The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-10
SING SING PRISON.

Cr1mlnHlS Iacnrcerascd, ana thelr EmpAoy-
msnt-r he Female Prison and ats Inmates.
Our State Prison At Sing Sing has probably a the pre-
day notorious confined within ito walls
than at any time since its erection fact IL ha become
that there are not cells enough 10
Gate all, especially In the male department. There
incArcera.ed ,Os5 male prisoners and 100 70
male. In the male department these are cells for
The accommodation Of thousand, leaving nearly one
hundred 10 be otherwise provided for portion Of
these are furnished with sleeping rooms In various por
tons OF the prison. most Of whom are used for the gene
raj work about the institution The Remaining number,
about fifty, qaartered at night in the chapel the
benches, &C. being used 70 sleep on and over them is
detailed . special guard There s certainly great
necessity Of an addition TO the main prison. The present
state Of the prison 10 in most praise worthy condition.
everything indicating cleanliness and perfect order
The cells and walls are KEEP. clean with white
wash, and are freely ventilated, number Of the
colored convlc's being kept for this special duty
The walks and the various workshops also in good
condition, and worthy Of comment Toe shops being
large and cemmoaious fne breeze passes through them
from the river which makes IT very comfortable for the
convcts in weather. the Warden, Mr Beardsey,
and his assistants, have made many valuable improve
mep's OF late and appear study the comfort Of those
urder their supervision Every attention paid the
sick; NO one found complaining in any way is permitted
to 60 moment without proper attention; and from tho
fact that there only under treatment in the
pta out Of so large number IL s safe 10 presume that
proper medical attention 10 paid to the wants OF ALL
Four contracts have been entered into during the
past year. upon which large number Of the convcts
employed That Of manufacturing iron castings and
plates lie OF the contracts. For this purpose
new workshop about beng nnished, upon which
ploye the notorious joe Cobura The work OF casting
the ABOVE articles together with manufacturing augers
ea,d 70 be new business for the but thus far
the project seems 10 promise complete success The con-
tract Is claimed to be sufficient for the employment
Of MI the men IN the prison. The crimes for whk;h
the prisoners are ncarcersed embodes or almost
every class that u known. There arc some half dozen
IN for murder, about hundred and nfty grand
ceny i've for manssueh er aud about hundred and
nifty for burglary and highway robbery. rner term Of
life. There appears TO be but nye doomed latter
term while there in for forty years three for tweu
~ years. and about hundred aud ly for years.
the REMAINDER averag ng from two ~ twenty years.
estmaed that three ourths Of the oonvicts do
exceed twenty i've years IN ase there are two who
over sixty years. some twelve over dftS aud about
hundred under twenty one years Of age. fhe system
for regulating time is extr' mely well carried out
during tie present season. The cells OF the prisoners
are opened at sx O'Clock in the morning and closed at
The ssme hour in the evening fifteen minutes allo
gong from the cells to the shops fifteen minutes for
time ten hours and forty dve minutes prisoner
oas certain amount Of work TO perform daily, and 10
he gets through az an early hour be do
tor which he 10 credited 10 this way many OF the con-
vic,s have quite laid up by the time their liberia
for overwork.
The of punishment, with the exception Of the
csge similar to that used in all prisons, the
balm being the most severe. Lat year two hundred
sDd seventy one were showered, four punished with
the ball and chain and eighty eight capped and yoKed
lees objectionable than the sho BATH 1t is simply
box made Of paDks feet height and at the TOP
fitted with two movable planks in which the neck Of q
is casped The convict who is TO be punished is
seated On movable platforms which 10 hung by puleys
and which can be readily adjusted according the height
he In
imbe but bis hands left at liberty. the prisoner
punished enough he is then taken oGt There
IL, 1t Is ead no possible danger TO life limb by this
mode Of punishment Passing through the prison and
tves Elder and Widely, Was enabled TO many Of the
notorious criminals among whom we're large number
who made this city their field Of operations Among The
hrst thar met our view was
JAKE THOMPSON,
The Long Island negro convicted about eleven years
ago for stealing two coats from hallway In Brook
Ign. He was found guilty, and received sentence
OF fourteen years and six months. Jake, il appears,
well known q hall thief, and had repeatedly
made heavy naus in the way VI clothing, but always
had them as quickly oct Of his custody time
would allow him 10 reach pawn shop. BE invariably
and what there was that could be carried or While
ON one Of these tours Of observation he unfortunately
s INTO me arms Of an ocsr Just as ne was leaving
above sentence. He says that II was very fortuna that
he did not carry of Whole suit for Il he had he would
BILLY MOORE,
Who was found guilty OF the murder of young Stack
POOLE at the River House Harem last fall engaged with
abou: one hundred seventy others the hat shop
Eocre 70 will be remembered, Of the officers Of
the Brady Guard who on visit TO the above place
accompanied them as outsiders and while at the River
House dispute arose between S.acxpooe and Moore
whn general row ensued and stackpoole, finding that
he gett pg the the 6ght, down
the river 10 escape but he was closely folio we'd by two
three among them Moore, who ssbbed him 10 the body,
killing him amoat instantly. The parties were all Frs.
ward politicians.
cANCHMr,
Who ID too well known to require any extended notice.
is Of three al work in the hat pressing shop. He
has changed somewhat in appearance, having been d.
vested Of the black whlskers which he always wore
he had nothing do but to lounge about hts cell
in New York One wodl5 hardly believe " was Cancem
unless they observed that cunning that always
tended him. when in conversation He appears work
with considerable activity and is doubt fully resigned
TO his late. At the same bench is
WILLS,
The well known Broadway receiver, who together with
Connolly, kept "fence the corner OF Broadway
and Leonard street. They were arrested sbou. fou,
years ago for having large quaat,y stolen silks 10
The State prison. Ccuney bas just finished out mis- term
and 10 now ht large In this city.
ED. LILLY,
Tie confidence operator, and who is one OF the mos,
expert patent safe and ball is at last saey quar-
teged in Sing Sing prison. he is about Aye feet ten
inches in height, has very sharp features great
His life has been OF continual ssiadng
He always 10 be found absnt the principal hotels
the lower part Of the city He could talk himself into
the good OF couptry in very space OF
time, seduce HIM away from the city Greec wood
Cemetery other point the city under
pre,ence Of seem the sights and ieece hm CT all his
ornney by his various confidence games He very
DESTROYS that one Of the detectives would aid hin pro
curing pardon.
CHARLEY CUSHING,
Alias Johnson, another well known confidence maa,is
employed in the carpet shop. He Is of cons
derable educaon and said 10 be OF very respectable
parents The circumstances attending Cushing's
rather interesting from the fact that II ewing 10
his careessness thai his guilt discovered II
appears that the day OF his arrest he succeeded in