Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-05

tSSdpe VI SiHS OHc VI
the prize mem bers of Warden Osborne's
Mutual Welfare League attracted much
attention to the new scheme Of deal
ing with the inmates OF the New York
State Penitentiary. 1t was unfor-
tunate sort OF advertisement for tho
new regime, but visit TO Sing Sing
will go long way toward iustifying
the innovations. even in the face OF
little accidents. such as this one. which
map happen in the best-rcgulatcd peni-
tentiarieS.
Together with George w. Kirchwey.
formerly Kent professor OF law at Co
LmbIa University and still president
OF the American Peace Society, Warden
Osborne has inaugurated many reforms.
which have materially affected life "up
the river" But Sing Sing is still far
from being "A penal Utopia. A look in
side this biggest prison OF the Empire
State will give the average citizen
basis on which to Judge whether or
no such an institution has a place in
modern civilization.
The visitor in the first place. is
likely TO ne disappointed when he finds
that this famous institution really oc-
cupies ONLY about two blocks OF the
hank of the Hudson at the edge OF
Struggling village. There STANDS OUT
IN the foreground the cell house. which
strongly resembles the medieval prison
of his fanCN--Erlm. gray Walls go
Sits OF barred windows.
A little later ne sees tn" interior
of This building and finds that there
IS an inner building containing the cells
some twelve feet back OF the outer
wall 1t. too, is OF bare gray stone,
broken only by the iron barred cen
doors II is only necessary To examine
one OF these cells for eaeh or the 80
of them is exactly like all the DINERS
The stone of these walls is bare.
So cold is il that. two days out OF
three, it conrcals the moisture from
the atmosphere and water may ne
wrunE from towel passed over us
surface. The door looking out upon
the Enclosing wall Is the only open
inv IN The cell Al certain seasons the
sun may for a moment. throw beam
through grated slit that may touch
a cell door
The actual dimensions OF cell are
three feet by six. In 500 OF them TWO
men are imprisoned. The hunks let
down from the wall, and when they
are folded back these two men have
a space six feet by two for their com
bined activities. Here they spend ali
their time except when working In
the shops or at meals
Marching out to meals is great
break in the monotony. To be sure,
the "eats" are not very sumptuous, "a
the State OF New York provides three
meals each day for its prisoners at a
cost Of IL cents per man. despite the
high cost Of living. The men. how
ever, seem not to be emaciated, which
may go to prove the contention that
the average man eats too much. An
idea Of the poorness Of this prison
fare may he gained from the statement
that under the present reform con-
ditions, man gets milk" but once
a week for his oatmeal, and then It
is one part tactical fluid and four parts
water.
But Sing Sing life Is much improved
over what II used to he. There was
the old system, for instance, Of lock-
ing all the prisoners in their cells on
Saturday night and not letting them
out until Monday morning. Under these
conditions II nearly always happened
that some prisoner. driven TO frenzy
by the solitude, would, when his door
was opened on Monday, fall upon the
guard or the first fellow-prisoner who
came his way and attempt to do MUIR
| der. But now the men are let out
| on Sunday afternoon. and may play
games In the sunshine OF the prison
| yard.
But the greatest OF the reforms of
| Osborne is that which has grown out
| Of the Mutual Welfare League. 1t is
| this league that has converted Sing
| Sing into f-governing community
community who may gain good or
| bad regulations may harbor ambitions,
! make careers for themselves.
The Mutual Welfare League governs
| Sing Sing In so far as the conduct OF
| its inmates is concerned. 1t sets up
! It's own courts, presided over by Of
| icers 1t elects. policies the prison.
| makes arrests, prefers charges for mis-
| conduct, tries miscreants and pre-
| scribes their punishment. This one In
| novation, it is claimed, makes all the
| difference between se1f-governing. self
| respecting men and morose and re-
| sentful prisoners.
| How are things insde?" young
| prisoner was asked the other day
| Zine" was his answer. "All the boys
| are behaving themselves. There is nc
| more trouble"
| what is the cause Of this changer
| he was> asked. 1--WE promised Tom
| Brown we would he good" he said.
| "Tom Brown" II should be remem.
| bered, was the name under which OS.
| borne served voluntary term IN
! prison that he might study prison life
| In Sing Sing the men call him "Ton
| Brown" as n term OF affection. There
| are "Tom Brown clubs. The inmates
| are making n remarkable record OF
few infractions OF rules that such Il
record may help Osborne IN his fight
against the charges he is facing. There
IL one old-time prisoner now in Sing
such institutions. and who boast thai
den Kirchwey that no would stay in