New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-09
R--rvuf the Tembs.

Elm stssets and those ut o distance who have never
osen sea the ohtsde Of the +" Torbs." and with
whom q Is ealy associated with deeds Of crime and
vislny w have 'ohen felt curious to learn what Is
going On indde tbcse efVomy walls. The Tombs' Is
not penal establishment but simply house Of detcn
ton fof persons who have boon committed for trial
and tsfused or been unable to find. bail
and also, the phce of confinement for those
prlssuess awaiting the last dread sentence
Of tao w, which Is here executed upon them Inside
che waA which darkep Centre. Elm. Leonard, and
streets the building Is composed Of two prin
cpa psftions the Grs tie Centrestrcet side con-
Gaining the Pirst District Police Court the Court OF
Special Seseion and the various offices connected with
SAcr. which must IN their general arrangement be per
seotly familiar to every one who has ever boen In
court az jastice and wiz therefore, need no desc1p
sion and the prison, close on the Em-strce SIDE ard
from which 1t issometimes called Ei-sreet Jail. The
prison itself is narrow, obong. quadrnngular struc-
sure four stores IN hight with windows like the half
closed .port-leles ef a,nanafwaf narrow ss in the
gtene Just sdsccBt to admit light and air but utterly
cutting OF all view Of tho world In the yard onside,
and lhepe OF escape Iasiie the appearance Is that
OF marrow but ofty passages with three galleries one
shove tzother. running all round wAle on each side
are low doors OF OPEN iron work. with inner
doors Of wood. These doors open each
Cad STONE DOLL sione floor. stone walls and stone
eeihD about feet square continuing bed ard wash
fng utensils. The lower oorrdor. tits called Is
yogndea by these cells. ten Of which allotted TO
condemned murdercrs. They are Of great strength.
somewhat srgor than the ohers and have held all the
o,orieas cranals Of lstc years AT the end of this
corridor Is sma library Of well selected works FOL the
use oe prlsouos. comprising such books as History
of Civilization IN Europe. Jays Morning Exercises.
r Dicks works SO. The oeils on the floor above, or
che second corridor. occupied by persons waiting
sejr trials for all kinds Of clonios osenses such rs
murders burglarles, highway robberes. forgery &c.
snd i Is melancholy to observe the generally
euperior aspect Of the men confined here'
These are the upper cassesthe aristoeracy Of crime
any Of thsn men Of fair education and III their gen
era appearance most OF them indicate the possession
of fair abilities. The means which these mon have Of
earning an honest lrouhooI IL So disposed are In
stsnced BY set Of frcscocs tie walls OF one OF The
t,els Esd which wero certainly superior to many OF
shose pldeh dsGgure public buildings. The sub
fects lady horseback. the everlasting eagle
Of course "a rogiipent the march. and one or TWO
mnorpeees and yet the painter, WHO might. perhaps,
b. honest industry have Into fortune deooIa
tiye artist II not into Ine In the higher walks OF art
wo are told 10 an active moDber OF notorious swind
bug gaug preying upon uususPecting tradesuen, but
whose kna,ery generally aad far possible Keeps
On ths safe side Of the law The occupants OF this cor
rilor are however all Of this claSA bat there are
q few rturdy villains whore low ioreheads, pimp!cd
fAces, sensual mouths, and sinister appearance. pro
claim them men of violence. and with whom solitary
neetjng word NOT be unattended with dagger. These
are waiting tri,lf)r garrotins or burglary, we have
sreedy said that these prisoues arc waiting tial and
consequently must 10 considered and treated as inao-
cent until proved guilty trial Thls preliminary
confinement theiAshe is iten'el with none Of the
harspsss md penai TEXTURES that await the cor9ci
On this account tie friends Of the prisoners have al
mission II requested every day. and arc permitted TO
bring with them such articles Of food furniture as
may sclacs tho weary waiter In tho CELL or rendor the
comfirtlesx dungeon more endarahle. Tho third cor
ydor has Its cells flied by quito another caes Of prison
srs, much lower grade Of criminals men committed
on chargcs Of grand larceses. pockei-Piekios and
kindred ofensos They are evidently men Of much In.
fror caber 10 the Others no. such aepss IN crime rs
well as OF poorer circumstances, denlsens wien ut
home" Of the Five Points and other hannts
Of vice. Their bare and urfurnished cells coarse and
catered clothing evidence their poverty whle tser
iepulsiye features show ignorance brutality and long
end uurestrsined Indulgence OF the wost passions
Even these degraded creatures however, have MOI yet
hlen 50 low "a to he utterly tpsaken. oad the gallery
is dotted with persons. principally women. holding
ponss-sation with tho prisoners or passing thol few
simple 'uxuries. sRch tobseco through the grating
which Separates them from the outside world The
Souahand highest corridor h In all respects similar 70
che beneath it, though lighter class of criminals
art confined here's and looking Mt the names on the
sates hung each door. notice that great ma
forty OF them shmon. On returning 10 tic court
outside We notice the bridge along which prisoners are
conveyed TO 10 c0dtroom on tho day Of trial and
which inscription on It tells Us Is tae Bridge Of
Sigbs on as the warden paraphrases IL, the bridge
os Assize," and which c;sries hock Ia tsought 10
She dread and secret tribunals OF oil uno
when the Council OF Ten lorde] II the lives and
liberties OF Venice while the other side IA the warn
tng "the way Of the transgrcssor Ia hard" Eealad
Che prison is the cook house. and in the space IN front
Of this building. ard between Il aHd the lsi easo tho
executions took place until lately An execution is
tourcsH greet excitement among the priscaers who
obtain information Of To- by the various IN
eeSgrpahd telegraphs, well undersnod by al IaiIbyds
and as the windows Of their cells too high above
them FOR them 10 what ia passing below and too
even il Hey should climb up for them T. look
out o. various devices are iesoried 20 ~ obtain view
Of tie enacting below among the most farorite
OF WHICH 10 the plan Of inserting piece ofoons glass
in the end II stick and this held oft of the wndow
at PIoper angle affords the person holding view Of
fbe ghasy sight beneatk him, The ferale prison forms
a sort OF wing to the male department and is much
smaller than ira other. II il divided into
rso departments. one for inebriates and
the other for prisone-s waiting trcj, ADD those !
.Int w.1 Lott Ia Il.