New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-05
OIATED OATH,
SAY ACCUSERS
Sing Sing Conditions Are
Called Shocking-Wel-
fare League Involved.
WARDEN is DEFIANT
neries He Disobeyed Orders
Revolt in Prison May Fol-
low His Dismissal.
..e,.-co--e.por dent o. The Tribunsl

.lb.rv Aug. 4-Unless Thomas
uo,t osborne. warden Of Sing Sing
tenders his resignation he will be re-
moved on Tuesday. So The Tribune
-. been informed by one in author
i,y.
"Vsrden Osborne has subjected sing
SING 70 his mistakes Of judgment ana
3of.c.s Of temper'-to quote from The
T-,bpne's editorial calling for his re-
roval-long enough" said high ON
rial Of the administration.
John B. Riley. the Superintendent
n Prisons. is only waiting the word
from Governor Whitman to remove
him
Mr. Whitman left Albany last night
tor o four davs' rest at Newport. when
te returns. it is said, he will order
WARDEN Osborne's removal If Mr.. Os-
torre has not resigned in the mean
time.
Mr.. Osborne could be ousted for vio-
Is.inr his constitutional oath Of Office
This violation has occurred. according
n documents in possession Of Superin-
tendent Riley.
He has. by his own admission vio-
lated the Penal Code. which expressly
rrovides that condemned prisoners
shall be kept in solitary confinement
in the death house until executed, and
rono but relatives, counsel, prison ofii-
Gals and clergymen admitted.
Il was stated here TODAY that in ad-
djron TO allowing members Of the Nut
ysl Welfare League in the death house
Warden Osborne escorted Billy Sunday
and ,orpanion Of the evangelist there
some weeks ago and introduced them
N Charles Becker. This is at variance
with the law.
II is also said that when Mr.. Os-
borne permitted convicts to visit the
sick beds and attend the funerals OF
relatives and fellow criminals he Vio-
lated the law.
Shocked by Prison Conditions.
But far more serious than all these
things. which Warden Osborne did in
his mistaken conception Of humanl-
tarianism for this is the charitable
view taken here's the condition OF
Sing Sing itself.
"Sing Sing is the vilest and most i'm
moral hole in the world said man
conyersart with the situation.
"Only rumors Of the true conditions
have reached Governor Whitman and
Superintendent Riley. But the facts
have been collected in affidavit form
by a state official and will be submit
ted 10 the Governor"
From what The Tribune correspond
ent learned from a high state official,
who knows what these affidavits con-
tain. the deprayed conditions in Sing
Sing are known to certain leading
members Of the Mutual Welfare
League Warden Osborne's prisoners
organization-an and many Of the Mutual
Welfare Leaguers are concerned IN
them.
Since members Of the Mutual Wei
fare League convicts-haYe been used
70 escort visitors around the prison,
women friends Of imprisoned white
slavers have been frequent visitors.
These women. many Of them known to
the police, have been shown to the
cells OF certain convicts, according TO
Information here.
Halts "Plans for Boys
That Mr. Riley is dissatisfied is no
secret He has written to Warden Os-
borne frequently. ordering that he give
up some of his "plans for the boys"
When the superintendent called the
Eardens attention TO the fact that
there ls nothing in the law to allow
prisoner 20 be taken to visit sick rel
tuyeS or others. or TO attend funerals,
Nr. Osborne wrote back that no mat
Ter what the law said il could always
be so construed as to permit a human
huan act. Mr. Riley answered that
no construction could be placed on the
law TO allow convicts TO be sent to
New York City or elsewhere on these
SICK and deathbed visits.
Nr. Riley objects 10 the freedom Mr.
V'oorne allows 10 the prisoners in the
matter Of dress. II is now impossible
70 distinguish Sing Sing convict from
civilian A convict rigged out in
an excellent summer attire under the
gray prison suit. might be mistaken
lor an honest man enjoying his vaca-
uon. II was this garb that made it
Easy FOR the murderer and the two
Whlte slavers, who recently escaped, TO