New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-07
Whitman Acts on DR..
Kirchwey's Plea
Against Transfers.
EX-DEAN TO BE
CHIEF. is RUMOR
Delay by Superintendent
Means Ousting - Riley
Says He Won't Resign.

Convinced that John r. Riley. super
intendent of Prisons. had deliberately
set on. TO hamper tn administration
Of DR.. George ". kirchwey. The new
warden Of Sing Sing prison, Governor
Whitman yesterday demanded his
resignation. Unless .tis is immediate
ly forthcoming charges will he pre-
ferrcd against Riley, and his suspen-
sion and trial will follow.
At the Hotel Martinique las. uigat
Riley announced that he would 80 20
the Governor this morning 10 convinc-
him that he is mistskeI and ask 20 be
allowed TO retain his place. Persons
close TO the Governor in Albany said
this request would not be granted and
that Riley had performed mis- last act
as Superintendent Of Prisons.
Who the new head Of the depart
ment will be is as yet undecided. The
man most prominently mentioned IS
DR.. Klrchwey. The former head Of
the Columbia Law Schoo! was picked
for this place by M. Whitman some
months ago, and it il believed that he
can h we it now If he will take IT,
The decision to remcye Riley, while
surprising to that official and his
friends. came as the direct result Of
an order from Riley which, # obeyed,
would have demoralized completely the
machinery Of the prison. This order
received late Wednesday, demanded
the transfer of sixty-siX men from
Sing Sing 20 DannemOra In the sixty
six was nearly every prisoner holding
4 place Of importanc, in the prison
organization.
To obey the order would have caused
a condition Of affairs which would
have warranted Riley's removing Or.
Kirchwey from tho wardenshlp. NOT
to obey would have made him liable
TO removal for characterization.
Seeing the situation, Dr.. kirchwey
came 10 his New York home and tele-
phohed the Governor Wednesday
night, asking for an appointment In
pressed By the urgency Of the case
Governor Whitman asked him TO call
AT the Executive Mansion at 10 o'clock
Yesterday T. rorning. DI. Kirchwey went
TO Albany on the midnight tram,
carving with him the order and other
instructions from Riley that he felt
he could not obey with any hope OF
MAXIM his administration successful.
Governor Demands Resignation.
These he gave TO the Governor.
shortly before noon this letter was
dispatched 10 Riley's Office, being re
ceived in his absence at sing sing
by Judge smith Weed. his chief clerk
Dear Sir: have just been apprised
of an order made by you directing tne
transfer from Sing Sing 20 the state
prison at Dannemora of sixty-siX con-
victs Some of these, as has been Gus
tomary are transferred as tubercular
natients. Most Of them. It appears,
have been or are at present prominent
lv connected with the Mutual welfare
League Of the prison and are regarded
by the warden as trustworthy ana
necessary under the present conditions
for the proper administration OF the
affairs Of the prison. The warden was
not consulted at all in this matter.
at was distinctly understood when
DR. Kircbwev went TO Sing Sing which
ba did al our earnest solicitation that
he should get an opportunity thorough
iv 10 familiarize himself with the con
iitions. and. so far as practcaole'
should have "A free hand.
.'You know. as well as |. that a trans
fer from Sing Sing to Dannemora, eX-
cent i'm cases Of tubercular patients IS
regarded as punishment, and has been
for years. ..-.- ...;o,
"Your drastic and precipitate action
without conference either with the
warden or with the Governor. It seems
70 me. can be inspired by but one
motive. and its effect, as you must
know, If carried out. must be 10 preaS
down the administration and render the
now warden's position intolerable.
81 have felt and still feel that IN
vour enfeebled condition of health you
may not altogether realize the full et,
feet Of your official action on thls ana
on other occasions.
"But this order - so clearly yloia
ZION OF our understanding and OF the
tcrms under which DR.. kirchwey went
IN Sing Sing, as well as, II seems TO
me of your official obligation to the
neople Of this state, that | deem II my
dutv 10 ask for your immediate resIB-
Totion Very truly yours,
CHARLES s. WHITMAN