Anecdotes

Warden of Sing Sing Prison from 1 January 1920- 6 July 1941. Holds the distinction as being the longest serving warden at Sing Sing since it opened in 1825.

At the urging of New York Gov. Alfred E. Smith, Lawes accepted the wardenship of Sing Sing Prison in 1920 on the condition that it not be a political appointment and he had complete oversight of the institution. A staunch believer in prison reform and rehabilitation, he remained warden there until 1941. Lawes consistently donated the income from his books, films and popular radio shows to upgrades within the prison.

He began a radio show in the fall of 1932 entitled, "20,000 Years in Sing Sing," which he narrated, dramatizing the crimes and punishments of selected inmates in his prison. This inspired a similarly titled film, Vingt mille ans sous les verrous (1932), starring Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis. Lawes continued to appear on radio until 1947, culminating in the show, "The Cases of Warden Lawes.".