The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-10-19
Blsckwel's Island = Penitentiary, Aims
House, &c.

under the control Of the Common Council and tbs
wsrdens keepers So appointed for the heads OF thsss
establishments, have always been political psrtisans
Who matter whether capable or not-that was usvs,
made . confederation the berth was demanded for
services rendered, and given accordingly sometime,
for one year. at ether times longer just according "a
the length Of time the party remained in power. In
of this mode Of filing the heads Of these
responsible situations In our institutions no steps
were ever looked upon or taken In order to prove
the cultivation Of the Island adopt better
for the regulation Of the convots paupers thus
confined and supported at the public expense Thou.
sands and thousands Of dollars have been expended
every year. increasing the taxation on the industrious
portion of the community, merely to support certain
political cliques and wire pullers who have annually
pocketed large sums Of money, leaving tho improve
msnts so necessary for the better regulation Of the
island entirely out Of the question SO far was this
system carried out that ct the Of charter cleo.
ton boat loads Of psupers and prisoners have been
conveyed from the island, and coonized In different
wards in this city, for the purpose Of voting and
thus endeavor to carry the election for the party
power the situation Of those In Office depended on
the result. In this aspect, 1t will be seen that ex.
tensve frauds and corrupt influences were the
result Of the old system. But time, ct last, much
to be congratulated, has worked . change, and
the result is In the appointment Of Ten Governors
Who at present have the whole control and
OF these public Institutions In the nrst place the
governors appointed two competent men as wardens
OF the Penitentiary and Aims House Dspartment-Mr
Joseph Keen for the former and Mr. Eddge the latter
Both these gentlemen are men Of long experience,
humane, yet firm and determined in ali matters co n
neced with the police ldiscipins Of their respective
charges.
On visit to the island last Saturday we we're much
pleased to witness the great that had
been made and that are daily making their appearance
md Sfarin
SO long carried on under the previous
seem to be entirely abolished and . new, open and
victs thus confined places them si on an equal foot
Ing although We think that classification Of the pri-
.onsrs would be an Improvement; that is, to place
1gether AL those prisoners convicted of assault and
battery and other misdemesnors of that nature and
the thieves and burglars, Of which there are many
whose proper place would be the State prison,
In other gangs together This might possibly be-
an Improvement, could it be effected. The dress Of
these prisoners consists Of grey woolen made
large with broad brown stripe running through
sstlng OF jacket, pants, vest and cap. The system
adopted In the working portion Of the convic very
similar to that pracssd in the State prison only here
verse with each other which prohibited in the State
prisons The business carried by the con-
sss o, blacksmith shop carpenter shop, shoe shop,
takes up ell those oonvicts who OF doing
other work. The articles thus are only
Tor the consumption OF the island No article Is al
lowed to be sold that might interfere with the honest
mechanic or storekceper where The time allotted
Tor laboor Is from A NJ until oP M. The bell rings
al Dali past In the morning the keepers then unlock
each cell and with their respective gangs march them
In single file, lock step touching each other to the
kitchen; there each man picks up his keg or bucket
filed with coffee and piece Of bread and again
to his CELL the door Is locked and at O'Clock they
are marched out to their respective branches Of labor
AZ IL o'clock they are marched In to dinner, in
like manner, and allowed hour In wet bad weather
out door business IL carried on The food consists
o. bread and coffee for breakfast dinner soup aud the
boiled beef cut up into certain portions for sash
and at supper mush and moasses with the exception
of Mondays and Fridays, when q change Of food for
dinner is made by substituting pork aud beans
On witnessing the gangs coming in for dinner we
Jaw Judson, who stands sentenced for one years i'm
p,sopment for riong at the Aston Place Opera House
l MS msn, We were Informed by Mr.. Keen, the war
len on his arrival the island, complained OF
being sick and unable 70 work; the Doctor however
sbor but for three successive days he refused TO take
his bucket Of food like the other prisoners Mr. Keen
eoked ut him and felt satisfied that he must obtain
God In some clandestne manners he thereupou, called
lp the hall boys, and gave the to understand IL they
.ere detected In furnishing food TO Judson secretly
hey should be punished with severe Hogging Infor.
nation was then given to MIR Keen, that the door,
eeper, whose term had expired, would each day place
Judsonb cell bucket OF food, under the blanket,
ended TO be starving himself Upon the plot being
discovered, the man sent from the island, and the
est day Judson took his bucket Of food like the other
'rsoners. lie is now working In the shoe shop.
