South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-29
WARDEN Of SING
SING IS INDICTED
Thomas M. Osborne is
Charged With Failure to
Perform Official Duties.

NEW YORK, Dec. 29.--Thomas
Mott Osborne. warden of Sing Sing.
was indicted Tuesday for omission
Of duty as a public officer" The
sixth count charges the warden per
sonally with unlawful and unnat-
ural acts with inmates" He was
also indicted for perjury
Supt of Prisons John y. Riley, on
hearing of this action, announced
that Mr.. Osborne would be sum
marily removed" as warden of Sing
Sing as soon as a high grade man
can be found to take the place.
Gov Whitman's comment was a
brief typewriter statement as fol-
lows:
From the first I have believed
the charges against Mr.. OsbOrne's
personal character entirely un-
founded and l am astonished at the
action of the grand jury. But of
course 1 know nothing whatever Of
the evidence that was presented to
that body"
says He l. Innocent.
Warden Osborne, who asserted for
weeks that he courted indictment
that he might prove his innocence,
made a long statement declaring his
entire innocence.
No warrant was issued. 1t is
usual 10 waive the warrant when
public officials are named George
Gordon Battle lawyer for Mr.. Os
borne. agreed that Mr.. Osborne
should appear in court and give bail
Thursday morning.
The indictment that alleges 'un-
lawful and unnatural acts is drawn
under section 122 of the prison law.
The maximum penalty is a years
Imprisonment and $500 fine If the
fine is not paid 500 days, making
two and half years in all.
Failed i'm Discipline One Count.
The indictment against Warden
Osborne charging omission of duty
as q public officer" has six counts.
1t is the last count, charging fail
ure to maintain discipline" which
astounds the wardens friends. The
count reads in part:
Thomas NJ. Osborne was warden
Of the state prison at Sing Sing and
as such charged among other things
with the duty 10 exercise a general
supervision over the government,
discipline and police of said prison,
and TO examine diligently into the
! health. condition and safekeeping of
the prisoners and to depOrt himself
in a manner to command and merit
the respect, esteem and confidence
of the inmates of said prison.
That the said Thomas NJ. Os~
borne with force and arms on divers
days between Dec. 1, 1914. and the
day of indictment. unmindful Of the
duty imposed by law upon him did
omit to perform said duty, in that
the said Thomas NJ Osborne, wholly
unmindful of his duty as aforesaid,
unlawfully and wilfully did commit
unlawful and unnatural acts with
inmates of Sing Sing prison, over
whom he had supervision and control
tO-wit. Paul VOgel,. James Connolly.
Max Weinberg. Enrique (Henry) De
Lara. Sidney Welsh and various
other inmates of Sing Sing prison
whose names are to the grand iur-
ors unknown, thereby rendering
himself incapable Of maintaining
discipline and proper control over
/ the inmates of said prison"
OF Wealthy Family.
This accusation is all the more
astounding considering Warden Os-
bOrne's character and station in life.
Thomas Mott Osborne is the head
of one of the wealthiest families in
up state New York. His father and
grandfather before him made agri-