The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-07
RILEY REFUSES TO QUIT
At GOVERNORS u
CowtinNed from First pooc.

for a list Of the officers chosen at the last
e.ection- re did not have such a list,
but after a few days he had one prc.
pared and sent to me.
Il turned this list over to a clerk In
my once and ave instructions thar no
oIncers or the league were TO be included,
mere a have been an oversight or a
mistake. I did not read the list. I
simply signed 1t. thereby giving II my
approval. The point Is that | had no in
tention or breaking up the league"
Claims Credit for Reform.
Supt. Riley aid the credit for most
OF the improvements at Sing Sing and
me other prisons belonged to John r..
Riley and not Thomas Mott Osborne.
lie had eliminated the dark cells. he
said. ordering the heavy. lightproof doors
taken on at Sing Sing and elsewhere.
ne discontinued the practice OF hav-
ing the men kept In their cells from
time Sunday morning to : A.
VI. Monday and he had given the pris-
oners such privileges as conversation,
unrestricted writing of letters and a new
system of grading based on good con-
duct.
Il never opposed the Mutual Welfare
League" he said. and I never disap-
proved OF any OF the improvements or in
novations except when I discovered that
a prize fight was planned at Sing Sing
last Fourth of July"
His only objection to Mr.. Osborne.
Supt. Riley said. was that the warden
refused to furnish lists for drafts when
sing Sing was overcrowded and there
were vacancies in the other prisons and
that he failed to notify the department
OF felonies committed by the convicts.
Mr.. Riley denied that ne ever had any
tI0InIa with NAnIlap IIfYahxa. n,l
branded as false a report that he had or
dered the new warden to restore Martin
Deeley as principal keeper or that MIR.
kirchwey had threatened TO resign
rather than comply.
Il may have told him I did not think
Mr.. Deeley was Justly removed he
said. but I did not demand his return,
nor did l demand any action detrimental
TO the league"
FOPced to Act, says kirchwey.
Al about the same time Mr.. Riley was
giving out this interview Dr. Kirciiwey,
returning from Albany. was telling re-
portcrs and Dick Richards. one of Mr..
Osborne's e~x-convtt friends who per-
suaded Tough Tony Mareno to return
to Sing Sing twenty-four hours after his
escape. that Supt. Rilcy's orders had left
him no other course than TO go to the
Governor.
Warden Kirchwey was evidently we'll
satisfied with the result Of his trip to
see Gov. Whitman. Il don't look par
tlcularly gloomy. do T. he asked re-
portcrs who closed around him.
Il had no course open but to 60 to the
Governor" the warden continued. 'Supt.
iiiley's order simply struck at tho very
heart not only of the Mutual Welfare
League but OF the welfare and discipline
and good order Of the prison. Heaven
knows what might have happened IL all
those men had been transferred.
Executor Of that order would have
created u simply impossible situation, an
almost chaotic situation. I should not
have had a moments peace. If had
obeyed the order the league and every
thing else would have been crippled II
I had d~isobeycd II Supt. Riley would
have removed me. I simply could not
obey the order. SO ! went TO the Cover
nor"
DO you consider the Governors a,tion
4 vindication Of the Mutual Welfare
1.oagrc and of prison reform in gem
crsly'
Yes. I think il Is fair to consider IL
so" Dr. kirchwcy answered. but YOU
have the Governors letter. | think IL
speaks for itself. There were other
orders of Supt. Riley since I have be-
come warden. lie ordered that Mr.. Ds-
borne should not Ice permitted entrance
to the prtSon-that was the wording. and
| don't know whether or not he meant
simply the cell block or the Office. Then
there were other changes he wanted
made that | could not approve"