The New York herald., 1845-03-25

cembsr isas being Chrstmss night when the house
iound on fire, strongly implicated the pris oner The
house, On being broken opea the bodies OF Mrs House
and Child ound under the bed nearly burned
ap their heads being completely consumed ana their
about both hands which were also nearly burned up,
and the bones Of her lett broken The skull was
removed by violence before the flames communics-
ted to the body from the symptoms exhibited at the post
,rem exsminaiCn and piece Of the skull Of the child
was iound stuck cap, which all burned.
bearing evieence that have been removed before
the fire communicated There was quantity of
Jewelry taken from bureau in the room which we're
found pswned several Offices in this city, and which
they could show pawned on the subse-
queht Monday in this city by Mrs Bodine There were
other which strongly the prison
er with the crime OF which she stood charged She
seen going into the house on the Saturday previous
Ihs ght OF the murder scream was heaId a9out nne
O'clock and the facts and ces which they
would introduce evidence there remained no DOUBT OF
the prisoners guilt Mr.. c. here detailed the various
particulars which will be found in evidence During the
delivery the address, the prisoner kept her eyes closed
and bore the recital Of the various details with much calm
until Mr. adveited to the fact OF the delivery OF
child in prison after her arrest when the prisoner I'm
medatey wep loudly and shook her head in deep agony,
wpiug the tears with white kerchie they fell pro-
fusrly down her cheeks She seemed to feel her trying
situation good deal at this moment and sobbed audiby
Isaac s. CRuLERs-Qh first witness sworn examined
by Mr.. CLARx.-l reside at Staten Island ! am car
penter by trade resde about mile and halt from
Port Richmond on the Isand-ahout five miles from the
house OF Mr. Houseman. was that house on the even
Richmond saw light and when got that
it was Mr.. HousemsnS house that was on nre. When
got the house there was woman coming from tue
house-sbe took some water-l think her name wss
Sarah Sesman There were several women there draw
ing wser went into the house and went up stairs and
what supposed was the other body. The body was
much charred-eno the head was burned up There was
hole under the bed burned through the hole
ives burned through the headihe bed wns placed
pretty north and southhe bed stood close IN cor
ner. The hole that burned through the floor was
ar the head OF the bed. -
M Oft he here nut describing the
location the bed and where the body was found
was shown to the jury who deemng more satisfactory
mises the Court adjourned for the purpose when the
Judge and all proceeded to Staten Island.
EVENING SESSION.
The court and jury me at O'Clock after having been
occupied for nearly six hours Ia inspecting the scene Of
the murder at Staten Island II being the intention OF
the court to sit from halt past 10 o'clock and not later
than O'Clock the court suggested that they had but
short time remaining before the hour Of ADJOURN
ment it was as well to sdjourn.
The court was accordingly sdjeurned to the usual
hour this forenoon, when the trial will DC resumed.
Court Of Oyer and Tcrmlncr.
Before Judge Edmonds and Aldermen Winship and
MARCH a4-Thls Court was opened at the usual hour,
when the following Grand Jury were swern :.H chard
J. Smith. Foreman Joseph N Barnes, VIM J. geekman'
Abjah r. Feeks T. II. Gerry, John Gary, Michael Gaf
ney. Roderick Lawrence Odell Lockwood, James T.
Utter Edward Ferris James Southard Kichsrd warren
Henry Hayt Isaac V. Briggs VIM. 7. Oakley
The PRIsoN AsusEs-CoMMoN CourcIL--The Court
jury being called the attention Of the Grand
Jury 10 present abuses which exist in the dis
cipline in relation to the prisons Of the city,
7hey were bound by their 0aths to discharge their
duties wht ut fear favor or affection He directed their
attention to the state Of crmc and the extraordinary num-
ber Of capital which were to be found on the calen
dar-having less than four murder cases. This dis
paye ofmorals which made it imperative on them
seriously consider and carefully to regard this state
Of things. But, in addition, the returns from Sing
Sing" showed the fearful MAGNITUDE Of crime in tins
city, which, when compared with the State generally,
exhibited the fearful state Of the morsls in the community
OF the city of New York.
There were at Sing Sing no less than-males 423fe
males 81 and out OF this number there were from the
city Of New York alone-maes $50 females l3. In the
& ea ss
there were-males il25 females $780, These statistics
showed fearful state the morals Of this city, and that
midst, rejecting on the morals Of the coun.
try. The crime OF the ate of New York, compared
h nat the
the part of England but, when placed in comp lrson
with the city Of New York is almost as great on the
tions which pressed home all who value the well be-
ing of society, andit remained then to inquire into the
case and see il they could fnd remely Now what is
the Of this state of things believe arises from
the fact that the public prisons established in our city
schools for crime instead of being places calculated
make this bold broad assertion in relation to your city
prison and other prisons that to all ntents and purposes
serton. There in the city prison alone for oences
to the person, no less than
Males .............. lip
These are for what would cali the outrageous violation
law breaches Of the peace, violation OF oder robbie
ry-persons who, in defence Of the settled laws Of the
community, take law into their hands Th, shows
vast proportion of crme and it should be taken into
serious consideration whether this state of things ought
rsordinary fact which shows the extent to which these
prison abuses have gone boy who had been lost has
ing with felons Gentlemen ought this state Of things
be allowed in civilized community ask you as pa
rents friends this to be tolerated There appears
to be much difficulty so, in the organization for the
intercourse between the prfoners is unres aned-they
are allowed to wander, and their evil passions seem
to be kept under no restraint. Now II this il the
case matter which should be remedied. There isla
difficulty regards the chief officer of tho prison, in
his appointment from the Common Council, but he has
no power Of government the subordinate officers Of
pointed by another brauch who have authority and
there radical detect in the system, which perfectly
manifest In the female department the female prisoners
placed under the control of marons OF high moral
rerutaon but in the male part Of the prison. the abuses
that exist are so elarng that when an officer who
was sworn at public trial, where man was tried
for forgery he testified. understand that he spent
of his evenings reveng with convicted pirate on
oysters and rum. would ask you, then, gentlems
when such state Of things are sworn to by public Off
GER before court Of justice, ought they be allowed to
exist1 Are they not radically wrong7 Do they not
to them1 speak of as a matter of great evil and it is
my duty to call your attention to it, From my
perience am enabedt to suggest remedy. Out OF the
25 prisoners confined at Blackwelps Island there were
what are called
CoURT PRIseNERs.
wales. .35b
Females. 6l
POLICE CoyRT PRISONERS
Nsies. ..3Oo
remdies ..oVo
Ihave in addition, the report Of Society, signed by
six gentlemen who have associated for the purpose of
efectng reform in prison discipline, taken in Fe
brusry last They report in February ss there in
the prison Blackwel Island 1896 sprisoners and out
Of these vast proportion had got in for the purpose Of
getting rid Of oathsome disease. These number Of pri
soners had an accommodation Of only 496 cells by
a. containing one bunk, which two prisoners each
sep-the feet Of the head Of the other There