The New York herald., 1921-02-27
NAPANOCHPRISON,
FINEST OF ITSKIND.
FACES REALCRISIS
Model Institution Up in u
ster County Butt of Streak
of Economy.
BUT BUSINESS rs DULL
Trustees Plead for Years
Delay in Closing 1t, as
Crime Wave Grows.

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
NApANocH, N. Y, Feb. 24.-The best
little barred window hotel that the
State runs, the Eastern New York
State Reformatory, otherwise known
as Napanoch Prison. is apt to be
closed by an economical Legislature.
1t cost $S5, 900 to maintain this small
prison de luxe, the Ritz-Carlton OF
jails. last year, and there were never
as many as 200 pris-patrons in the
place. At present there are just 195.
The State, always hard up and get
ting pincheder and pincheder, frowns
at taking care of prisoners at about
$40 each a year, so a bill has been
introduced by the Finance Committee
of the State Assembly to cut Off
Napanoch's cash. The Legislature Is
planning to forget there is such
place, and that means that the warden
and the prisoners may not be there
next Christmas eve.
The trouble with Napanoch. nice as 1t
Is, is the trouble with most Of the State
prisons-falling off of business. Patron
age has shrunk. There is no longer
fervtd desire to seek quarters in our
really excellent bastilles. This is true
all over the State. Elmira is only half
full, for example. Napanoch itself Is
boarding 1875 instead OF the 500 for
whose entertainment it was built.
Sheriff Dave Knott. down in New York,
wants to close the Ludlow because his
star boarders are mere handful Sing
Sing has felt the blight, and even tough
old Dannemora is not what It once was.
Lack of business is playing the very
deuce with our prisons, and the time is
coming. II not actually here. when some
OF them will have to shut up shop.
What's II all about? Why the where
fore OF the slack times In crookdom?
In an effort TO get answers to these
questions a reporter for THE New YORK
HERALD went into the far northeast Of
this State humping ever the New York.
Ontario and Western 20 Ellenville and
frisking by sleigh from Ellenville to
Napanoch Lovely In winter and un-
Questionably enchanting IN summer
even III doers may regret that Ma
panoch's fate hangs in the balance as
the purse tighteners OF the Legislature
sit in judgment.
Dtso bt ~ W ttOSe fts
With its Ave buildings. gray hued and
beginning TO take on the farming color
nuances that time gives TO stone and
mortar. all set down in woods and
meadows, with its own farm well titled
IN the seasons, with sanitation and
cleanliness and humanity watchwords of
It's officers, 1t seems a pity that Napa-
noch's doors may soon slam shut for
good and the cluster OF buildings be
given over to rats and the little farm TO
weeds and briars. The school. now run
every day but Saturday and Sunday by
Prof John Brunson, with the aid OF in
mates, and which has taught many un-
fortunate and neglected youths their
reading and writing and arithmetic and
considerable more II they were there
long enough and took real interest, will
be given over to dust and cobwebs
Principal Keeper Delaney, guide in the
absence OF Warden W. y. Thayer. sug-
rested some of these ideas, since the
man loves his work and believes that
Napanoch is one OF those prisons that
make most inmates better instead Of
worse but the suggestions were fairly
apparent at all time. II jails must be
closed for lack of business It might seem
better TO shut up the ugly ones and the /
badly conducted ones first. while keeping |
the nickel plated. marble tiled ones like |
little Napanoch as long as courts have |
customers Delaney is talking: |
THE trouble Is that no commitments |
are made direct 20 this prison by the |
courts Napanoch takes only the over
flow from Elmira Reformatory. and |
since the war there hasn't been any |
overflow. Elmira itself has been only |
fcartiiy filled. Therefore instead OF |
having 900 and more. such as we could !
comfortably take care Of we have less |
than 200--i95 the books show to-day. 7
They run in age from 16 to 80. and /
they are first offenders. or are supposed /
90 be.
Boy. Good Material TO Work On.
"vcry many Of these boys are good |
ptlff--b0vs that have been misled |
through had company or bad bringing up |
huf that arc quite susceptible OF inn |
rrcveucnt We try 10 study every one /
carefully. and ! honestly think that a
q 20 mo IA fliIn amount OF good 10 the Sta.e /