The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-29

| Che Presentnent by the GRAND Jury.
The Grand Jury. in tho discharge OF their duty,
have visited and examined tho various institution
OF the CITY; and. while they have much that il
worthy Of commentator in the cleanliness, good
order and apparent good management everywhe
observable, yet some things were noticed which re-
quire the attention of our CITY authorities and re-
lnedy should be at once provided
Of these, one very serious evil 10 the want Of
sufficient room in all our city prisons.
The Law Of the State regulating houses Of detsn-
tion requires that the detained should be kept
psrate from each other-though it will appear quito
manifest that this il impossible in the present ar.
rangement of our city and district prisons.
In the city prison there only l3o celia. while
the number OF prisoners averages at least 2So and
often reaching $50.
The evil growing out Of tbs must be apparent to
every one II all the prisoners were old offenders,
and all alike guilty, the evil would be great one;
but II Ia evidently much increased, when consi-
der that many of those confined imprisoned for
the first time, and proven innocent Of the charge
against them, when put upon TRIAL
The whole number of commitments during
the year 1901, was. Observation-Disclosures. II 1872
vi tins number were natives ............,. 1901
Foreigners ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1851
Temperate habits ........ ............ 23S9
Incorporate Observation-Disclosures. 49, 4J3
Nearly one half Of those charged with petty
offences against person and property wore under
twenfy one years of age-a GLASS peculi ary suscept
bic to the deetorious influences of assocatng with
old ana hardened offenders.
NO distinction Gun now be made based upon the
youth and innocence guilt, and age the p,rtes
neither are there means ofseparatng persons already
tried and sentenced from those that arc not
though u would appear to every one that these two
classes should not associate together.
No place is provided for the detention Of male
witnesses, except such cells as are occupied by
murdereIs, burglars, and lelons Of tho worst de-
scription
The number Of witnesses during the year has
been more than three times large that reported
for the preceding year.
Tits certainly criminal in itself and very impoli-
tlc.>to cdhfne these innocent witnesses with such
bardNAed offenders, partaking with them the same
food, the same cell, and thc-salne bed-the effect
must be fatal to the moral health Of such witnesses
many OF whom come forth adopts in crime-and
our city suffers in an increased number of criminals
The above remarks apply in an equal degree to
the district prisons Of Jefferson and Essex markets
The jury would recommend the immediate rcmo.
val OF the Sixth Ward station house to some other
location more convenient for it, thereby giving up
the room now occupied by it to prison purposes thus
giving increased accommodations to the City Prison.
and remedying, in some degree, the evil complained
Of.
The spirit of rowjyism and disregard Of laws, APP
pears to be steadily increasing in city and its
suburbs leading to tho commission Of the most dar
ing crimes against life and property, which should
NIL every citizen with CONSERVATION and alarm and
we would call loudly upon authorities to apply
some speedy and efficient remedy.
Time was when we could, with just pride, say that
wo were keeping and law abiding people
:
is becoming notorious among the worst cities Of the
country.
Locking at the statistics of the CITY Prison. for
the year 1851, find that the most frghtfu cause
OF crime is the prevalence Of intemperance, Nine
tenths of the commitments for the year were Of in
temperate persons and Of the remaining tenth We
are assured, on good authority, large portion can
be traced to the same cause.
For the suppression OF these evils we call upon our
city authorities TO do their duty faithfully and fear
lessly, to enforce rgidly the laws upon our
statute books.
IL these laws were executed in their true spirit,
we think great improvement would soon be mani
fest and that they are not thus executed, we be-
lieve to be the great cause of the continually in
cieasDg tide Of crime that is rolling in upon US.
If il is found that present laws are not strin-
gent enough, make them more so; but vha ever
laws we do have, let them be properly enforced
Every good citizen is personally interestea IN this
matter; ano we ask all such TO give Their md be-
lieviDg that they will heartily sustain our lori-
ties IN reform so greatly needed.
The jury would also present, the crying Of news
papers on Sundays by newsboys as great annoy
ance, dis urbing the quiet Of the day and training
up candidates for the House Of Refuge and the PEN
itentary. requesting our authorities to adopt some
measures for the suppression Of this growing evil.
The jury would also present vcIv serious evil
the lorg continued practice of driving cattle through
tie streets at ali hours. A practice which has
caused so many injuries and loss OF human life eau
not in our opinion, be d, fondea upon aLv ground Of
right o. expe oency. We would earnestly ask the
lssaee OF some law. restraining or putting az end
- tbs custom, that the lives and limbs Of our
feliow. citl2-s may be sofc from such unnecessary
GRAND jury RooM, JuneW y, HOVE Foreman