The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-08-07


United Press yesterday sent star
~ cOprcspondent 10 Draining TO see nov
Warden Osborne's reforms are work
Ing out and TO find out from osuorn'
liiJneeif what he thinks about cNpefi
~ sssse ~ LOWELL MELLETT.
~ (Gfof Correspondent United Press.
OSSlNING, N V. Aug. 6.-Tht
n ~ IL the moment In undertaking ap
pears 70 be Sing Sing prison. Here's
n another rake;
Some prisoners in Sing Sing wear
\ loud socks.
Il. Some wear tan shoes.
Prisoners are allowed TO talk
talk out loud and even at the table
IN Prisoners. are allowed to attend
Z the funerals Of their mothers and
X wives.
PRISONERS, get so much time out
1t doors that they look like other
people
There ara other charges, but none
apparently so serious as these,
These seem to be those on which
Warden Osborne Il scheduled for
I dismissal. Warden Osborne IL the
6sme Thomas Mott Osborne, million
4 airea With . mission, who spent a
week a. . prisoner in Auburn state
1 prfpon for experience"
1u4H01od Tor an interview, he said
B3xiI Wather be excused, bat he ad-
most Of the charges were
zlsrs really isn't "a much here
1n3e new" he said. tits simply
4 t11k New York Is findirg It harder
k~1kanM noet states 70 reconcile Itself
- two things:
pixat-The conduct Of a prison
cSu he1nmpa institution. +.
oend fhe treatment OF; mel
t1nnan beings. with the idea o
IL z1{hs them "a society improved
n q harmed by the tim'
spent here st the states ex
hen the basis of the psesen,
d cry against our METHODS Il
b. l believe that 'yDu will int
f1h3f ~ n the effort to operate Sins
nong the lines OF good bust
10 that IL causing the most dis
at1sfaction in some quarters. Treat
hG men decently is good business
- Il has increased the output Of oui
industriaI plants ,here 20 per cent
T. FOR quite while after our ad
II ministrstion began we we're the sub
y Jet Ct al sorts of fattering pub
x3lcity, muchAof II inaccurate. mos
- sympathetic. Now. however
fo(1as Of the success of the reform
6 ham ceased to be interesting Blu
n storit6 of its failure--alleged failure
~ should scy--are interesting.
4 Consequently. many stories ar
l& written Of escapes and Attempted
h ssespcs.
III "Aa matter Of fac. there hav
been but three escapes and one al
q tempt. That II somewhat under tn,
average for many years past.
~ Either through mistaken kind
= aess or through inability 20 under
u sitid what we're trying to do. mucl
fas been written TO Indicate a rcIgi
OF sentimentalism at Sing Sing. a
= ~ matter Of fact. consider sent
81 mcntaiity only degree better thai
brutality. There's no sentimentalit
about the Welfare league. 81
through session OF tho prisoners
own court and you'll find that out.
aitting through such sessio
y seemed TO prove his case. Half
1oSen prisoners, charged with vic
lation of various prison rules, wer
brought before a board Of 1--WE othe
prisoners. Few courts ever wer
more thorough and painstaking 81
their efforts to get AT the facts. Fe,
courts ever dealt out more ev,
handed justice. Mercy was the qua
~ least evident What there wa
came from the warden, who. sittin
With the principal keeper and tn
y doctor as . court OF appeals. hear
Tho cases Of those prisoners VIII
felt they had been too severely deal
y with by their fellows.
a They talk about lack Of disciplIn
\ here" he said afterwsrd. 1.-The prii
I; ontrs themselves keep twice a
y close . watch on the conduct Of on
~ smother % the strictest guard coul
= pQsmbly keep. And In our FIRST fou
months only about half as man
" eases were reported for discipln
O. - IN the first four months Of tn
81 yoer before.
n Tho charge that the men talk
q - nrst one that proves itself. Tn
~ obooaco Of the sickening silenc
~ used 70 characterise Sing Sin
~ 49, q the FIRST things one notice,
q ~ two-hour rest period they nc
eoly tan, bat they play or watc
onecDo4 er obtain other exercise.
fzney hovs INST that much les
$1,000 MOOD A their cells. An