The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-26
Essex and Jefferson Market Police
Courts-Ludlow Street Jail-The
Tombs-Yorkville Police
Court-The Station.
Houses.
Crime and it's Nemesis i'm
New York.
Judges, Juries, GsOlers, and Jail-birds
in Knickerbockerdom.
From Our Olen correspol.aent


In approaching the subject of the Prisons
of New York, one feels that he has to deal
with a topic in which the curiosites of crime
present themselves in a two-fold aspect-that
of tragedy and comedy. Both of these
aspects loom up perpetually in the various
police courts the lighter elements being dis
missed upon the minute, and the darker ones
celebrating themselves in the recesses of the
various iails with which the great metropolis
abounds.
In the first place, let me say a word about
the New York station houses in general, and
one New York station-house in particular.
They are twenty-nine in number, and are
presided over by regularly-appointed cap
tains and subalterns. Most of them are de-
Notwithstanding holes, situated in extremely
unattractive localities, and pervaded by
general air of bummerism. The modern
station house, however, is a great improve
ment upon the old ones. There is some
effort made towards decency and comfort.
The room where the prisoners are conducted
for hearing looks like cross between hall
of justice and the bar of plainly-furnished
public house. This room is to the rest of
the staton-house what the parlor of private
dwelling is to the other apartments. The
floors are kept well sanded; lamp burns all
night over the police Justices or the alder
mans desk; the book of magisterial minutes
is forever at hand for ready reference; the
colored light over the front door of entrance
is as ceaselessly burning as the ancient vestaI
flame; but beyond these insignia of Justice
are the pestiferous cells destined to echo with
the groans of the drunk and disorderliess
arrested over night.
There is one station-house, however, that
in every respect is in strong and admirable
contrast to all the others. 1t is new one,
having been very lately erected. II is the
| Third Precinct Station-House, within whose
\ radius extend such wealthy handsome, and
valuable streets as Church street, Vesey
| street, Chambers street, sections of Broad
1 way and West Broadway, College place, Park
| place, and so forth. In short, some of the
wealthiest portions of New York are included
in the Third precinct. 1t is fitting, there
fore, that the station-house should be a model
| one. 1t is located upon Chambers street, not
very far from Hudson, is built of brownstone,
and was erected at a cost of $4,000 1t is
four stories high, has Mansard roof and
was occupied for its present purpose on Jan.
1, 1869. Over the entrance, eternally,
| at night, burns blue lamp.
whose azure glances can be seen for
many block. The interior of this station
house is fitted up more like the private rooms
of tirst-class business man than like those of
criminal headquarters. The windows are
of stained glass, the wood work is of black
walnut, mirrors meet the eye on opposite
sides of the elegant waiting-rooms. If JUS
tice Is tardy, as the proverb says, it must at
least be pleasant to be kept waiting for her in
such well appointed apartments as these.
The captain and sergeants are particularly
well provided for, their private rooms being
better furnished than many better persons
are at home. Even the rooms occupied by the
common policemen are furnished with black
walnut, several wardrobes, and seperate bed
for every man. Consequently the police
men on the Third precinct beat are the
envy of those on all the others. The general
sitting-room is provided with chess, checkers,
dominoes and like harmless games; and while
off duty some of the men have been known
to play the game of ''Old Maid, with anti
gambling cards. The prisoners cells in this
ber There are only seven in all. Evidently
Kennedy does not anticipate many arrests
being made in the Third precinct 1t is
precinct of business men, not bummers.
Solid old bankers and brokers, millionaires
whose whole catechism is comprised in the
theory that the chief end of man is to glorify
the almighty dollar and enjoy it forever, are
not exactly the sort of people to get
off the track after dark, and 'fetch up"
in station-houses, These seven cells are not
larger than those of the other station-houses,
but they are cleaner, neater, better Ventl-
lated, better furnished, and infinitely less un-
comfortable That no more cells were
needed is proven from the fact, that since the
station-house was opened, no more than three
prisoners have been accommodated IN 1T at
any one time. 1t is to a different class OF
criminals from the street loafers-to incen-
diaries for instance-that the officers of the
Third precinct are required to direct their
vigilance. The Hoboken ferry, the Erie Rail-
road depot. the Boston boats, the Washington
Market. come under their closest espionage.
for il is these localities that are oonstantlv
visited by stealthy evil-doers, who seek to rean
a harvest by the crime of arson.
YOrIxvilIe.
Yorkville is far from being an unpleasant
prison to visit. 1t is situated near Sentral
LCVntiaHsd on ne SscVnd Pa0sl