New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-23
LIFE UNDER 4 CLOUD.

BLACKWELIS ISLAND PENITENIlAkf.
The large pile of buildings which forms sue" "
prominent object on Backwelps Island Known 40
the Pententary is familiar to most oil INC Io''''.'
of New-York City, though the every Gay INC u It's
inmates is practically known only 10 'na' 'i"'9 ~
which they Immediately belong
The Penitentiary, which is under the waIdehSip
Mr. Fitch. Is capable of accommodating about '5O
rrisoners Int at present their numbers are slightly
,,nder sOo-about 800 men. and 90 women. The
rr,sopors are divided into classes, the particular
doss If each indicating the nature and gravity OF
their otIenses. and though amenabo to the same
laws as TO labor and discipline they work IN sea-
rate gangs and mess by themselves They are under
the control of q keepers each keeper who is heavily
armed having - men IN his charge whose rOll ne
calls and for whose absence he Is Responsible Ato
o'clock the prisoners are all paraded 10 can the Io
AT 81 they have breakfast, consisting OF dry Dlead
and a bowl of coffee, and at Z those VINO are
skilled wOrkmen are told of to the 3lacksmIlS, caI
penters'. tailOrs, and weaveTs shops, where All
necessary repairs to the building and lS htthgs arc
done and the clothing for the prisoners - maze
Others to labor in the gardens and heldS' whe llo
remainder are marched off in two divisions, one TO
work in the stOnequarres at home the others 10 DC
conveyed by the Commissioners steam VesSel
Bellevue to the quarTles on Wards Island me
female prisoners are principally occupied IN the
sewing-rOom, in the brush-manuiactuTy III washing
clothes, and sCTubbing ont the cells.
assault and battery or larceny. for terms varying
from one month to four years and hall those com
mitted for graver Oenses are cOhIhtu AT rIHs oIs,
all duukards Migrants, ana dlsoTdeIlN 81
the work house During the past year 25l5 persons
were iucarcerated for different periods, 2lo' WHITES
176 blacks. OF these about one-thIu were hallNS
Americans one-thiId Irish. Ouc-tenth German. ana
the remainder of various natlOnalltes Inc Nislt0T
to the PenitentiarY cannot but be struck ny ue o"
of the male prisoners compared WIN ldt Ui 1o i On
males the bulk of the males beng between IL ana oU
wears of age the females between - ana o. rev
VOung girls find their way here, as IN their carrier
career they able to gam enough by lie OF pros
titutiou without committing larceny, and conSe-
0uently do not resort 10 1T TIL Their charms DteW 10
wear and the consequent dlmlnutOn OF their means
of subsistence from such a source compels them TO
resort to some other There Is another TACT ,Whch
appears in these statistics of crime, one hRhy sus-
geStiye to the hOusekeeper or the All ieWac IilS-
oneTs committed during the past year no IcsS ltl
SOP were domestic servants and OF these III were
Irish girls and women. -.
At - O'clock the prison bell rings for dinner IL is
sad sight to stand the terrace and see the Nal-
Ous gangs of men and lads march nome from thclI
work. the greater proportion OF them me slHuS
looking young fellows; 1t rs saGdTI sun 10 see Soc
OF them carrying heavy iron bai ana cI'lh Siuhg
over the shoulder and attached To strong IRON unu
locked round the leg immediately above the ankle
These men have tried TO escape. Necessary as may
be to adopt such measures 10 prevent them from re-
peatng the attempt surely II Is unnecessarily clutl
TO compel these poor creatures 10 wear lt III nuns d,
night. Their dinner consists OF can ol soup a
plate of meat and ten ounces OF bread Iney arc al
lowed one hour and are then marched BACK again 10
their work in the quarrles; they nave supper Dred!i
and coffee at o'clock. and at d they are al
| locked in their cells. which, though scrupulously
clean are certainly TOO small about the SIZE ol an
ordinary clothes clOsot considering that the PTS
oners have TO pass u hours ont of the p IN them
On SUNDAY the seWiug-TOOm of the female prisoners
| is used as a Chapel the attending services IN
the morning. the women In the afternoon; once
month there is service for the Roman Catholic prso-
/ ners The convicts have privileges; sharp, M
tcligent lad may become hall boy or get employed
i'm the mess room; or mechanic may be appointed
| 10 one of the workshops aud so gain some slight
/ relief from the mOnOtOmy Of their lives; bht they
! get no reward, beyond little tobacco once "a week
/ for chewing: smoking is strictly prohibted once
/ month they are allowed TO be visited by their
| friends On entering the bnilding the visitor Il
forciby struck by the following inscription over the
"The way Of The transgressor is hard
Such is the greeting to the unfortunate criminals
he puts his foot often for the first time, within
the pIsion walls. If inscription be necessary,
surely the Department OF Public Charities and Cor
rectiOn might have chosen less harsh in charac
ter one that breathes a larger amount of Christian
charity TO q poor fellow creature one that may
offer him some small portion Of that encourage
ment which is essential TO his reformation. Some
such eprigram as lit is never too late to mend
would DE altogether suitable and far more en-