New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-15
Warden Would Use Hose
M MutinouS Prisoners,
He Tells Investigators.
DUMPING GROUND"
HIS IDEA OF ISLAND
Work Only Recreation for In
mates Shut Up in Crowded
Cells for Days.

Patrick hayes WARDEN OF Nhe Nc"
Work City penitentiary, yesterday de-
t.,dsd his water cure" administered
:. ,.veral unruly prisoners on Black
Ii. Island q little more than a year
- He told the members Of the State
p.;.on Commission who are investigat-
;,s conditions in the island just how
80, treatment was given, adding sig
.;4,sDtlv that he would use it sgain
q circumstances warranted.
Back Into Damp Cells.
81 have played hose on men who
,.rs beating down the doors Of their
~, with iron buckets Hayes tesl-
sd because they were rioting. This
,.s inst before the strike last July.
Then. after they got clean clothing
thew were put into their cells. There
- 8oubt that the floors were damp.
oVow many Of them were there :?
Commissioner Frank f. Wade, Of But
..,o irouired. "Oh, three, or four, or
g.. or half a Dozen" replied the war
40, He added he had not used the
hose on any more prisoners because
these we're the only men who N-re
troublesome.
aDid Commissioner Davis know OF
this HAYES was asked. mo, not until
,t.erward. l couldn't call her up ana
,su her I was going to do It. That
v,s an emergency. ! had 10 use the
tos, ss had no cooler then. But L
.ro,ber riot occurred right now ne
exclaimed. even while you commls-
Corers are here, I'd 90 IN and get
I,se and do the same thing again.
Commissioner Richard VI. Hurd then
;-spired # HAYES did not think revolts
vocI5 cease if the prisoners on the
Ij,pd were treated in more humane
rsbrer. 10 which he replied, Snappl!y'
40" He followed this up with: ne
eass of men here in the last I'VE years
is worse than in any state institution.
This is a regular dumping ground 1or
New York's convlcts.
yes agreed Mr.. Hurd, this IS the
rost repressive prison l have ever
known" ,,
81 believe" the warden volunteered,
Chat in New York tomorrow new
,r,son can be built and run upon the
honor system. But I cant DO II here.
A. soon as new man comes IN ne
meets the oldtmors and they teach
linn the tricks. You have TO have the
confidence Of the inmates, and you
have TO get it when they come into
the prison
Kept Days in Cells.
The commissioners brought out that
rTsoners are forced to remain IN
their small cells from o'clock on Sat
urGav afternoon until $3.50 Oh Mon
dav morning, with the exception of the
tine they spend attending religious
services.
The prisoners wo,k from 6 o'clock
in the morning till shortly after noon.
Then. after their meal, they are kept
in their cells for the visiting hour
Until 1870. After their supper, AT
o'clock. they are locked up until morn
ing. Several OF the commissioners OBJ
iee,ed 10 shutting up 1000 men at
noortime simply because fifty visitors
came 10 the Island. They urged that
SATURDAY and Sunday be set apart Tor
visiting days.
Don't you think it is cruel to keep
the men locked up such q long time
each day ' Commissioner Wade asked.
"No. -.r.' was the reply.
We'll. don't you believe it Is cruel to
keep them in cells at noon after their
meal" The same answer came from
the warden.
"Who is responsible for that order ,"
~ lock them up" said Hayes. Then
you're RESPONSIBLE" Mr.. Wade retOrted.
Asked what recreation the prisoners
had the warden said, "None. The en-
ployment they get is recreation
enough. u is impossible TO let the men
out for recreation as the conditions
are now. We are way behind the
times as a prison. The only amuse-
ment the men have is work. This Is a
working prison
Warden Sole Judge.
Al the beginning Of the investiga-
ton, occasioned by reports on Black
wells Island made by the Commits
Nons Inspection Committee, the
Prison Association, and the refusal OF
Federal Judge Pollock TO send prls-
oner there because he had heard condi-
tons were bad, Warden Hayes was the
only witness.
Hayes explained that in cases OF dls-
cipline he was the sole judge and the
offender had no appeal The commits
sioners suggested that the tribunal be
composed OF three men instead of one.
But 1t was in the discussion Of punish
ments that the seventy -year-old
head Of the island stormed at his ques
toners They insisted that he put men
IN the Cooler" 10 break their spirits,
but he protested again and again that
u was only "to change their DISPOSE
tions."
The commissioners urged a definite
scale OF penalties, but Hayes contend
ed that his sliding scale was all right.
Several anonymous cases of alleged
brutality on the part Of the warden's
men were read into the record, and at
to-day's sessions the prisoners who
charged they were beaten are expected
80