New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-23
Nem:Dork Ds,ilp 0rihu,1e.
OUR CITY PRISONS.
No. Ill.
T II + ON B &.

TCfnbs' IL the receptacle. A this lnstr1'oE has
been visited by numbers Of our City repers- aad
is Known o sorty Of our country subscribers ftIn
the descTpioDs frequently given IN the cheap RIve.
Of be dsy, i. WI be unnecessary for Us N nue'y 70
describe it.
Tie male department Of this prison contains sb1a-
$50 available cells in four tier. or corridors. Oae
ta.f of the lowest tier is appropriated - pers,ns
uoder sentence OF de4tn ting removal - Black
Se's Lizard The other half contains donbe cells in
which drunksrds are confned-eight or ten 10 cell
Until they are sufficiently sober 70 o. broagh heir
trial or, ifttey unable or refuse to psT fne
ui'i their i've days Of imprisonment expire. Toe cells
Of the Other ;i-rs contain culPrs Of all grades from
nurderers to rioters TIE higher the tier the lgh er
the criue.
During the last week 276 men and l49 women we're
confined IN the Tombs On Saturday it con,aiOsa -
men End - women.
Tbrty-fyo of;Ee males charged iii drunkenness
large minority at least # tie others arrested r
erin es which originated in love for liquors The hiyse
Superintendent Of tbs Depar ment, whose experience
stelds oyer period Of from 10 to years informed Us
that the aioriIy of oen.es for Inch the ira 9th sf
sexsre imprisoned to be traced to incompetence
OF the unartunate girls who are lodged m bis al.
none attribute their Insortunes TO their fathers; -
lay their guilt on their mothers beads, The pro
4 und EnORlcdce y the ways of vlany ~ilch gus I'M
rfopeo here Of from ii % 10 years OF age frequently
rossess and the pcryerfe opinions Of right aad wr)ng
which they believe n would .taro those Whose children
aIe carefully educated aud kept aocf from d-npraz1g
associations The m7tron stated to US that 81 - she
was perfectly appalled, b, il but, weqlo-e her ~ Ian
eu8ee: when sees their mothers tbs ~ pf'e -
at an end The conversation ofthe un'or'Gniie girl;
is invariably more corrupt than that OF the mldeged
prostitutes.
Both departments kept in most exemplary man-
ner The prisoners est twice day. The Only com'
plant made by any OF the inmates u us related TO the
lice which Is said e. he Unpslaabie.
The jail is well Ventilated in summer aud well heated
in winter III drunk ards alone permitted 20 90 into
the prison yard
Ia the female department there is small Library
which WIS furnished by Ladies Moral reform Assoti
alton The ladies deserve to be- appaudel and admired
for an intention noble that which actad-ed this
nurcl ase We wish that could praise them for the
sproplaten6ss OF their selections. We are sorry e lay
that cannot do So Beside nunberoi Bibles 10 differ
ent LANGUAGES which. OF ought TO be f)uad in
every prison the majority Of the books cons. of the
writings Of Thecoean whose works are as unlnerest
ing a. they vel utentioDed Religious novels IN
teresng Biographies and anecdotes would be read win
ealerne.s: and would undoubtedly be the means of
tfioctiug much good Perhaps the ladies' of thls So
ciety viii vet make an addition 20 their CIR.
The matron stated that the thing most needed IN The
female departmtn VasoOnstaat cork for the prisoners.
She sad that employ mu would preserve them from the
con terminating influence to which, by their likeness AMI
the society they here meet with, they exposed
We nav add that il would also enable the prison
effect the object for which il was built
1t will be remembered that in the month Of April
last the Grand Jury preseuted the Tombs "a puji;
nuisapce and requested that, unless immediate
remedy wa provided by the proper authorities the
matter should be- laid before the next Grand jury with
"a view the indlcu ent % those who by law are re-
"sponsible tor tie continuance of so foul stigma
the hos or ofthis city The which resulted 10
this uresentmeLt was the death Of prisoners who
were poisoned by carbcnc acid which entered from
Il cellar underneath The prison The cement oY winch
the stones OF the flooring united WAS broken out
in napy places that free drait oi the poisonous
"stmospbere came from the cellar ln the course OF
the controversy which the publication of these facts
gave rise proved that the LIST District Prison was
not OILY inadequate to the demands upon II, but was
situated ia locality unhealthy that the erection OF
larger edfce in another part Of The city was Work oil
duty Tie Ten Governors ii We rightly rec0ec.. re
solved TO take measures fpf the obstruction of
sil: but Why they have failed doiog anything further
Ia carry ou, the design are unable IL say
The folloa ing is q list of the reforms which IN our
oprion are required in Iombs Some OF them huve
been annually petitioned for, by TIE Warden and Sur
geon: -,
The removal of the prison to healthy locality
. Tn. erlsrgeu ert of the PRISON
Mr. Fdmonds in his last Report, complains OF the in
adequacy of the building to meet the demands upon It's
mace and Of its radical uuftness for the purpose 20
which il is applied To render the jail place OF punish
ment and to prevent from being college Tor tue com
pletion of that education in yaiuy which is commenced
IN corner erogceries il should be large enOIgS % have
cell for every prisoner At present three persons are
often confined in one cell Such incarceration IS no
rup,hmeut the comraj, chat together extenuaie their
mutual offences aud amuse themselves With cards or by
rerratipp tLcT greatest ras ID the art %; punderng,
encourage and accomplish each OIL er We hope mat
the reader has lot forgotten The statements contained Ia
an extract from MIR Eiu oudss Report which We pub
Led Yesterday and in which he fatal effects OF the pre-
cent - stem exhibited
, TIE ro: nre q the prisoners 1GFiny the day
tue il Il .r cells
Npreseut. they are permitted to walk on the CORR
dors which is fre promenade as the ploc nom OF
hotel. although Of course is very narres. Here 10
youls - Young 10 crime ia years, associae WIN od
iufclars and murdeTeIs During one DAY, W. So" a
Ioy b., ina conversation with murdc er through Tue
barred door the &C. n which tie irlon ~as c'nunedi
Besides b, ipg privilege % which sers are not
entitled this freedom giyes them az ptunty 81 e.
Gaming For exam le: On Saturday reporter Tor tAe
1ri,Rns accidentally dropped ms ticket from MS po't'
folio II was found 10y an eEb-zzer who left the PRISON,
and preaching it 10 the dOjrheeper, preptrias
f., ass cut when the officers, Who had been !nien- ct
The oss ofthe ticket AID Their guard rec golei
ard arrested him. II be bal preseuted D. beio.e rir
reroricr had given the alarm, be would uniouoi ny
have escapec.
The constitution Of different Kind Of VAT O. ~;
At present vide pipe which nrsrsecs eyrrS cell ani
Though which water c.nsanI, hcEs carries Oh the ngat
.n The rines however in each Of oar three s's are
e ploysd hy the prisoners c0nvcTsatl md 'n-fds
elon On The ur'h corridor is thus ena5l- 10 hold
conversation Win prisoner in The list Thu hare al
the rrisorers the means Of cores ondn w,h eaca
Other When tive persons charged wI'h pa-tneFsl.p
In crime-Vhomt is desirable for The sake Of gsce .
ke.p srart- are lodge in different cells thy speedily
discover AID eueT into communication nth rach oher