be glad.
THE worst crimina is the gentleman
convict. because when an educated man
goes wrong the crack Is generally all
the way through. 1t is the roughneck.
who never had II chance, who may
develop into the real man. The gentle
man scounirel is the worst. and we
have the spectacle OF one now lexicon
gresham Willett is meant. who is
Gong hts best to bring dishonor on the
prisoners At Sing Sing. He Is "A rat,
and 10 call IA man a rat In Sing Sing
IL worse than any name that could be
applied 10 a man outside the prison
walls. H. prison we find vice of the
worst kind, and we also and virtue.
Tie nearest man 10 a saint that l ever
found was In Sins Sing"
Mr.. Osborne said the investigation by
District Attorney Weeks was a mani
fest absurlity. He said prison discipline
rested with the warden and not with
the county official and that to take men
befor. the Grand Jury and make them
tell prison secrets was a gross outrage
and a violation of all faith and decency.
II cant characterize this practice vio-
lently enough he added hotly. Re
member, this fight IL against me. My
light is your fight and II I consulted my
wishes | would go back home to my
family aud my books. But | am In this
Fight for you n | want your help
Judge Wadhams then proposed a vote
Of confidence in Mr.. Osborne's adminis-
,ralion and 1t was put by Mr.. I.ewisohn
and carried unanimously. The guests
were then invited to tea.
Among those present were Mr.. and
Nrs, Henry Phtpps, Judge and Mrs
William II. Wadhams. Miss Var SAINT.
VOID. Dean and Mrs. Frederick A
ioeizc, the Misses Edith and Clara
White, Mrs. John II. Flagler, Frank A
Ndnderl.p, Mrs. Robert II. Ingersoll
Ms. Nals;On II. Brown. Mr.. and Mrs
Herbert, : Carpenter, Mr.. and Mrs. Os.
wsd GARRISON Willard. Miss Katharine
b Davis. Mrs. Il, j. Caldwell, g. u. II
Gilbert Daniel L. Hayes, :. $. Rosen.
stFon Mrs. Charles Frederick HOFFMAN
A's h. A. Grant and Dr. Albert Shaw