Condemned: Inside the Sing Sing Death House

Guards

Fromthe Introductory Course for Custodial Officers (Albany: Department of Corrections,October 1943): This is the general environment which surrounds the daily activities of the prison guard. He is thrust into a group of men being held under the stern injunction of law which they have violated and which he has sworn to uphold. His uniform is the visible embodiment of the power and authority of the state. Any challenge to this authority must be instantly and decisively dealt with by the guard, whose responsibility in each case is single and absolute. Fortunately, such occurrences in New York State prisons are rare because of the progressive penal policies of the state. Guards Three shifts of prison guards and other employees manned the Sing Sing Death House every day of the year, some of them for decades. Called correction officers by the state, they were collectively referred to as “screws” or “hacks” by the convicts. Most guards, of Irish or German descent, hailed from a handful of upstate prison towns. Some were second- or third-generation prison guards. All guards were white males. Prisoners and keepers subjected each other to relentless scrutiny, sometimes berating or coming to blows with their tormentors but for the most part keeping a wary distance. 50 C O N D E M N E D Oct. 1, 1957 I hereby report Elmer Burke, No. 118–395, Cell #7 E. Wing, Shop CC’s for Assaulting an Officer. At about 10:00 am while he was in the exercise yard Burke came to the gate and asked me to get him some bread, so he could feed some birds who occasionally fly into the yard. I checked with the CC Kitchen and found that were two slices of stale bread which could not be used for anything else and which would have been thrown away and gave them to inmate Burke. Apparently Burke was dissatisfied with this and when he came out of his cell for the afternoon exercise period he stopped in front of me in the Center Corridor and asked me why I was picking on him in only giving him two slices of bread.As I spoke to explain he threw a punch at me.It was necessary for Officers Smith and Bosch to assist me in restraining him and locking him in his cell. F. LORZ Correction Officer name: number: age: occupation: physical: crime: rap sheet: sentenced: received: executed: Elmer Burke aka Trigger 118–395 38 Laborer 5'7–½", 142 lbs. Shot Edward Walsh, tavern, night Very extensive 12–16–55 12–16–55 1–9–58 After his initial death sentence was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered,Kelly wrote this letter to the warden on June 12,1951,as he was being discharged. Dear Sir: Due to the fact that I’m leaving the “Death House,” I cannot say I have any regrets, nor will I recommend it to any one, but I can inform them that, if they are ever unfortunate enough to go to Sing Sing, they will be very well treated. I had no fault to find with anything or anybody during my stay, every reasonable request was granted. The entire staff of the prison are a credit to New York State. The Officers and Guards are as fine a group of men as you could find anywhere. “Dick” and “Freddie” go about their duties as if they had a part interest in the place, always helpful and ready with a word of cheer if needed. I enjoyed “Terry’s” homelike meals. It would certainly be a pleasure to meet everybody, including yourself, under different circumstances. I extend my best wishes to all. But I hope I never come back. Sincerely, Edward H. Kelly 109–821 Kelly was reconvicted, sentenced again to death, and returned to the death house on November 28, 1951. He was given a new number,111–412,and ultimately was executed on October 30,1952. Guards 51 name: number: born: age: occupation: marital: crime: claims: judge: sentenced: received: executed: Edward Kelly 111–412 8–31–99 (Rensselaer) 52 Machinist Divorced Shot stranger Elouise McHugh with rifle on Main Street, Kingston, broad daylight Lost control John Cashin, Ulster County 9–29–50 10–2–50 10–30–52 ...