The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-28
From the Tribune Of March % ]

From the Tribune Of March %
WHAT TT WAS AND WHAT IT Is-scENEs OF
DRUNKENNESS AND DEBAUCHERY-THE NsrIrU
gI0Ns TURNED INTO DRAM sHOPs-sENsUALIrIEs
OF THE REPRESENTATIONS BOUGHT AND SOLD
GRAVE CHARGES AGAINST THE GOvERNoRs-RI0r
RUM AND ROBBERY.
The Almshouie Department of this city, after ten years
OF trial, has been found woefuly wanting Originating
In the necessity which existed for the renovation aud
reform Of the old imperfect and corrupt system, under
which, We are told, icentousness disorder and filth
reached disgraceful height" Intended 70 i.
model institution. With this view ten gentlemen among
the foremost the ranks Of Philanthropy in the city were
men, honestly and earnestly desiring TO discharge their
duties TO the pnblc framed such system Of checks and
balances well calculated 70 cousummste their
wishes, and established the department practical
non partisan basis safe, economical and esctaa
The members Of the Board were themselves selected 70
equal numbers the two great political parties and
the body constituted that upon their withdrawal
their places were to Dc ned Sy others Of he same po
party should preponderate usurp the conrS. The
law gave the Board the appointments Of wardenS. and
these positions were distributed equally between the two
parties But also wisely ordained that the wsrdeus
should select and appoint al their subordnaies save the
clerk Of each institution, who kept the accounts Of the
supplies furnished and used that the war lens were
able to hold each individual under them 70 strict per-
sonal account
Thus sytematized and compacted, the department
worked monousy, being administered honestly, and
to the public satisfaction. But after . few years,
founders had retired TO make selected
by the people, class Of men began to seek admission To
the Board ncfnated other uueefheh,
phisntrhopic motivesmen in fact who seeing fat pick
In prospective looked less At the honor Of the posi-
ton. and the good hat they might achieve, than at the
emolument that they might Fcoverty crib from the chill
dren OF poverty and crime.
Upder the diagracegul administration Of such unworthy
persons the departmental which its infancy and prime
strangers from far and directed by New
Yorkers with pride and pleasure branch OF our local
py public spirited citizns, in the midst OF municipal
shortcomings OF the seTapt character has far
fallen from is high estate that its condioa may best be
Ja<ft
centourness and disorder have reached disgrs ,efui
height and the public interest again demands radical
The Hrst step toward this state of WAS
to override that provision Of the organic Law which
mates This was not done openly, but was effected In
secret and in manner quite - efiectual the law
charge Of q warden. and each warden under the
thumb Of a committee OF the Board OF Governors.
The wardens found thet the newly elected Governors
had incurred obligations TO their parsans which they
(the warden') were expected 10 discharge. The re-
suit was that, TO win favor with their com nittees
the pleasure Of their superors Tenceforth all subor
dination and discipline, all order and system, all
1be history Of the Institutions for the past two or three
years, II could be faithfully presented, would show
degree Of dsorsanizaon, dssoute disregard Of decen
In the palmy days Of the department, when people
from abroad ware courteoualy shown through the nsu
tally; but when the more stsd and conservative mem
bers Of tha Board had been replaced by mere barroom
and ntemperanoe No longer seeking instruct ana ave
the visitor with spectacle Of the snfune1 Of wrong
doing and the punishment awaiting transgressons against
the laws no longer pointing with pride to the generous
manner tn which the city provided outcast orphan
and criminal Of her population they only sought 70 minis
who went with them how low i was possible for the ear
wants Of the people 70 sink themselves Thus, in the
course Of time "a visit 70 the institutions became synO
nymous with drunkenness and debauchery.
visit the sl.nds 70 supervise the dongs Of the wsrdens
ana thor ~
men. and economy and sepersy to see that the public
service faithfully performed II In no doing they
1920 street, and when their duty 70 the public was done
sat down 70 dinner with the warden discussed their
the public did not complain There were no nos.ees on
the hlapds, the bracipg air ihereapout fer1i
.harrsner q The appetite and VA, apparently NO
should eat 1t the pubiis expense.
But for years this order Of things changed for
the worse Instead Of gong 70 their work with w in
quiet committee, each member no~ holos II to be his
right to visit the institutions whenever be reAses Whether
busne calls not and to take along companies Of his
friends sometimes twenty thirty Ia numoer, in car
rages hired at the public expense, and dine and
S assr. them sna v. the coat Of 4. the any, ordering ne
biity, and directing tho wardens ia advance
70 prepare the FEAST Some Of the wardens have been
obliged TO prepare three or four large dinners day near
every DAY IN the week. and Sundays in particular
or the Governors and their friends whom they must wait
sioDs Of disorder q which even the very
copvicts cry shame. Fise Governors q time, ia the
pepnenuary, have crauk themselves drunk, and then
qua renG their cups they have called each other
common thieves and whorewastere, sna wound up BY
getting into neht, pelung each other with glasses and
then hanging their hats upon anps they have rolled
under the table 70 sleep on their dcbauch II b by no
means uncommon oc ,urreDcee for the Governors aud
their guests 10 be helped iown 10 the river and ied
INTO the boats by the prisoners being too grossly inox
Gated to help themselves Al such times the guardians Of
our paupcr and pe nal institute indulge in
language and behavior lewd and d2gustngly obscene
Well may convcts remark, as they frequently have
Ms pretty hard hat sSsule be sen, M here FOR al,
months for getting drunk my moae, put un.
Governors When making the tour Of the iustsut,ous
with Writer'S, have often been known to step into the
quarry, and, taking some striced stone newer by the
hano, publicly recognize him a. friend and political
commencing him ~ add good fellow 10 the pre-.
seDce OF the Warden guests and prisoner Such behavior
must be obvious, cannot fail prove destructive 70
The discipline which ought be maintained among the u
mates Of pententsry With the female prisoners the
Governors are equally free and ia their rnaudo moods
some Of them converse with the in strain OF re-
voting ndecency At their dinner parties it usual
for the female prisoners 10 into the presence of the
Governors and plead tor their liberty Al such eues al
though the wsrdsns might remonstrs,e rem.cd the
times during the quarter, ana released by them only
few days before, II did good. snake on, their dis
all this lax discipline ana familiarity between prsoners
and Governors may be imagined. short tms ago the
law was amended so rs TO also require the signature Of
the committing magistrate to the discharge; but IL
difficult matter for any Governor to obtso this for those
whom he would beriend For while the Wsrders
fought against this hcenee, but As cid good; they
yielded TO circumstances.
when the wardeps Lost control their suoordrstes
they bad no means Of enforcing their commands. Neglect
Of duty nsoence and naubord nation consequently Cha
rActerzed the conduct Of the keepers toward their
rior officers and taking their from the manners Of
their patrons IN the Board IN their intercourse With toe
male convicss they became sniar, aud with the female
prisoners shametuy progate Ina number OF instances
taken by the Governors and placed ct nurse in the
city, The guilty keepers being retained place
their misconduct they chose, the only punishment i'm
posed being . fine OF S26 toward paying the outdoor
nurses 10 whom the infants con 1ded
The downfall Of the rapidly declining department was
contaminated by q combination between . German re-
publican, two Americans and three democratic members
OF the Board about ago, to override the organic
law and or oce {hst H. 70 degrade, the hope
that they would resen) Of the Wardens whc had
the manhood TO resist the encroschrsents OF
the Governors upon their legal prerogalyes,