Cadrsllader Evans Is work in the carpenters shop
md has become quite good mechanic. Richard Blau-
elt is working in the blacksmith shop. James Camp
ell alias Cockney jim the pick pocket is engaged
n the boat We noticed several of the conyicts pro.
idtd with heavy iron ball and chain attached TO one
.g' Ihese are men who had made their escape from
he Island and, when captured and brought back are
unished with half dozen lashes and compelled TO
rear this chain and ball In order to prevent any future
scspe. Take the prisoners altogether, they are In
cry healthy state, and nsny Of them are becoming
The female department Is very clean and well con-
ucted. They are all employed I'm making shirts and
ther articles OF wearing apparel for the consumption
the Island The ma GRITTY Of these females are OF
he firm of hair
tads and the east Of countensnce, there IL shown Q
unfairly OF character throughout the whole them
'mopg these prisoners We noticed case that will
Anly bear strict Investigation IL was q young wo-
nan and her infant very prepossessisg child of I've
nd her husband was q marble cutter, and worked
or MIR. Brown, corner Of Franklin and Washington
treets that she was alittle In liquor last week aud
ad some quarrel with her neighbors, in Desbrosses
treet, where che resided The policemen came, and
onveyed her TO the Tombs, and the magistrate COM
nitted her for six months i'm prisonment as common
runksrd and vagrant This appears to be very hard
sse and how she could have been committed va
rant having home and husband earning good wages
'ranny Waterford, who for many years has been rSi.
emit on the island died with the cholera
Dr Kelly, the Physician, conveyed us through the /
ospita which kept In the most perfect order con.
aiming some 1853 female patients aud about 90 males;
be small pox hospital contains The hospital is
rapidly; IL IL made OF stone blasted from
be quarry by the convists and possibly will be ready
'r service about February March next. The clean
perfect order exhibited throughout the prison and
ospitsl reflects Infinite credit on MIR Keen and Dr. 1
ely aided, Of course, by their efficient deputies
Prom the prisons. we strolled az far the Aims
oute. Here, there IL vast room for improvement.
IT. Eldrdge the warden, very politely conducted us
trough the buildings For many years past the public
ave been wanting workhouse, that would keep the /
salthy. idle portion Of the psupers In employment.
nder the Governors, the workhouse system has CON-
Fenced, and rules and regulations provided for
10 employment Of all the paupers. The trades
nus designsted:-in the shoe shop, ten paupers
nploJed, eighteen In the carpenters and cooper's I
hopsi hve bscksmths and mssoDs; and ten tsilors. I
u those working are paid fraction over and above
heir expenses, so that average OF SIS or s2e Is
omipg TO them every quarter On the adoption Of
he working system, . Kind Of revolt Of the poor
ouss" commenced MIR Eldridge wss requested BY /
be Governors read the regulations hitch designated
bat each pauper was ut liberty to hind himself for !
hree months, but during that term he must work and
In good health upon refusing to workthe punishment
ould be solitary confinement with bread and water
he first day, Mr. Eldridge called together about
undred Of the able. bodied men. and informed them
bat all who did not conform with the regulations, as
bovs stated, must leave the island At this Informs
lon, great deal Of discomfort was exhibited. The |
ortby Governors were blessed ny the paupers more !
han ence and cut OF the hundred more only thirty
even agreed to reman-tbe balance left the Island
subsequent time, sixty paupers called up and
nformed sf their rights; out OF this number only
ishteen agreed to stay for three months to no
hey would Ike IL. None Of the articles nufscturea