The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-26
Court Of General Sessions.
Before his Honor Judge Beebe.

LAST DAY OF THE MARCH TERM-MPoRTANT PRE-
SENTIMENT OF THE GRAND JURY.
MARCH 25.-The Court resumed its sitting to-day at
tho usual hour, but business was transacted other
than that of receiving the Grand jury who entered the
court about ii 1s O'Clock, and made the following
PREsENTSfEgT.
The Grand Inquest would respectfully report that in
the discharge Of their duties they visited the humane
and charitable institutions upon Randas Wards and
Blaekwels sland they made digent inquiries into the
of keeping the several records and accounts Of
these institutions, and highly pleased with the sys
tenn and accuracy which appeared to prevail there The
plan OF laying out the grounds upon Randalls Island,
the chambers of the apartments in the buildings, and
the whole internal economy developed under the eff
cent management Of Colonel Stearns, well the
physical and intellectual discipline which the children
receiving at the hands of competent instructors
bined to excite pride in the possession of admirable
a charity; and would add testimony to that of
other bodies who have visited the institutions to
its invaluable worth as preventive OF crime The
Grand Jury, while noticing with pleasure the general
good character of the hospital arrangements would call
attention to the condition of the buildings which while
excellent in pan yet to have been constructed
cheaply as already to require considerable outlays
for their repair; and we would recommend that in u
ture they be constructed with greater forecast to their
permanance and durability. The number of children
upon the island is about one thousand.
The Grand Jury made thorough visitation of Wards
Island examining its storehouses hospitals wards and
schools, and found all in usual good order under the
able superinendence OF Mr. Riddle. Twenty-Five hundred
emigrants receiving the benefits of this wise pro
vision their home in need of whom about 200 are
children, who receive daily instruction in elementary
branches in the schools.
found in excellent ORDER but they have been the sub
ect of frequent visitation and report this Grand Jury
would omit more particular account of them. They
would however, invite attention to the unsafe character
Of the Penitentary Hospital, which, either from the
sinking of its foundation, from the poverty of the
ment, from the unmasterly combination of the mate
rails in the wall or perhaps from all these causes united
already shows signs of dlapdaton and hourly becom
ing unsafe a tenement. The means heretofore
ployed 10 sustain the walls have been found insufficient
and threaten to hasten its destruction The plan of
building butresse to support the north and south walls
is doubtful and expensive experiment and if it proved
successful there would still remain two other faults in
the plan Of the building of equal importance with its
other defects and these in utter disregard of vent
ton and internal convenience in its original plan These
facts induce the Grand Jury TO make formal present
ment of the Penitentiary Hospital, edfce i'll
adapted to its purposes, and altogether insecure for
human fe and they recommend its removal to the oun
daton and its reconstruction upon wisely devised
plan.
PHILETUs H. HOLT, Foreman of the Grand Jury
Judge Becbe then discharged the Grand Jury, after
thanking them for the strict attention paid by them to
the public duties imposed upon them. The Court then
adjourned for the term.