The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-28

10 be that In order TO furtase the ends Of jus
lice, Ujnstise must b. uittrd, bat a& the same
me when II - taken Into consideration that, ~ith-
out the cid of thee unfortunate pssocers tho great
msns 70 cSIy sSer SDs n sp s. sd%sssd
there exists some shadow Of reason for their do
tention.
Such victims to the science Of government"
should, however, BE- treated IN . more Coz sidcrate
BILE. The WARDEN OF the pr,so0, Mr.. John Gray, we
have every reason to believe exerts bis power and
employs the facilities 1t his command to toe utmost
to make these men comfortable. But tro limits OF
the cepsr'men of the building devoted TO the pur
pose will n.t permit him 70 carry his good iaten-
tons into effect.
There are, as we stated st the e7tset. thirteen
men confined as witnesses IN The mort side Of the
Tombs. This Ia. larger number than has ever
before been there at one time. AID there caa be
certainty that IL may not Or still further aug nented
before those at present In sroeraed dischsr ed.
The accommodations for treee thirteen men consist
OF two small, na'r0w rooms, ill-provided and uo-
comfortable. Mr.. Gray Informs Us taat he means
TO apply to the Ten Governor for permission
to knock out the partition at the back OF these
rooms, ard enlarge tie spa tments by add
ing 10 them the space the other side
OF this Partition. When this Is done the p'a y will
he much more comfortable than ut present. De
srous Of comreusatipg these persons for tleir loss
OF entire liberty, mnc1 license has heretofore been
allowed them In walking about the PRISON yard.
Not APP reciatina tbs prvie &c properly. Ms merely
discretionary set Of kin dbess on the part Of the
Warden, two witnesses. in the early part OF tao
week, sIdeavored to escape altogether, BY breaking
through a grating upon the wio1ow Of q police
apartment, after entering with theS could readily
gain the street In consequence Of this attempt,
Mr.. Gray has been since Obliged tn keep the Wit
nesst more closely; but hope the Cove will
Immediately grant tie request he INTENDS msking
in reference to the proposed enlargement. and make
these poor fellows comfortable a. they can be
m ba n ms ma Va
worthy OF mebtioD tn at they are kept Iigdly Repa
rate from and are given better qualify OF food
than that OF tire prisouera.
The very obvious remedy for suoh gross injustice
az is DOW p'acticed N tie Imprisonment Of wit
nesses, is mme date tria Of the prisoners their
Indictment; or, wbfn there are sufficient g-0un0s
for this not being done 20 take the testimony Of the
witnesses, to be used on tie trial, and let them run.
Every event, Ia fact can be elected on az exam,pa~
ton, and the o1ntry be saved the cost Of keeoug
illnesses in prison and the witnesses themselves
saved from the irconvt pieDce Of Imprisonment.
But IL neither Of T. fse things be done, then It
is the obvious duty II the roverpment either State
or city, to build house Of detention for witness g.
that these unlucky and inuo eDt meu may be saved
same deDs with outlaws. murderers, thieves, and
every species OF degraded humanity.
The High PRICE OF Coal, AND WHAT TO DO
ABOUT 1T.-Ihere Is not much satisfaction In read
ing long wiDded explain atoms from city coal Dealers
to the causes of the high price of coal and still
less satisfaction in the exorbant prices that
are G. ar2ed by the dealers. IT Is no ~ seltDg at
II 80; and - is a.ked at some yards, while arc
consoied with the positive assuran tast prices Will
run up 10 $40 beftIe December. AS coal is one of
the absolute necessities OF life in cold weather and
as the supply msniy comes from only two or three
sources, The consumers are placed entirely at the
mercy OF the produce g. who may put up prices as
high as THEY please and tho present prices are pretty
good evidence of what 1t pleases them to do. The
cause stated for the ncreast price Ia the increased
&C consumption but that has not been rroporioaed to
the rise by any means. There are still three full
months OF open navigation for the transportation of
coal to market: ste great increase in price has
stimulated to inc eased production and VIC doubt II
there be any such grounds for toe apprehension of
higher prices, as inte ested parties would have us
believe. The tiehtncss of TIE money market, and
the suspension Of good many large manufacturing
establishments, wi bave the effect OF causing a
decrease in the consumption Of coal, and will make
the laborers at the mines more numerous.
1t has been the CUSTOM heretofore, for those who
could afford to 20 it, to purchase theiy winters coal
in midsummer, for the sake Of getting it cheaper
But let them now hold of awhile, and stocks win
and dealers. The contractors must sell, thy can
Lot meet their contracts and they will sell for what
they can get. If everybody rushes forward to lay
IN their winters coal In August, for fear Of Its being
n9her In u. cember, the SPECTATORS, contractors
and city dealers Will be sure to take advantage Of
the excite ment and put no the price two shiiings
week until the ten dollar p0int shall be reached
and when once mp, the price win be likely 10
stav up.
The most prudent course for coal consumers Is to
purchase as little as possible, and TO keep on sup
plying themselves from hand to mouth until there
81 all DO fall, which will inevitably be the case IL
this cou' Sc should be adopted.
There is, III doubleday, an increased demand for
fuel OF all KINGS; but then, with the exception of
wood there are increased resources OF supply there
arc 10 fears of freezing to death the next winter;
there Will be sudden check to the importation OF
goods from England, owing to the
hard times and tne mercantile failures daily taking
place, aud many Of the Liverpool ships viii bring
cut cargoes of coal for ballast as they have already
doing.
In AND ABOUT THE CRY HALL.-The clerks of
the various courts are wisely engaged in getting M
their calenc ars for their September term and our
old o quantaDco jarvis, the new clerk Of the Com
apartments just placed at his disposal.
The County CleI k, whose offices, by the way, are
too small for his use, has been brushing up, aud
clifton. He has put all the re ords, dockets, judg.
mept books, &C., under lock and kew. This step,
arbitrary os az first thought it may SEEM was abso-
nut y necessary to preserve them IF m destruction.
Indeed, some OF the records had already for con-
verient season, mysteriously disappeared aud then
as mystsrousy returned Others had become so
greasy aud worn by constant thumbing as clrcely
TO seem le8ibie. For these, and other import ant
reasons, the comfy clerk has been induced TO pro.
vice covered pigeon holes, and place therein ali re-
cords committed to his care This, at least will bc
safer plan than leaving them open to the depreda-
lions shG misuse OF ontsioers, rs rom time iInUe-
mortal hos bt en- the case. His offices have been
thoroughly repaired, and everything about them
looks rs neat and rs trim the County Clerk him.
SELF
Il seems TO us that the same nian might, With like
reasons, be adopted In the Registers Office. As the
records IN charge Of that officer are nov situated il
would not be difti nit for interruptions interested
patty to falsify writing affecting title to property
II was, we believe, during Anderson term, when a
Iascally sneak was actually caught IN the act Of al
teriDg the record of conveyance. He was Observed
in corner, holding one of the pondercus f,Ilos "a.
iher wkwaf6ly in his arms, and occasionally look.
ing ba over his shoulder, with all tic guilty fears
OF scoundrel aware that BIO was committing State
prison of. nce Had the ft How not been IN exceed
inaly stupid rogue re would have accom- lishei his
fraudulent design bnt fortunately he was 50 loag at
the job that one ef the clerks saw him vita pen ~
hano about TO make an interlineaton, aud STONED
him. The matter was hushed up By the intercsssiou
OF respectable friends We zee him oceaioaa'ly
Has eh1tl Ill iii. T.. ~