The New York herald., 1921-01-30
Warden Lawes, Authority on Penology. Sees
No Marked Difference Since Prohibition
in Character of Crimes

florist, / office manager, l newspaper ed
itor, l moving picture operator. paymas-
ter, druggists, 2 undertakers, teachers.
a dentist, matchmaker, a milliner, an in
surance agent and stenographers. Law.
medicine and civil engineering were the only
learned professions represented, each pro-
fession of them contributing representa-
tives
And, although all these men gave their
occupations as above stated, nearly a third
Of them were loafing when they were
rested-304 to be exact-while the other
743 were employed, but many of them less
than more.
And as to whether crimes Of guile are
increasing while violence is dying out last
years grst shows 26 sent up for homicide,
162 for burglary and 76 for assault. Also
out Of the men sent up last year very few
were Of American parentage-695 were ma
tive born, but mostly of foreign parentage;
the other $50 were born out Of the United
States.
Out of the murderers of last year twenty
came up under sentence of DEATH but as
the warden said when interrogated on this
point:
"Of course the whole twenty were not exc
cuted For that matter I can't see that
capital punishment has ever been deter
rent of crime. Hardly any man with a
modicum of intelligence and fairly capable
lawyer to represent him dies in the electric
chair any more. The ones who do are most
ly poor numbskulls who >do not know how
to look out for themselves and in whom
one is greatly interested"
And yet for the all the wardens conviction
that neither capital punishment nor war
nor famine nor pestilence nor prohibition
makes any difference in the number and
kind of the men who find their way to pris-
ons every year he goes right along forward
with prison schools and welfare work and
reform so far as that may be'possible. Of
the Mutual Welfare League, established by
his predecessor Thomas Mott Osborne, he
said in his last report to the Superintendent
of Prisons:
League an Important Factor
In Restoring Mems Self Respect
"The league is functioning satisfactorily,
and for normal prisoner I am convinced
that within proper limitations it will do
more to establish a feeling of self-respect,
50 necessary to reformation, than anything
else. Among other things the delegates Of
the league, who direct the self government
of the inmates, are employed and are not
allowed to devote their time, as under some
previous wardens, to prison politics Also
the school work of the prison is doing well.
Mr.. N. J. Henzel. the head teacher, has suc-
ceeded In establishing fine spirit in the
school and I particularly desire to call your
attention to his work"
The warden apparently with the idea
that work makes a good offset against
criminal habits has this to say of the prison
industries
THE Industries have made the most cred
liable showing In their history. although
there Is still room for future progress. Mr..
John p Joyce Superintendent Of Industries,
is developing great efficiency, and further
improvements not only possible but GER
tain. The profits of the industries stand at
s150.071 higher than in any previous year;
this after deducting loss of s30.463 by fire.
Robert Kennedy, foreman of the knitting
mill, shows a gross profit increase in his
department of $54,706, and is entitled to
special mention"
But In one Sing Sing report for the year
just ended there is a note of melancholy,
especially significant since it is made by the
Rev. William E. Cashin, chaplain of the
filled with zeal and endeavor never called
for within the scope Of his official duties,
has few expressions of pessimism in it,
He writes that there is a lamentabe
apathy and indifference concerning religious
matters among the men in Sing Sing now
particularly the ones who have come in re-
Gently. He is insstent that 'ieome measures
should be taken to stimulate greater interest
in this work for their rehabilitation" and
he recommends that a new chapel be built
so that religious services will not have to be
held in the same auditorium where the
atrcals and athletic exhibitions are given
at present
But Warden Lawes. in a discussion of
Sing Sing and its conditions a few days ago.