The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-01
Interesting Description or tho city Prison.

TIM DESCRIPTION OF THE ToMBS-TfE CHARACTERS
CONFINED TIfEREfN-sTArfSrICs or THE PRISON.
The City Prissn, or more familiarity known as the
Tombs, is situated In Centre street occupying space
Of one block, fronting Centre, and bounded by
Franklin, Leonard and Elm streets. This sdiace Is
looked upon by many Thousands OF the citizens and
Likewise strangers visiting New York, terror to
all evil doers-for almost every criminal charge
the public see announced In the daily journals that
the accused parties we're locked up in the Tombs
The name of the Tombs" therefore has become I'm
pressed the mind the receptacle for every class
of individuals CHARGED with crime.
1t may be said, why was the word Tombsn applied
to this building The name has evidently arisen from
the style Of architecture adopted after the Egyptians
such chosen by them for the deposit Of their mum
mics, and thus We find the City Prison denominstsd
the !" Tombs" The edihce Is majestic in Its appear
snce built with handsome granite stone In massive
blocks, but unfortunately the foundation which Il
stands Is mostly made IL being naturally swampy and
the building since It's erection has been gradual
y settling down In Of the extreme weight
In 1887 the prison finished, and has been sine.
that time, occupied for the detention of persons
charged and convicted Of crime In the wing aext TO
FRANKLIN street facing Centre the Police Court held
at which pre- sides Justices Osborne and Lothrop un-
derneath is the sxth ward police station The centre
Of the building constitutes the Court OF General ses-
sions held by Recorder Tamsdge and In the south
every month to deliberate and present such person.
for trial charged with the commission Of crime
Within the walls Of the prison are two buildings
made OF stone the for the male prisoners contains
las cells and The other the female department. very
commodour kitchen IL erected In which the food al.
lotto for the prisoners IL cooked by steam The food
consists Of beet soup and the beef thus boiled Ike
soup cut and furnished with bread aud every other
day murh aud mnlassts IL served up. Any prisoner.
however. having the means TO procure other food
cept lquor) can have II sc mt into the prison.
On Monday. being almost the close Of the old year
We visited the prison with view to ascertain the gem
eral aspect Of the prisoners and the discipline Of the
prison
In the hrst place, every department In the most
clesnl manner possible, The male dep rtment
taps four stories that IL three above the ground floor
and on each story ranges Of cells the second
story or corridor ss u termed the prisoners chag
ed with the bis hest crimes confined On passing
from cell TO cell struck forcbly With the idsa
that the City Prison would make splendid study for
the practitioners OF physiognomy snd phrenolosy
= the phi yeognom In particular for such CROPPING
OF wicked and ev disposed looking set Of counenane
could scarcely be found elsewhere The prominent
characters In this portion Of the prison.
are murderers forgers burglars pvcted lawyers for
false pretenees the fugitive French prisoners charges
Of arson. asd various denomin atoms OF larcsnies
The most desperate under charge OF murder IL Henry
Carnsl who murdertda an old Prenc In ey street
and stabbed the two with intent TO take their
lives slso
The second Cor murder IL Patrick Dslsny for stab
hng wousn with a knife which caused her death
The others charges ~ murder three sal ,rs all
ed Roysl Rovlsnd aud McPsgs charged With ne mar.
de- a men by puthing him OF the dock into the
river rhsreby he vas drowned
Tbeteo French fugitive prisoners, named veremai.
tre end Denhsm, charged WITH the cr me ~ burglary
In Paris, airs tro queer chap. They Eers plsosd IL