New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-10
Osborne Would Have All
Convicts Examined and
Sorted There.
HOSPITALS PLANNED
TO DISPLACE SHOPS
Scheme Urged by Reformers Op.
poses ToWner Bill to Keep In
dustries at Old Prison.

Thomas Mott Osborne. speaking for
the New York State Prison Council,
gave out yesterday a plan adopted by
friends of prison reform TO combat the
Towner prison bill, which has passed
the Senate az Albany, and threatens 70
pass the Assembly. This plan also
would make Sing Sing a reception and
distributing prison FOR all the penal
institutions of the state. The Towner
bill would continue the industrial sys-
tenn at Sing Sing and build a new prison
at Wingdale. The prison council OBJ
jects TO this because the old buildings
at Sing Sing are no longer TT for prison
cells, and because the new Wingdale
prison would be constructed on the
ancient Beardsley or cell block plan.
Clearing House Needed.
The need Of clearing house for
prisoners was emphasized by Mr. Os-
borne. 1--WE plan" said the former
Sing Sing warden. "to make Sing sing
the first stop Of all convicted men. Each
will be examined by competent medi-
cal board. and If IL finds him normal
and fit for the life and work OF one
of the industrial prisons he shall be
sent at once TO the proper institution.
II the new convict is diseased he VIII
be kept at Sing Sing until cured. Our
tentative plan is 20 have hospital az
Sing Sing. where all severe cases OF
venereal disease and other cases OF in
durable disease shall be kept. Our plan
is TO send tubercular patients to hos
pital at Dannemore.
"Sing Sing. as the clearing house.
will have also a corps OF alienists and
a psychopathic ward. We have found
that at Sing Sing one in forty-hve
patients is sent each year 10 an insane
asylum. We intend TO examine the
mind of each entering convict. If
traces of feeble-mindedness are found
he shall be treated accordingly, and If
he is hopelessly insane he shall be
sent to an asylum, instead Of burdening
some penal institution until his insan-
ity is discovered.
"Time for Change Now
"Our plan, which was drawn up by
committee Of experts and Endorsed by
the National Committee on Prisons and
Prison Labor. will remove all work
shops from Sing Sing and leave only
hospitals. laboratories, gymnasiums
and degistration Offices. The old build
ings. especially the chapel, the school
rooms and the workshops, can readily
be turned into hospitals and labora-
tories. All admitted that Sing Sing
must be rebuilt. and now is an oppor-
tune time 10 introduce new system.
The purpose of this new plan, Mr..
Osborne said, was TO help the prisoner
in the way he wanted TO be helped.
Foremost in support Of the plan was
the Mutual Welfare League.
Efforts Of the prisoners friends 20
find Jobs for them after they leave the
prisons are meeting successe. Martin
T. Loonan. an ex-convict from Auburn,
IL acting as an employment agent for
ex-convicts. Miss VI. A. Almirall is as
sociated with him. They find what
prisoner did before he went TO prison,
what he learned TO do while a convict,
what firms will hire eX-convicts, and
make all the arrangements. The trou-
Bile. said Mr. Osborne. was not so much
with the employers as with the police,
who continued TO hound the "jailbird.'
The present city police administration
was giving its support 20 the prison re-
formers.
A letter 10 Governor Whitman was
given out yesterday, which earnestly
protests against the enactment of the
Towner bill" IL was signed by George
W. Wickersham. William II. Wsdhsms,
Thomas Mott Osborne. James Byrne,
DR.. Walter b. James. Frederick A.
Goethe. James C. Egbert, Robert S.
Brewster. Arnold W. Drummer, Francis
Lynde Stetson, Adolph Lewisohn, DR..
Hugh Auchincloss, +. Stage Within,
George W. Kirchwey, J. J. Manning and
Phillips b. Robinson.