The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-26
PREFERS SING Sing
TO OTHER PRISONS
Man Held for Theft Indicates
Advantages of State
Penitentiary.
cRITICIsEs MOST JAILs
Therefore Would Face Felony
Charge Rather Than
MisdemeanOr.

According to Joseph MCGOWAN. who.
lived In a furnished room at 9 Prospect
place. Brooklyn there IL nothing In the
life OF penitentiaries To recommend II to
man bred to the variety and stimulus
OF existence In a metropolitan commu-
nifty In The McGowanian view. If one Is
to go TO prison at all. let II be Sing Sirg
ard have done.
He enunciated his doctrine in York
vile Court yesterday before Justice
Freschi of Special Sessions. Hr was
accused Of misdemeanor in stealing
coat from Epitharihs Palcochritos.
~oomer in the Prospect place house
Paleochrites was not present to press
tNe complaint. II was Detectives Blass
and Carlson who told of the crime and
urged that the law take It's course. Nc
Gowan. called upon to controvert them.
came 1T once to the crux of the case as
he saw It.
In a preamble he explained briefly
that he was not without learning in the
law: that he had served three terms In
penitentiaries and one In a reformatory
and so had been able to absorb most OF
It's principles at first hand II Is the
essential benignity of our system Of
Jurisprudence. he insisted. that begets
and then fosters those abuses OF which
the public most complains
Here" he said 81 am accused Of
atealine coat from a Greek. after I'M
lawfully entering his premises In the
night time with intent to coxmi, a fell
ony The stated value OF the coat. al
legged to have cost s63 makes the Of
fence felony. Surely IL. In addition to
the element OF value intent and circum-
amounts to burglary In the first degree
These gentlemen seem to insist that the
law take its appointed course say
then let the law come along and take IT,"
From the woolsack Justice Freschi
looked at him wonder'ue
1T Is within the sound discretion Of
the court" he said. go permit you or
any person accused to Plead 70 a
over degree of crime In any circum-
stances The criminal branch Of our
legal system Is benign. as Won seem to
have gathered. In It's essence ma
one If its admin'stra tors seeking az
once TO be mercifu' and CONSCIENTIOUS.
am Differing you on the one hNnd tia
protection and on The other considering.
hs see It. your greatest good Why
do vou want + 90 TO sing Sing?"
because" chirped Meg wan blith'ev.
Il have tried the ren'tentia rles and
they are ineff'ca cious. They did not re-
form me: 7 emerged from the last one
n drug addict And socially the condi-
tons In them are lnsupportable. an &C.
ca sionai man OF initiative or daring Is
practically never encountered In rne.
Now In Sing Sing the average OF mem
tally is much higher: you meet men OF
constructive genius there: financiers.
thinkers. men of brilliant achievement.
But Justice Freschi nodded TO the
arraigning detectives. HE says he Is a
drug addict" he said. 'I believe him
implicitly. Take him below overnight
and let him sleep the poison out Of his
system. will hold him in bail for
Special Sessions, and II he can convin sc
the three Justices there that he should
be allowed to plead to a felony II is for
them TO take a responsibility which
on this day OF thankfulness I refuse TO
aaeiirne "