The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-05-07
IN
New York
NY PAUL HARRISON

New York - From Grand Gen.
trail station there ~ q latc.morning
local train which IL called the
"Sing Sing Special--thc one that
carries criminals up the river 70
the big prison.
The mon. who are nearly all
young mon, move awkwardly
through the narrow rallied passage
to the train platform because they
are shackled together - generally
by twos, or sometimes individual
iy TO u guard. Most of them give
a heeting glance behind them. at
the crowds of people who arc not
shnckied by steel, at the groups Of
curious who have halted to watch
them.
Sometimes there In n newspaper
photographer standing there
squirting impassively along his
camera. Frequently there are
women with white, strained faces;
women who came TO tho station
looking their pretticst, or at least
their best, intending to wave and
smile encouragement.
But they neither wave nor
smile as the men are hustled
through the gate with It's sug.
gcstivcly s0mbcr iron ErilI.
work. The women stand III.
lent and motionless, peerlng
at the reccdIng figures Of the
manacled men.
The "Black -Baagcrs"
In a few weeks, when the prison
crs have been dressed In to the
routine OF the pcnitcntiary. the
women who watched their depar-
ture will themselves become fire.
quent passengers on the "Sing
Sing Special" Every morning
there are 20 or 30 Of them who go
to visit their husbands or sons or
sweethearts In the Big House.
They bake cookies, and buy fruit
and cigarets and magazines, and
pack them In little black bags.
These "black- baggers," as they've
been called for years, always SIT In
the last coach of the train. Many
OF them, after years of travelling
together. have become fast friends.
! don't know why they all choose
tho same type of luggage. unless
II Is an accepted badge OF their
sorority OF sorrow.
Up ahead, In the smoking car,
the prisoners observe each other
coolly and puff at many cigarets.
They sullcnly look at the floor and
glover under the inspection Of
other passengers; but none seems
TO want 10 look out of the win
dows. A few make great show
OF being self-possesscd, and even
amused.
But when the conductor
opens the door and yells,
"Ncxt stop, Ossining!" they
all sit up with % nervous
start. This In the last Jap.
the beginning Of the Last
Mile.
Fast--and Exclusive
Next to polo and yachting, the
most socially exclusive game Ii
probably badminton but for no
reason except that relatively few
people seem to know about II. New
York has a badminton club moro
than so years old, and there are
couple OF courts IN one of the
citys armories. Played something
like tennis. but on a smaller court
and over a five-foot net. II is ex-
citing to watch. Racquefs are
used, ana balls (calied "birds")
with tufts OF taiI-feafhers In them.
Badminton originated In India
and was introduced here In 1873,
Having been taken up socially. It
was played In garden party cos
tunes for many years. Then.
about 1900. tennis star named
Lyle Mahan appeared In his tennis
togs and trimmed all the experts.
who were hampered by their chok-
ers and Prince Aiberts Since then
badmiDton has been played for the
fast and furious game II IL.
Great Minds a. Work
To the growing anthology of an
ecd0te about DIR Albert EinsteiD
comes another story from the the
alter. During intermission. a fellow
sitting directly behi1d the scientist
saw him j0t down on his program
what ] o0ked like complicated
mathematical equation and then
pass II 10 companion. who also
looked like professor. The Sec
ond man studied II a moment. In
serted n figure. and returned the
program 10 DIR Einstein. BY this
time the observer. was unable to
control his curiosity: he Ieaned
forward and took closer look.
DR. EinsteIn and his friend were
playing tit-tnt-toe.