New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-28
STORIES OF SING SING
TOUCH HEARTS OF MANY
From Social Workers. Business Men and Prisoners Come
Letters Prasng Tribunes Authorizations
Suggested for Convict Upift

er for years writes 20 the Editor OF
The Tribune:
Praise for the work and words OF
Mr.. Lewis Wood may seem like applaud
ing the Bible. but because il seems
TO me so much like the Bible might
sound in the language and thoughts
OF to-day, ! want to add my mite TO
the general welcome that il must re-
ceive from Tribune readers. Not long
ago you furnished n short article on
a similar topic by Mr.. Arthur Ruiz.
That, too, was gem. The appearance
of a second article in the same spirit
seems to me 10 mean something. II II
does mean what IL seems TO mean you
have big job cut out for you, but 4
know OF no paper in New York City or
anywhere else that has a better foun-
dation for il in tradition and in pres
ent equipment.
"As to the articles in question,
wish 10 say what many readers will
think, but not say. that for clean cut.
straightforward man-sized American
decency. il is about the best thing |
ever saw printed in a newspaper. Mr..
Wood put in the atmosphere and the
punch / would like to see him follow
the thing until the best dreams come
true"
Farm Plan Might Save Manv.
John F. Mann. an inspector in the
United States immigration service,
writes:
81 was especially interested in the
last part Of your final article on Sing
Sing, Where would he start to hunt for
work. / think that if few persons
would take a sympathetic interest in
this matter they could establish with
out notoriety a farm where these men
could work a while, at least, and get
rid Of the prison atmosphere at the
same time. They could do enough
work to more than pay for their board,
lodging and other necessary expenses
while they would also be among per-
sons who would not point to them as
curiosities. After that. through friends
or relatives, they might be helped 10
better places. At the same time, the
farm could be run on a profit to the
owner and thus constitute a self-sup-
porting and charitable institution"
Hundreds of people whose names arc
as we'll known as the street signs are
taking deep interest in the work that
Thomas Mott Osborne is doing. Charles
Dana Gibson, the illustrator. who has
visited the prison several times lately
with his wife, said yesterday that he
was much impressed with the fine quail
tiles Of some of the prisoners. For az
least three of them, he said, he would
gladly be responsible after their re-
lease.
{. ID. Gibson Offers Help.
"Tvo of these men were sent away
for crimes which could easily be con
strued as boyish waywardness, SAID
Mr.. Gibson. "They were sent TO prison
for terms exceeding ten years though
they were boys just past seventeen
wears old. One was sentenced TO pay
a fine of $1,000. He has served his
time, and is now working out his fine.
This is a nice state of affairs, COM
pelling a man TO pay something he mas
not got and taking IL out IN LABOR.
Why not permit that man to be turned
out so he could earn the money for
the fine in this way and at the same
time have a chance to share IN the
worldly good? | would not hesitate to
stand responsible for that man. lie
could report to me or any other re-
sponsible citizen of the community who
would stand responsible for him. II
it were found that he was not sincere
in his motives he could be sent back.
There are a lot in there, | admit,
who would never amount to anything,
lust natural criminals, no sooner out
of Jail than back. There is one negro
there who has spent twenty-six years
in Jail and only twenty-one out. Sucn
fellows | should put on a farm, WORK
them from sunrise to sunset, and get
some good out of them. They are
more happy in Jail than out, and II
would be actually unknd to give them
absolute freedom.
at is really a wonderful piece oil
work that Mr.. Osborne is doing. Those
men in there are doing everything
they can to help him and are most
enthusiastic. They realize that IN
them rests the transformation OF the
prison into a kind Of reformatory and
that with them rests the success OF
failure Of the Warden's theories"
Mr.. Gibson is absolutely opposed 10
capital punishment. THE man VINO Is
brought out to be put to death Tor
murder is not the murderer in the
broad sense" he said. "He is another
man. a religious fanatic, If YOU like'
or man made over. You might JUST
az we'll 90 back to the days when they
hung \ man in the public square
rointed out the corpse as a warning
and allowed il TO hang until 1t rot1eu'
as TO permit capital punishment