The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-05
The Scene and the Actors.

The scene and the Actors.
Ono Of the most vivid pictures Of tho inner working
OF New York life be studied advantage any Sun
day morning by Watching the anteprandial clearance
Of the Tombs lookup. Hore sees all the deeterous
effects Of dissipation passion and drink exhibiting them
selves In the wretched "images Of Gods hkeness"-
those debased dcbauched and demorazed examples OF
"oose morals and "fast" life, who keep up Saturday
night we'll that they find themselves Sunday morning
In prison The dramatic In It's force and colorng
Without the Tombs all Is still and quiet betokening the
rest OF the Sabbath within Is lifo In all its worst
features The fresh morning air which percoIates
through the hushed Streets although the weather Ia
misty and vaporsh breathes Of the freedom Of hcavon
the close atmosphere of the prison suggests the con1ne
OF the lower regions The the sky with
speak Of nature and natures God the closed Doors
the iron gratings the bolts and bars and aors within
symbocaI Of naught but the Master Of Evil and his
handIwork. The contrast Is great at nrst sight;
but the picture develops more as inquiries into it,
inner workings and takes note Of the different specimens
Of humanity let loose from ''durance vile" In which
they have been kept all night and brought up in tho
morning for Judgment before the stern Rhadamanshus
Of the court of Hades Yesterdays proceedings will do
for example,
scene-Ths Tombs; six o'clock Sunday morning
Prisoners
Present time.
In two separate pens, to speak. tho enclosures
rallied and partitioncd or with iron rails and
spikes, were the two classes Of prisoners, men and
OF these II must be confessed that the "gentler
ssx looked the most wretched and dsspated Glad In
old bonne's II they had any, torn shawls and ragged
faces they hudded together and quarreIna >. an
under with each other before they We caed up
ss DO a sna let % or The
young some old some sced 81 conso yos 'n ~
one one or two look .S shame in being there The
,n sa,,, s,Ss-sdared to be horribly at ease and
c-s2saH Of their degraded position. The were a
better lot although 1t may DO truly said bad were the
best" These better dressed exhib tied traces
Of having been ''out q SPREE" and Their demo.
ralzaton being only temporary than that reckless
efYrontery and nopeessy fallen appearance which the
women showed on their counienances.
Among the male prisoners were two or three dark
complexoned citizens who appeared to be more happy
and composed than their whittier brethren Every now
into the respective pen OF his her SEX when, II
woman there would DO immediate whispering and nut
received by his companions in silence Il was omnous
and produced grating sensation the 10 hear
the dread cans OF the gates after the prisoners
ushered within the enclosed dock-it seemed ike the
funeral knsll Of their hopes their future and their
lives for good whils tho horrd edrch laughter which
occasionally aiose from some historical woman only |
Among the prisoners the greater number charged
with DRUNKENNESS and dscrdery conduct ann Brows,
an old offender was brought up for us.g threatening
and abusive lapguage In the pubic str 70 provoke
breach OF the peace Committed nck -, nessn
and disorderiyconduct The csmpang oncer SAID that
the male prisdner-whose aead seemed 70 have been
mu ch clu bbei-was the worst man on his beat Com
After half 4 dozen such cases were tried batch Of
ocers stood before them front Of the Judicial plat
form and enclosure One aer another they were called
over back 10 prison, oret on and told to SIN no
more" when they went shanbing out Of the court A
woman who said she resled when at home" IN Flat
bush. was brought up for unkenesA She was advised
81: ~S young sas
iris sisters aged probably twelve and nfseen years,
we're charged Win bad conduct the stree: and COM
mited for trial II was sad 70 see two such youthful
TSsn - S. q 20 1per c hcpsssy bad
49, rssnsc,.b,e c,kne men, charged with assault
and battery. we're discharged, - tho complainant did
40. s cur;ous feuros in other cases we're then devs
oped Mary Clark another old offender, started
exploring expedition on saturday night, and brought
M At ehoe store corner Of Grand and Centre streets
She made the usual protence Of wishing purchase
aud succeeded IN obtaining possession Of I've pairs OF
whcn she CO. @ soo rss
poy6 was suspicious Of the fair MArys intsntops he
consequently watched her movements and finally
cinc who found her in possession Of tho stolen prop
erty On being aragned before the police Justice,
the srrns Mary was ,oa rans SoM or TRIAL 'no spsc
Two cases FOR breach Of the Excise law were then
brought forward Paul Cbrstanson OF 10 Pearl street.
and August Nosser, OF 800 Pearl street, charged with
having exposed liquors for sale unlawful hours
the Offenders and these having given bail for their APP
pearance remanded TO the Court Of General ses
sions
Small cases Of drunkenness were invariably lot of,
nights confinement, in prison being thought sucien.
punishment for them On the clearance Of batch OF
prisoners another lot wns brought up and the dock
cleared OF its IL FIRST numerous nhabitants The lookup
Of the rombs vas veeded out and only such prisoners
for trial and detained prison In all forty cases
wers thus disposed Of Yesterday morning BY seveq
o'clock the business over Thus passes SUNDAY
mo,n,nv an tbe rombs and the scone s nj an and