New-York tribune., 1920-11-16
Boy Prisoners
Kept IS Days in
Solitary Cells
CONTINUED from page one)


meal every fifth day; he was forbidden
to sit down or lie down until the Of
fetal hour Cor retiring came, and if
he so much as touched his cot or
blanket during the forbidden hours,
five days was added to his sentence;
he was forbidden to read any book
except the Bible, or to have tobacco.
1t was for smuggling tobacco to q
friend undergoing solitary confinem ent,
Ryan said, that Pratt was sent into
solitary. Pratt was fral in appear
ance, he said, and, in his judgment,
manifestly unfit for such an ordeal.
On his eleventh day in solitary con-
finement, the former disciplinarian
said, he became SO alarmed at Pratt's
condition that he summoned q rhysi-
clan and gave the prisoner nourisning
food, although he was violating the
rules by doing so.
Although Pratt had been sentenced
to twenty DAYS in solitary, Ryan said,
he released him after fifteen days, the
youth co!lapslng as he was taken from
the cell. Rvan said that when he told
Mr.. Brewster what he had done he
received a eprimand. Shortly after
his release, Ryan said, Pratt died.
A prisoner named Colletti, he con-
tirued tod him of being beaten in his
cell by three keepers, showing him a
cut on his head and lump on his jaw
in substantiation Of his story. Later,
Ryan said, he went into Colletti's cell
ho
Prisoner Beaten in Cell
An inmate named Cillio, he said, was
beaten by keepers as punie ehment for
trying to escape, and another named
Petura told him of being taken from
his cell by two keepers, who gave him
beating that cost him several teeth.
An inmate named Mcduso, he said, had
tcld him of being struck by a keeper
while he was in the assembly hall, and
another, named Farrell, had showed
him marks of beating which he said
Sly keepers administered to him in his
cell
Il submitted reports either verbally
OF in writing concerning these cases Of
brutality' said Ryan, "out Mr.. Brew
ster didn't take any stock in my re-
ports"
He testified that a prisoner named
Bruno was in solitary confinement for
thirty five days, that frequently such
prisoners were stripped to their under
clothes and that sometimes dysentery
developed as a result Of malnutrition.
Keeping men in cells for twenty-five
Gays without opportunity for EXERCISE"
said Commissioner Weinstock. "is to
my mind horrible punishment"
lsolauon IS necessary method Of
subduing unruly prisoners" said Mr..
Brewster. Some of our prisoners are
vicious gunner from New York"
Starvation as Punishment
"Do you have to subdue them by
process Of starvation?" demanded Mr..
Boyer.
mo, wouldn't put it that way" re-
piled the superintendent, adding that
he could tell of instances Of brutality
that had occurred before he took charge
of the institution. Pressed by the
deputy attorney general to tell Of them,
giving names, dates and punshments
inflicted, Mr. Brewster was unable to
do so.
q have called in an outsiis physi-
clan when an inmate was seriously i'll"
said Mr.. Brewster, "and have been
criticised for doing so.
by whom ?" asked Commissioner
Weiastock.
"Dy some one in the Department Of
Corrections in New York." replied Mr..
Brewster.
He said that he had investigated n
comp aint Of cruel treatment madc by
Angelo Petura and had found it with
out foundation in fact. His assertion
that he knew of no cruelty being prac-
iiced was corroborated by Head Keep
er O'Brien and Ruth Littner, COOK at
the reformatory. The investigation
viii be continued to-day
itomc Rule Bill Read to Tords