New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Token Money System In
trOduCed to Teach Prison
ers Responsibility.
INMATES TO SETTLE
FOR BEDS AND BOARD
Will Receive 81 a Day for Work
-Thriftless Must Sacrifice
Comforts.

mere was one negro at sing Slng
yesterday who was filed with specis
sorrow. With the exception Of one
white man whose apathy shall be told
about later, everyone else was filed
with grand new joy. For it was pay
day at the prison and $4,000 worth Of
prison money went into circulation.
But the negro expressed himself in the
following sorrowful strain to Deputy
Warden Elihu Church,
Boss, if you hadn't taken nah bones
away. Ah'd own all de money in dis
prison befo' night. Lawd. All wish All
could git inter n lii crap game with
desc white boys -Ah'd take all dis
money"
These pining words gave Mr.. Church
a text TO point out the significance OF
the money system that was put INTO
effect at Sing Sing yesterday. for upon
him fell the duty of explaining it in
the absence of Warden Osborne In
stead of the negro's words proving
that money is the root Of all evil, nd
would be al evil at Sing Sing. ..
Church showed now Mr.. Osborne be
lieves it will be the most potent factor
in his reforms in inculcating a sense
of social morality into the inmates.
shows Cause and Effect.
"It is. to my mind, the most inter
esting sociological experiment going o.
in the world" Mr.. Church said. with
these fifteen hundred men penned with
in four walls, the connection between
cause and erect comes home to them
in a way It couldn't in the great out
side world.
These men are paid 81 day II
tok.n money. They are charged for
their room. and for other privileges
The men who -are provident can get
themselves the better rooms. plenty OF
tobacco. certain extras in food, go to
the movies, and so on.
But take he man who should gam
9 bic with the darky and lose all ms
money. He would be broke lie
wouldn't have money fol extras. but,
worse. he wouldn't have money TO paN
for his room. He would become rub
lie charge. The prison community
must support him. and that means tnere
would have 70 be taxation.
And there. YOU have the lessor for
the whole prison community thev WI
ind that men who don't work ana
don't earn any token money, and men
who gamble their token money away,
sre bad for the community. because II
H. eans taxation for m" rest. IL every
one works. uses his money TO cooc
purposes. there will De no publlc
charges and no taXation.
"You see the cause and effect are 81
cbvious in this little penred community
that the men can't help seeing the con-
nection.
prohIems for Welfare League.
..Anti-socia acts on the part Of the
iuJi,idual will give rise TO problems
Ina. viii nave 10 be worked OUT ana
s,lvod through the Mutual Welfare
ea.ue And thus our men VIII De
,,orking out or "a small scale she very
,roblems that society outside Is work
ing out and they will see, we hopc'
What they couldn't see outside whth
they committed offences against the
general welfare. the duty OF each man
TO society
With the putting into effect OF the
money system. Nr. Cnurch mace cir"i .
there we're no arbitrary rules IMPOSED
bv ,he warden. The details OF every p
thiuo pertaining to tbs money propieh'
+, the urison will be left TO the men
Ia work cut themselves. u theii eN-
narience and understanding snow them.
The general plan ~ that Tor siA dal y
a week every man i'm the prison VIII
receive 81 day Tor MS work. n"
NANCY in $40 s. and 81 denominations.
IS nr,rted on paper. Half dollars
ouYrters and dimes are stamped aluml-
ruro. while nickels and pennies are
.tar,o.d brass. All bear the motto OF
the Mutual Welfare League, DO Good
Make Good" and rs monogram
"AlWL." in q black circle. At the pot
tom is "Sing Sing Prison. and then
there is the denomination spelled oui;
They received pay for October ! ard :
Yesterday.
On the other hand, beginning Octo-
her l6. each man VIII be charged room
rent A bed IN the dormitory. the
most desirable quarters. will be sl.6O n
week; on the bottom tier of cells IN the
main block. which are the least deSira-
bic because .hey are damp, the charge
will be 81 week. and 10 cents higher
as they 20 up caeh aght Of the SIX
floors.
Must Pay TO See Movies.
For the movie" show given each
night in the prison they will be charged
10 cents admission. For tobacco, extra
,ocks. shirts. and so on. obtainable AZ
the prison store, they will have to pay
Gouble that is. the price IN real money
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