The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-01
,"IGNORE RILEY"
OSBORNE PLEA.
ASSERTS WEEKS
Warden, Fearing Inquiry,
Begged for Mercy, District
Attorney Says.
|NILLETT TO TESTIFY
TO SING SING CRIME

| The Grand Jury investigation of es-
Icspes. assaults and other crimes In Sing
,Slng prison which has been undertaken
10y District Attorney Frederick t. Weeks
lof Westchcster county is expected to
lte the most rigid inquiry into prison
discipline that Sing Sing has known.
tn. inner workings of Warden osbornes
aIu,ual Welfare League are TO be ex-
posed with the aid of conyicts who ad-
'mlnistercd the leagues affairs and
prison employees who saw the league
IN operation.
Mr Weeks told a reporter for THE
ISCN yesterday that so fearful is Warden
lCsborne of the outcome of the inquiry
that he visited the District Attorneys
office In White Plains i short time ago
'snd pleaded with Mr.. Weeks not to call
Isny conyicts before the Grand Jury.
He wanted Mr.. Weeks. the latter said.
Ito ignore entirely the letter Of Prison
Superintendent John u. Riley calling
the District Attorneys attention to a
hong list of reported fights and assaults
Is the prison, which had resulted In
some cases I'm serious injuries II some of
the ronyicts. Ii is upon this letter that
the Grand Jury investigation Is based.
Conversation with Riley.
''Wardca Osborne came TO me- said
Mr. Weeks land actually begged mc
lot to call any prisoners 10 White
,Flaine. lie said | should examine what
lever prisoners | wan.ed at the prison.
lg- osborne pooh -pouhed the ide;, that
We crimes committed We're assaults.
dc-e matters of prison discipline, he
Sii they were. lie insisted that they
,egc Incidents that he ought to deal
with himself as warden. told him
l. WAS mistaken.
What would sou do with Judge
tasy's letter" | asked Warden Os-
"ae. Ignore IT, he said. What
li e. would you have me disNsard a
,tr from your superior ON your say
+ then showed him the list OF
| - I had and read of six or seven
Il them, each one case OF first or
second degree assault. I'm no surgeon
! told the warden. but when see that
/ so-and-so had live stitches taken In
! is head | know that Is an assault
! fhen H. turned around at Inc like "A iiash
, lni said. Il didn't say to ignore the
sitfr.' What do YOU make of that
shta the words had left his lips just
. .ow minutes before
II Is Known. too, that Warden Os-
torNes / ends are fearful of any Grand
Jury inquiry into conditions nt Sing
sing prison, |, was learned yesterday
! IN ossinIuS that the warden has en-
IGeafored 10 engage counsel In ant!cipa-
ltOn OF coming events. Persons con-
.Nersant with Sing Sing affairs regard
Tie pending inquiry as a crisis in Mr.,
Vsbolne y experiment In prison marriage /
nent. HIS influential friends have been
asked 20 head off the removal OF con-
'.cis from sing Sing for Grand Jury or
other questioning.
The first move in the investigation by
ps'rict Attorney Weeks was the trans
Yer 81 "N-COugrsssmau William Willett
a. queens, convicted OF trying 10 buy a
elrene Court nomination. Willett
Vas chic! justice Of the convict court al
SIG Sing. lie was moved from Sing ,
smI To ta' White rrIus jail on Friday
i'sIt on % writ II habeas corpus granted
by Justice Morsohauser and will remain
~ ta" District All Irney's Instructions f,
uhtl the inqu ends. Nearly all the
assault ard other cases that have been
l"i"usht in the prosecutors attention by T.
lsup'. Riley passed before Will,tt ns a /
Mutual Welfare justice. In fact Will |
let himself l. one OF those who were
~ sdli'rd.