“GHOST” OF SING SING

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 11

“GHOST” OF SING SING

Strange Prison Stories: New York’s Underworld |

AMERICA’S tidal wave of crime has turned public attention to the grim Bastille of the Underworld known as Sing Sing Prison. On one hand one hears tales of the luxury jives of tlm inmates, and on the other hand of tho hair-raising adventures with a ghost that roams inside the. prison at night, terrifying warders and According to the stories current, tho “spook” of Sing Sing is a tall, gaunt figure, with contracted features suggesting the result of execution in the clof-trir; chair. The ghost is alleged to walk tli \ covridor.s of the prison almost nightly, hut when warders run to the spot it vanishes and leaves no trace.

There are prosaic folk who say that the whole tiling is cither a delusion of the warders or tho outcome of a clever practical joke, resulting irom the laxity in tho prison that permits almost unrestricted movement to some of the inmates. But others pr».ie.s< to so«* F.omething more, than an illusion, for without knowing what, the warders have seen, prisoners, in then* cells have reported the passing of thn Monger a!r,„g the mmelar and of fin - ti'.e poejs, as ito pmwd. All agre* that he W" j rs the prison garb, and that, it is the garb of ten years ago at least, rather than that of to-dav. Men have heard the rnv.-terv man sighing outside their cells.’ and blood-i urdlmg noises as he passed. Many of the prisoner,s have been removed to the infirmary, suffering from nerves, caused by the uncanny disturbances during tho night. One of the manifestations of tbe ghostly visitation is the regular ringing of the bell ill the cell ormii.wd by those destined lor elet tror uiion. Repeatedly this hn> happened, and warders who have rushed to the spot have found

no explanation. Higher authorities treat the matter so seriously that a commission of investigation has been gent to the prison to solve the mystery. . • On tho first night, when the investigators took up their positions at the point agreed on as the most likely for the “'spook’s” appearance, it was suddenly reported from another part of the prison, and when the commissioners hurried to the scene the ghostly prowler tur led up in yet another part of the building, and so terrified a warder that ho had to go off duty. According to this man, he was at the end of one of the corridors leading from the condemned cell when ho ! saw the figure appear at the opposite ! end and move toward him, beckoning ias it came. Half-way along the corridor Hie figure seemed to disappear through the door into one of the cells, but when the cell was visited the inmate was fast asleep. But if Bing Sing prisoners have j glim ts to terrify them, they have pleasanter diversions night and day.; j It is possible for those with means to ‘have food supolied from the outside, | and, it in asscited, ihat ever, under the I “dry” regime alcohol of any kind ran I Ik‘ brought in with imunnity. Borne | of the inmates have their meals from Mho finest restaurants of New York j(’it.y, and it i.s possible for men to live | on the proceeds of their crimes much I better than if they were at liberty. The theatre has been equipped re- | gardlors of cost, and is admittedly the ; best of its size in the world. The plays. _ M’oduced at least on<<> a week, are joTfcal to the best staged in New York. There is a picture, theatre always going. Under certain circumstances prisoners may dross for dinner, and be waited on by outside waiters if they are wealthy enough to afford it.

Baseball and other outdoor games are permitted freely, and those who desire coaching can have it free. Cards, chess and other indoor games are permitted, and “poker” parties are also well patronised, money seemingly coming in freely from outside to enable the players to carry on. In one section of the prison a wireless set has been installed, and a few favoured prisoners are allowed private installations in their own cells. There is little restraint on intercourse of the prisoners, and at musical evenings the services of some of the best artists in America aro provided. The circulating library is up-to-date, and tbe latest hooka of the best seller tyne can bo had in the prison as quickly as outside.