The sun., 1916-12-07
VIM. Il. MOVER NEW
! Sing sing WARDEN
Former Head Of Atlanta Peni-
Tertiary to Succeed Thos.
NJ. Osborne.
FATHER OF REFORMS
Removed From Federal Prison
Following Second Set
Of Charges.
FATHER OF REFORMS

AkoANrs bct. W" -.
twelve years warden Of the Federal
penitentiary In Atlanta. O.. was chosen
to-day a. warden Of Sing Sing prison.
He probably will take UP his work there
nsxt Monday.
The announcement Of the appointment
was made this morning BY James NJ.
Carter, State Superintendent OF Prisons
Mr.. Meyers selection was recommended
70 Gov. Whitman and Superintendent
Carter by George w. wickersham. for
mel Attorney-Generai Gen. : w. w.
Wotherspoon, state Superintendent OF
Public Works. and Joseph p. Mayors,
secretary Of the American Prison Asso-
citation.
Though Mr.. Meyer was born In Penn.
Sylvanis he lived In New York for q
time and was special examiner In the
Department Of Justice. The new posi-
tion will pay a salary Of $4,000 a year
and provide him a home and mainte-
nance. Colvin Derrick. acting warden.
Who has had charge OF Sing Sing since
the. resignation OF Thomas Mott o.
borne. will return to his position Of con-
0dential clerk and probably will be
deputy warden.
Gov. Whitman IL satisfied that with hte
choice Of Mr. Meyer he has found one
Of the ablest prison executives In the
country. He knows that Mr.. Meyer has
h reputation Of being a leade In prison
reform work; that he introduced many
new and humane ideas in the manage.
ment Of the Federal prison, and that he
also 10 q strict disciplinarian. In other
words. the Governor believes that Mr..
Meyer Ii exactly the man to take up the
work In Sing Sing.
1t is expected that Mr.. Meyer will Be
helpful to Ebert H. Gary's commission
which has been established in Sing Sing
and that he will proceed carefully so ~
20 win the confidence Of the inmates.
Mr.. Meyer was In Albany to-day. He
. q conference with CAV. Whitman,
Superintendent Carter and George w.
Franklin. Deputy Superintendent Of the
Prison Department. He would not dis.
0uss his plans.
There are two subjects I never dis.
0uss publicly" he said in answer to In.
Quiries: myself for one and . convict
for the othes.'
He left the city this afternoon for hi,
home In Philadelphia. where no has hi
temporary residence.
william Henry Meyer has had fol
years the reputation OF being q leader
In prison reform work. In his twelve
years as warden Of the Federal peniten'
tiary In Atlanta he instituted ideas fol
the care Of prisoners that we're consid
cred unusual at the time. but which arr
now regarded the rights to which EVER,
criminal. no matter how bad. 10 entitled
Through charges made by Julial
Hawthorne an investigation into Meyer
conduct OF the prison was started II
1914 under the direction OF Attorney
--. nh .Aa,he Nra
V~indication for the warden. Then othel
charges were preferred against him ant
Attorney-General Gregory demanded hi
resignation in March. 1915.
Friends stood by Him.
Despite his removal he continues Il
have the support OF proponents OF prison
reform throughout the country. HI
friends have compiled an exceedingl!
long list of the reforms which he pu
into effect in Atlanta. Among thes
are: Abolition OF stripes in prison garb
elimination of registry number liftinI
the ban of silence at meals for the frs
time in any American prison provid
ing tables from VIII CHI the prisoner
could eat and giving them knives an
forks segregation of the first and youth
full offenders from the hardened crimi
mails; establishment Of a prison orches
ira. entertainment In the prison: tn
publication OF a prison paper; a com
ploteiy equipped hospital, a tuberculosi
camp. eight hours work a day. enlarge
ment of recreational facilities and the In
troduction OF baseball among the pris
oners.
The appointment of Meyer to the war
denship OF Sing Sing received the unquali
fed approval Of George w. Wickershan
former Acknowledgement. Speaking O
Mr.. Meyer Mr.. Wickersham said:
II found him a straightforward. ei
fective and competent man. He va
very responsive to every suggestion
made as Acknowledgement, or that an
one else might make for the good Of tn
prison. Under him a number OF I'm
provements and reforms were instituted
He carried on the construction Of IN
new prison there In an admirable styl
never have had n reasOn to hin
other OF him than a very good man.
found him to be the best man In prise
service and ! believe that Gov. Whitma
might have Jared much worse
Osborne Makes No Comment.
When Thomas Mott Osborne forme
Warden Of Sing Sing, was asked for hi
opinion concerning Meyers appointmer
he replied II have nothing to say. I o.
Sut VI ~ ~ " sb'tN ~ - y
Of New York"
Prof. George w. Kirchwey. who wa
warden of Sing Sing during the tim
that Mr.. Osborne was out Of Office PEN
Ing the trial Of the Indictments again.
him. said
81 don't feel ] know enough about NJ
Meyer at this time to- say anything.
hope that he will recognize the value
the new system OF self-government II
troduced by Mr.. Osborne and maintaine
BY me during Mr.. Osborne's absence"
DIR. Il. Stagg Within. secretary Of II
National Committee on Prison Lab
and friend of Mr. Osborne, would NAL
no on Mr., Meyers appoin
ment.
1t was learned that many of Mr.. o
borne's friends expressed a feeling
hopelessness over Mr.. Meyers appoin
ment. They fear that with his installi
tion in Office he will quickly do ava
with the Mutual Welfare League Whit
MIR. Osborne originated.