New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-14
TWO In A CELL
SYSTEM SIFTED
BY PRISON HEADS
Commissioners Hear Sing
Sing Needs - Ignore
Riley-Osborne Feud.
WILL INVESTIGATE
BLACKWELL'S TO-DAY
More Prisoners To Be Sent to
Great Meadows as Relief
from OvercroWding.

Doubling up" the system now in
vogue at Sing Sing. where 240 men are
confined in 100 damp cells, was the
principal topic of discussion among the
State Prison Commission at its monthly
meeting, held yesterday at the Ossin-
ming institution. The deliberation be-
hind closed gates lasted for six hours.
The abuses resulting from the prac-
tice despite the fact that $50 new,
sanitary cells at Great Meadows Prison
are vacant-were thraShod out thor
oughly in yesterdays sessions, as well
as the conditions now existing upon
Blackwells Island. But there was not
a word of the present status of the feud
that has existed for months between
Warden Thomas Mott Osborne and
John B. Riley, Superintendent of Pris-
ons. The problem that started the con-
troversy kept the commissioners busy
most of the afternoon. but who was in
the right was not considered.
The work accomplished, with the ex-
ception of routine business and an IN
spection of the prison, consisted, IN
brief, of the drawing up OF resolution
and the decision to investigate Black
wells Island The latter is the after
math Of charges filed by Frank Iannen-
baum, the Industrial Workers of the
World leader, and others, and Will be-
gin on the Island this morning.
4 L..
the commissioners announced that the
following resolution had been adopted:
Resolved, that the State Commission
of Prisons request the Superintendent
of State Prisons to transfer a sufficient
number of prisoners to Great Meadows
Prison and others, to make 1t unneces-
sary to confne more than one prisoner
in cell, and until such time as the
transfer can be made that the excess
of men doubled in cells be placed IN
a proper dormitory."
Two Share in Victory. .----
This is in accordance with the views
on drafting" often expressed by Su-
perintendent Riley, but 1t is equally an
Osborne victory, for the Warden has
contended for some time that the dor
mitory he had fitted out above the car
penter shop was capable of caring for
$50 inmates and would relieve the con-
gestion in the cell block. The Super
intendent, however, objected to this
method because the dormitory had no
bars on its windows. -.
THE men | want to keep there"
said Mr.. Osborne, when the commits
sjoners had completed their meeting,
"are inmates whose terms end IN
few months, and who have no desire
to escape. ] would even leave the door
open that they might get out of the
building in case of fire, but | would
have an officer stationed at the door
1t was pointed out to the commits
sioners that 240 men were now in the
l2O cells against which objections were
raised, while more than $50 new, sanl-
tary cells in Great Meadows prison, at
Comstock, were empty. The warden
said he had no objections to draft,
as he regarded Sing Sing as clearing
house for offenders of New York City
who constitute IS per cent of those
sentenced in the state-as well as an
institution for housing inmates.
Six members of the commission
voted for the resolution: Vice-Presi-
dent Frank p. Wade, of Buffalo; j. 7.
Murphy, of Ogdensburg; DR.. Rudolph
f. Diedling, of Saugerties; Mrs. Sarah
Davenport, of Bath; Richard NJ. Hurd,
and it's maker, Leon NJ. Weinstock, both
of New York. All explained, however,
that the restrictions at the Comstock
institution would allow only the best
of tom Browns" men to be drafted,
and stated that the recommendation
was merely a repetition of one adopted
a month ago requesting Mr.. Riley to
make transfers.
The entire visiting body commented
upon the improved conditions at Sing
Sing. but Mr.. Weinstock exclaimed that
it was still "the greatest crime in the
State of New York"
Methods employed by Warden Hayes
will be the main topic to-day, and testi-
mony from a number of inmates OF
BlackwelPs Island will be taken to
learn if the charges advanced by Tan
nenbaum are true.