New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-16
Ailsged Starvation of the Prisoners
Msn c1uelly Lashed and women
rr CoWhided.
Intense Excitement in Brooklyn
expW SION or the OFFENDING jAIlER

County Jail.
II appears that Mr. McNeeley the Keeper of that in
,ttution who has the entire furnishing OF provisions
TO the prisoners been charged by one Of his subord
mates Mr. James j. Jones) with giving rotten meat
and that of an insufficient quality TO the prisoners
Also with extracting the marrow from the bones pre
yious to the making of soup. ..lr
Mr. Jones' AssistantKeeper, who brought these
facts to light says he influenced TO do so Tor tine
public GOOD as the men have been only halted. and
The food generally of the worst quality. Mr. McNeeey
has also boon charged with taking certain perqulsites
that did belong to him. Several persons 1t is SAID
have suffered severely at his hands, and those OF his
assistants having been cruelty and iDhumany scourged
The above alleged facts and several others of Ike
character having been made known to the Board OF Su
peryisors of Kings County, 1t was determined by that
body that an Investigation OF the matter should DC
made committee accordingly appointed and
at the monthly meeting Of the Board, which was held
yesterday afternoon, report of the minority OF the
committee submitted for consideration. which
inouded several facts cleaned from different sources
and seemingly trustworthy. The report. given below IN
full caused great deal of discussion and erosshring
between the members Of the Board
Supervisor Schoes thought the action Of the Keeper
unjust and cruel 1t revival of the old plan OF
Furnishing prisoners in vogue in the time Of Howard
long since lie considered this revival of the bar
barous deeds committed a. Andersonyile. lie was
opposed to whipping the colored slave down South and
he is now opposed TO the whipping Of white people up
North. He thought If Mr. NeSeeley could not enforce
discipline without the LASH that the Supervisors could
obtain who could. After this question was debated
upon at length by both parties ii was moved that an
election be entered into which was accordingly done.
and Mr. CLARK was duly elected principal Keeper of the
Penitentiary FOR the next three years.
The following is the Minority Report as presented
BY Supervisor CLARK:
THE MINORITY REPORT.
To tAe Board Of Supervisors Of Kings County
GENTLEMEN The undersigned, minority OF your
COMMITTEE TO whom referred the charges of JAS
j. Jones IAN assistant keeper, against francs Nc
Neeiey the principal keeper Of the Pententiary. dis.
seong to the report of the majority would respectfully
beg leave to report:
That he ives present with the Of the committee,
and heard all tie testimony ard rs TIE pro
crossing Mr.. McNeeey admitted all the charges, ex
"He has furnished both keepers ard prisoners with
insufficient food, and that Of bad quality
HE has extracted The marrow from the soup bones.
1T is currently reported among the keepers that
sound prisoners kept the sick list" Sc.
"He has Ia the rcughest language abused his assist
ant keepers before the prisoners"
HE raises market Truck at the county expense and
has allowed his keepers TO be duty while intOXi
Gated
ALLEGED STARVING OF The PRISONERS.
Ithall therefore only review the testimony bearing
upon these charges.
The evidence upon the first Of these is conflicting
NJ Jones swears that he has seen rotten mcat aud
rotten fish served 9p has seen the butter so rancid that
the keepers refused Is it, has green and rotten
potatoes cooked and had often seen the prisoners
jeot their rations
npthat was spoiled has seen II badly cooked that the
fish quite good, aud that the keepers we're some
times dissatisfied with the quality Of tbeir food
William ii. Quinn formerly prisoDeT) swears that
the tee poor the fish very bad has had bean soup
with the meat bad that he compelled 10 reject it,
and hes often seen prisoners reject their rations.
ar. James Campbell sweafs ttat he has prison.
reject their ratons, but that the board of the
keepers good.
William Newsam swears that be never saw prisoners
reject then rations but had seen the butter for the
keepers very bad.
E1.SuperyisUr CrOpsey that the supplies came
fully mp 10 the contract.
Ex.Saperyisor Kirby swears that he never heard any
complaint from the keepers that the food was Insult.
cieHt or of bad quality.
supervisor TALBOT that he had made special
visit TO the prison and M examination Of the supplies
and found the food es good as he used at homes and
heard that Mr.. McNeeley furnishing to the
keepers and prisoners food OF an inferior quality
1bos Gsscoigne swears that the meat Is as good as
the contract calls for always that they are right
weight and quality and that the food Of tie keepers Is
good.
samuel Ray (fermerly a prisoner) swears that Ills
Undoubtedly the contract calls for what the laws of
the state require Food VI inferior quality, bat
healthy" And undoubtedly among such food some
be found that spoiled 1t may for the want of proper
care ON the P4r VI Inc reviewing officer into the
storeroop, aud from there into the kitchen II may
become spoiled while IN the store.roorn and IL but a.
small piece VI spoiled meat Ash should be put into
the Eess, \ would spoil the whole and hence he re.
ect by the prisoners. There no doubt but that All
these parties baye told the tIuth and 1t goes to show
that u person selecting the food for the pesa hond
sxercise the stictest care that be used bu what isl
healthy - I
r ire folov.ag is al tie teslincsy IN ~ anon to ex
trsssiAg the marrow ffcm the soup bones: |
sr zones <-eeYs ts he has ,34ssaer7 take the
4, arrow ont OF hc bones. all the va4 taken
of had beer done since he had been here had
d, own so1ne of the keepers 70 the fnafrO % rub on
lAeir h didn't Know yhsi was done 9Th j. waether
&c was sold or not. i44. 80 fo l
William H. Quinn had abe marrow taken oQt II
1he bones u was dgaf bv E3n named John BiTDey
the bones were shnr and sssnks ana che marrow
kaSse1 int the kicheI: saw y yied ont and placed Va
fabs .sr hafirkns and covered OYER with paper. or
cloths and saw il put or butchers wagons. snd taken
away. .-rI'. ..lslr-t
taken CUT Of the bones the keepers sonld sopen,es
get piece iOT their hair; Ssver recessed orders ram
Mr. AeNeeey 10 have AZ doaei when III 1anTei pes
be would 20 aud ask for Il. ..a 4
Richard Newman swears That be had access TO he 4
Kitchen had seen the talss out oi tie bones
II q small quantity for bis OVID use Il not
taken out as general thiny. L-r
MessIs. Newman. McKehns and Campbell tho other
Keepers, Who were examined, each swear that rhcy
eyer saw il yken ont that they were outside keepers
aud lid not risi. the kitchen. ....f--..-~ 4
~ ff weight OF tie testimony unqucsfionaby ssstains
thoeharge of Mr. d apesi indeed yoHr committee deems
- 10 te overwhelming aud conclusive; but admitting
this was not mat or OF business that the srtic
sod still the fact emalns that TIE keepers used
she marrow for their hair your comhAllee deeps u
exceedingly reprehensihe for hecpels 10 mace ny
sutrer Of the food consisting ~ noes oi obi SINUS
and shanks; nothing is left bat the ny W
te !Toh but subsequent ilguiIy on ~ 5a.. ~ .h's
ccn.3ittee slows The soup to be sort cd lie s,o.
<s-ta~ NJ. 81. Ia