New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-25
pre.en,mert of the Grand Jury.
COURT OF GENERAL sEssIONs--APRIL ,.


CoNDIfIuS or THE CITY PRISON.
In closing their abOrs, the Grand Jury present the re-
suit of their Investigations upon various matters o pubic
moment Foremost among these the attention OF the Grand
jury was especially called 10y the District Attorney TO the
recent melancholy occurrence in the City Prison resulting
in the death OF four human beings and IN connection there
with to the character and condition OF the prison itself
careful examination of the whole subject developed the FOL
lowing facts That the deaths OF these unfortunate men
were produced by The inhalation of carbonc acid gas and
that tie condition and arrangements OF the Ciy Prison are
such as 20 require the immediate acton OF those ntrStcd
bv law with the control and management of tins prison At
the request the District Attorney aiter hearing The Coro
mrs inouest DIR. Chiffon IN company with that officer,
rroceeded TO examine the cell in which the victims
con fined and by proper experiments 10 test the character
and qualify the phere therein The result was that
with the cell vacant the two apertures OF the cell beng
open Dr. Chiffon filed several bottles with carbonc acid
gas-a stream OF which found constantly pouring into
the CELL from hole connecting with the Hue OF the chm
ney and sufficient Itself to account for the dporabe re-
suits which ensued This cell Is situated in the n w corner
of the lower corridor being feet inches III hight IL feet
inches IN width and II feet inches III length. Its only
means of ventilation two small apeureo IN the outer
wall one of which was closed the night in question
and when the cell door closed small hole diamond
shaped of about inches i'll diameter IN the outer door
The floor and walls damp the water actually collecting
on parts the floor from the extreme moisture o the walls
Al The time occurrence there was raised platform
of boards from to three fcet from tins moor on when
the prisoners slept 1t is usually appropriated to what
called five day prisoners Into tins cell ON Sunday after
noon about g. o'clock, persons none oil whom had Deen
less than days in prison, and several OF Them including
two of the deceased four days were fastened Tor the night
he
about hour after the setting OF the watch ON visiting the
cell one of the inmates discovered TO bedead The
NIGHT watch was changed at o'clock and about clock
ON second visit to the cell, another was III cOnVu>ios
who ON being tai en- out revived and sent To the hos
pal No suspicion appears to have been cNcled at the
ic and the cen WAS again locked for the night and
opened until o'clock i'll the morning When then opened
horrible spectacle presented; one al the inmates was
dead and the other three III convuonS and before the re
turn of the messenger sent for medical aid one other mad
expired fourth died in the course oi the day and night
two of the six alone surviving The testimony before the
Grand Jury was clear and UnequivOcl that their deaths
were the result OF suocation produced by carbonc acid
as one of the most deadly agents of human destruction
On visiting the cellar Immediately beneath this range OF
cells the atmosphere found to be- 50 tainted a to rem
der immediate retreat necessary ohe cei' q" me same
corridor were shown to be highly offensive and the ar
rangement of the pipes communicating with the various
cells in all the corridors detective that ut tunes the ciu
via pervalcs the entire prison. The Grand jury present
the building in It's present condition, as Pu6c Ant'aHce
and they request that unless immediate remedy be pro
yded by those who charged with tins duty the matter
he laid before the Grand jury with view TO the IN
dcmen of those who by law are Responsible Tor the con
tinuance OF so foul a stigma on the honor OF this City
THE License system.
In relation TO the charge OF the Court upon the License
Laws the Grand Jury are fully of the opinion that the IL
censos as now granted entirely at variance with the
shirt if not the letter of the statute III relation thereto But
if within the knowledge of this Grand jury tGa present
mens have before frequently been made by other Grand
ures on the subject followed by no action OF tie proper
authorities For Us to INFORM you at ihese eEo exist IN
der shadow of law and that hundreds OF dram shops in
CITY are kept open week days and Sundays T0W ceHS
which is in actual dcance of law would be synonymous
With rorng the information that New Ork is island
nv bat The SIM rises and sets daily These things we
ku0rH and only require the enforcement OF present laws TO
complctev or in great measure, Obvate the evil Sec
ton 35 of the Rules and Regulations for the general gov
eminent of the Police Department of the CITY OF New ork
is amply sufficient if properly and rsidly enforced To
close every inn tavern in this City onthr Sabbath
and to prevent the sale OF any ana AL intoxicating
nuors except to dodgers in such inns or tavcrns or
TO persons actually tGcCliHg on mat day. why
the requirements of this section with many others the en-
forcement of which would be of great public good would
meet the hearty approval of all good czens are not fully
carried out only be accounted for III the belief that our
public officers whom the suirages OF this great Cy nave
elevated 10 honor and in whose integrity our fellow cltiZe
have deposted their utmost confidence sadly and cul
paby deficient in moral uprghtness and seek rather me
good will of those known voators OF law for selfish po
cal nnrnoses than the esteem and commentator OF an en-
gbened community by the fearless discharge OF their DUTY
THE POINTS.
The Grand Inquest on the invitation or Key Mr fease
visited his House of Industry for poor and School
for destitute children the Five Points and they desire
here to express their great qualification at the vast amount
of GOOD now being accomplished by the truly charitable
work If Mr. Pease He deserves and should receive the
hearty sympathy and substantial support OF our citizens
While in that section ohe City the Jury examined the
PREMISES Nos T. ; and Little Water st which they found
In condition of filth deying description The health oftha
peighborhood if not of the City requires that prompt ac
ton should be taken by the proper authorities, to have
those premises thoroughly ceansed Amy delay especially
in view of the approach OF the warm season. may DC pro
ducye of disease and death
TIE TOWER
Grand Jury directed their attention to the rover or
Observatory now in course of ereconnear the Crystal
Palace 4 number of the jury beng practical Oulld
ers the matter submitted more ptrciary TO tner
Judgment, and the opinion OF all OF hem was ihat ie
structure in question is erecting upon correct principles
and will be perfectly safe for the purposes for which II was
designed At the request of the Grand jury highly re-
snecable and scientific architect of this City inspected the
Tower who fully confirmed the opinion above expressed
BELLEVUE HoP1rAL, sc.
The Grand Inquest visited the different Institutes Ran
dals and Backwels Island under the supervision OF the
Governors of the Aims House and happy to say that
they found all those Institutions IN ceany ana heathy
condition They also visited the Bellevue Hospital which
was also in good condition and adequate to the wants OF
the inmates except the attic Of the building which in
crowded state of the Hospital the Grand Jury believe to
he entirely unfit for the sick who may be confined therein
and earnestly call for the attention of the Governors of the
Aims House thereto - =, -
(Signed JAMES IT, h"ffEf' Foreman
EDWARD NJ. YoUSG Secretaries
GEO X. Howell,
After the reading of the Presentment by Henry Van
dervoort ESQ., Clerk of the Court Recorder Tllou made
some remarks relative the condition othe City Prison and
ordered the Clerk to transmit copies of much of the
presentmen as referred to it, TO the Board of Aldermen,
the Board of Supervisors and the Board OF the Govern
ors of the Aims House.
The Grand Jury were then discharged with the thanks of
the Court, for the term.
81 Georges Society-Sixty-seventh Anniversary.
The regular annual Anniversary Dinner of this associa
ton came off at the Astor House on Saturday evening
About three hundred guests sat down TO repast of the
first order brass band and trio of vocalsts in
attendance and furnished excellent music during the
evening Mr. IIogM the Irish pianist and organs of St.
Peters Church Barclay superntended the piano At one
end of the room was fuleGgth portrait of the Queen
draned with ENGLISH and American flags the other end