BACK TO GAOL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11669, 8 April 1916, Page 4

BACK TO GAOL.

CONVICT'S GREAT CHOICE

Many witnesses will testify about Warden Osborne, of Sing Sing Prison, New York, at his coming trial on charges trumped: up by men who did' not want that liell on. earth made better. Many eminent men will rally to his. support, hut perhaps the most eloquent testimony of all was given a few days ago by a man whose eminence is best indicated by his nickname, "Tough Tony." Tony did what few men would care to do for another. Ho gave up his freedom iu order that his former warden and the new prison system might bo 112 fit thereby. Freedom is not everything, but there are men who have died for it on occasions. Tough Tony has spent eight years in prison. If you want to know how long that is, count up the years, say, from your eighteenth birthday to your twoi?.ty-sixth—pleasant years of growth | and development. Tough Tony spent j them in prison, and seven of them under the "old system." which included solitary confinement, beatings, isolation, ylence, spying, favouritism and many other equally unpleasant things. On New Year's Day he -walked out of prison surreptitiously and made his way to New York. There friends met him, r.nd lie was provided with sure moans of esoaps. Ho was nracticaliy as free as though he had "done his bit" and teen discharged. " They '[ would never «e± Jiini hack, it was certain. But they it!id because lie went back voluntarily, 'lacing two more years of prison, and .possibly eight years more. He was actuated by the same spirit of loyalty that makes it possible for a Government to raise armies, but in this ease to constructive rather than destructive ends. As told in the New York "Tribune," the story is as follows: THE DECISION. Tough Tony Moreno, who on New Year's Day walked out of Sing Sing Prison, walked back into prison the next night. Safe m New York, with a new suit of clothes and 150dol in cash in his pocket and an automobile waiting to take him out of the city en route to the West, he changed his mind when Harry Volasky, Warden Thomas Mott Osborne's valet, found him in his hiding-place. . • v ■ " Tony ; this will hurt the boss. He feels awful about it," Volasky said. "Does lie?" "He docs. You ought to go back.'' "On the level, do you think so! J Does he want me.to?" " He sure does." "Then, by God, I'll go! But I won't go back with a 'screw' (gaoler);"

"AH right, Tony, we'll go back together." The two were in a; room not far from the Brooklyn Bridge. There Volasky left" him to notify Dick Richards, secretary to the warden, and other former prisoners who are interested in malting the Welfare r-ystem a successs. Rich ards and* several others at once called on Mareno and'told him that he was doing right in going back. To tbem he explained that he would never have tried to escape had ho realised what it meant* ■ . . .

"When Mr Osborne left the prison whole world went'black," he said, '' Ha was the only man who ever gave me a square deal. He's been a father to me. I'll go back, boys, if I hav<} to go to the- chair for it. "I suppose I was a fool, but when l ! read in the papers that Riley had' said Mr Osborne would not be allowed to come to the prison again I just had to quit. "I was mad all through just to think that a. lot of dogs and skunks could make trouble for mioh a man, who was giving his life up to lielry us fellows." BX-CONVIOTS APPROVE. ■ After Richards left to telephone Mr Osborne in Auburn more than twenty of Tony's old friends—many of whom i>re ex-convicts now making good in New York—called on him and repeated the advice given him by Volasky and Richards. Among _ them were _ men whosa names stand high in the criminal ball of fame. ■■ "Before God," said one of them, an ex-gang leader, " I never thought) any of 'is would over have n hand'in sending a man back; but, Tony, it is the only thing to do. It's up to you. Say the word and we'll help you make your get-away. You can make it- clean. But if you listen, to us you'll go back'" PLANS ABANDONED. , His reasons for leaving a,nd his subsequent change of heart Mareno explained to his friend on the "Tribune" as the train carried him back to gaol: "I had seven years in liell in prison. I was in Siyg Sing, in Auburu, in Clinton, and back to Sing Sing again, before Osborne came, on this sentence. I was a young, healthy fellow when I went in. I was half starred, beaten and. tortured under the old system. I bear the marks of beatings on my body now. This scar on my face they took sixteen stitches 'in. 1 got that in the prison._ 1 was,, going to kill the man who did it. hut when Tom came I forgave him and shook hands. "I was cimy when I read that Tom was gone, and wasn't coming back. I had only two years to go, but I'd iather be dead' than do them under the old ' screws.' I was going to North Dakota, where I have friends, and then to Alaska. Now I suppose I 'will have to do those two years and the ether six of my sentence beside.?. " You see.* my sentence was ten to sixteen years. They will urobably give me another bit for leaving, and I don't care, so long as it. helps Osborne and the other men in the prison." In the prison office Mareno ivas greeted bv Dr Kirchwey. for whom he had acted as valet since Osborne's departure. "Tony. ;! said bis Warden, "I'm afraid I'll have to ask vou to make mv bed." T Warden, I'm sorrry. Forgive me." said Tony. "That's all right," said the official. Go upstairs and do your work." "This," Mr Dnrncr, who has been in Sing Sin.<j for twenty-three years, "is the rno.st remarkable thing that has ever happened hero. It could not have happened' under the old conditions." "Tt just. shows," said Dr Kirchwey, " what the now system will do. It is & demonstration, of the power of the new system to aid men in doing right." When, by Dr KirchweyV orders, word was sent through the prison that Tony had returned, the grey old walls resounded with cheers.