Robinson v. State

Claimant was a prisoner in Dannemora State Prison. He was required to work upon cotton carding machines, his duties consisting in cleaning them.

The mechanism consisted of a large cylinder or drum, the outer surface of which was covered with needles or spines. Raw cotton was fed into the machine against the face of the needles on the cylinder which revolved rapidly, being operated by electric power, and the cotton was thus cleaned and carded. In the process the surface of the cylinder would become clogged with dirt and waste which collected among the needles and had to be removed once or twice…