The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1858-02-17
For the Westerly Echo.
A Visit 10 the TOinbS.

Mr.. EDITOR, Thinking that brie
account of some Of the crimes and Grim
inals of this great metropolis. would no
30 without interest to your resdsrs,
have concluded to present you with tn,
following sketch.
A few days siace in company with {
friend | visited that fsr-fansa, yet dis.
NAL plase--ths Tombs, bs,-situatea ia ons
Of the most central places of New York
city AZ soon a. We had stepped Will
in the inclosure, eur attention was called
to some ten or fifteen females, eagsd in
strong two horse wagon, who had re-
Gently been brought from the Five
Points, and were about to be put int a
place Of confinement. AS we smpar-
ed the manner and conversation, OF
these unfortunate women, with that pu-
rity and refinement characteristic of true
womanhood, the contrast at once was too
awful to contemplate We hurried
away frsn the painful sight, and thon
passed within the walls of the prison. --
Here inclossa within their cells, w.r.
probably not less than two hundred
criminals guilty Of every varsity of crime
from petty thefts to capital offencss.-
Here wa, the youth, of ten and sixteen,
and the grey headed of sixty. Here
was every variety Of appearance, from
the most abandoned outcast Of the Five
Points up the Broadway merchant.
In one cell we saw some dozen ragged
looking boys, who had been committed
for burglary. AS we looked at their
hardened countepancss, we could hard
ly conceive how those so young, could
have made such rapid strides from The
path Of virtue. They wers however
nothing mere than fair specimen of
large portion Of the street boys Of this
city. In another cell we saw two sail
ors, as soon as they saw u;, one of them
an honest looking fellow, Immediately
left hi. dinner, which consisted of bread
and water, and came forward TO the
CRATE. After asking BIN a number Of
questions, Us gathered from him the fol-
lowing facts. A few days since while
on iurlough from the ship, be Glanced
to step into bar room, on one Of the
back streets. Here after having drank
to excess, he got into quarrel with an
individual, and without knowing what
he did, lie drew bis knife frsm his pock-
ct rnd stabbed bis opponent in the arm
He was then seized by "a policeman, and
conveyed to the Ton,bs. Ga asking
where he was from, he told US be wa.
from New London, Conn and that he
was the only sou Of his mother, who was
a widow that few years ago they bad
purchased and an acre ofland iu the SUI
bsrbs Of that city, and had paid for it,
excepting two or thrcs hundred dollars;
thvt he had not been at hsms in three
or four months, but had been continual
ly exerting himself to raise the above
sum that he had been looking forward
with the brightest anticipation to the
time when the homestead would be paid
for and then he was expecting to re-
turn, settle down and enjoy the society
Of his mother " Alas ~ said he, " how
changed are NY prospects instead of
being permitted to walk the streets or
pace the deck, and breathe the free pure
air OF heaven, | am now to be incarcer-
atsd for months and parhaps for years,
within the walls Of a gloomy prison.
Oh, | would not have my poor mother
hear of my misfortune, it would break
her heart But" said ha with an en-
phasis, indication of real decision, if
ever get out of this difficulty | will new
er get into similar one WW HeCer
indulge IN Intoxicating driahs." After
consoling him as best We could, we babe
him good bye and passed on
The next cell We stopped at was quito
different from any we had before seen
1t contained two young men, who, judg- |.
ing from their dress, conversation and
manners, must have formerly moved in
circles Of the highest responsibility. -
They were doubtless. graduates of one of
our northern colleges, as .hsy quote
Virgin, Horace, Livey, and Homer with
ease, and could converse in French,
German, and Italian with ausncy. We
ondeavorcd to learn from then the cause
Of their confinement, but they respect
fully declined all conversation on tbis