The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-30
Their Presentment-The Rotten
ness of Our Aldermanic System
Why the County Prison
is Crowded, and but
few Criminals i'm II.
JUDGE BREwsTER's RESPONSE.
He Gives the Aldermen Another
0verhauling-The Rights
of the People Defined.

This morning the Grand Jury made the following
important presentment:-
To the Honorable the Judges of the Court of oyer
and Termner and the Quarter Sessions of and for
the City and County of Philadelphia The Grand
Inquest OF the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
iuiring for the city and county of Philadelphia for
April sessions, 1862 impressed by the weight of duty
aid upon them, yet animated 10y the charge OF the
bills, of which 149 were found true and 2l5 were
ignored.
The Grand Jury visited the County Prison. where
they received courteous reception and every de-
sired and needed attention from the officers.
The crowded condition of the prison remains un-
abated. The hardened in crime the inexperienced,
and those unstained by guilt are associated In the
same CELL Inevitable as such state of things may
be- the worst results must follow, and some remedy
for so grave evil is most urgently called for The
law prescribes cell for each prisoner. But the
prison is overcrowded, and the law on grand scale
s violated. Where rests the responsibility? Is the
keeper justified in receiving prisoners and COM
prison cell, all requirements Of the law to the
trary Notwithstanding? or does the whole RESPONSE
bility rest with the magistracy at whose offices the
endless warrant to commit is instituted?
The gradation OF offenses found by the Grand Jury
TO prevail in the bills of indictment acted on meets
full parallel within the walls uf the prison Prisoners
weighed down by the guilt of henous crimes GER
ainly to be found in the prison. but the vast prepon
derance lies among offenders accused of trivial vio-
ations OF the law, such the theft of few oaves of
tights and braws. In the great majority of cases, the
malice and envy of the private accuser, harvest
rich in emouments for honorable alderman, and
heavy bills of expense for the community of patient
taxpayers and more easily discernable than the
paramount claims of justice or the public interest.
In view OF the great disparity betwlXt commit
ments to prison and verdicts by the petit ures the
Court % in its charge makes this appalling remark
out OF ten whose cases will be brought before you is
really guilty"
Committed OH charge OF some trivial onense,
doomed to prison and the companionship OF crim-
nails, helpless to bail, yet not really guilty, under
the solemn forms OF law they have, ia fact, suffered
false imprisonment"
The whole prison statistics upon this subject rem
der it apparent that our aldernanc system has been
laboratory OIenSeS,
and weltrained witnesses are ever ready 10 aid the
most nefarious enterprise. There are eXcep-
tons among our aldermen but too many avail them
selves OF every opportunity TO increase their ices at
responsible Office into an instrument of oppression and
wrong for the purpose of mlnisterng TO their avarce
The system evidently demands radical change,
ana in place OF an election ut the ward, where the
votes OF criminals are often more potent than the
franchises of law-abiding citizens, an appointing
power is needed at quarters removed from all ward
influences, and in pace.of fees from commitments
to prison. a fixed salary should be substituted.
The Grand jury searched IN VAIN TO discover
within the prison walls any fair proportion of the
high grades of crime-the bold BURGLAR, the dlscl-
pined thief, and the accomplished plckpocket whose
achievements are hourly filing our communities with
wonder and dsmay. Criminals by profession, whose
proper place is the penitentary, are nowhere within
our prison walls. Bafng and eludng, or in league
with, keen-eyed detective forces, at times com.
pounding their feonies for va1uablc considerations
or If ever arrested, soon released on ball. these
professional criminals roam at large, proving ana
iuXuriating our rank civilization in their gambling
hes, driving their fast horses enlarglng the harems
or patronzing the brothes, which, like themselves,
While the Grand Jury promptly find true bills against
all professional voators OF law brought within their
province they can but add their loudest accents TO
the calls of public Justice in urging upon our detec
tive agents the importation OF Il new ana higher
degree of vigor TO their system, or the propety OF
resiQnng their commissions.
The recent suicide committed within the walls of
the prison, by which daring insnlt was offered to
the majesty of the law, demands particular notice.
with reference TO any censurabe lack of vigilance on
the part of the prison officials after having been fore
warned by the public press and other ominous int
nations that the morning OF execution would witness
audcant place at the gallows as wen as Win refer
RES through which the condemned and blood
stained man may have been aided IN his eluson OF
the last penalty outraged justice metes TO felons at
the head of the criminal calendar the Grand Jury
refrain from the expression OF opinion Inc subject
has been in the hands OF specla ots 1,,
would, however, direct attention TO the prevention
OF a repetition OF such insldlous lnteICepIlohs OF
merited retrbution for it is just here where after
the wisdom OF the court, the ability and la0ors OF the
learned District Attorney, and the uneXceled pa
tience of an enlightened jury, nave reacheu right
cons Judgment on most atrocous crime that the
ends OF justice may be frustrated, ana the dignity OF
the judiciary again covertly assaled our prison
IiscInline at the condemned CELL needs radical
change on trial, the indicted man is fenced around
top the ancient SYMBOL the ''iron fetter" no longer
,.lanks its knell. The chamber OF preparation lOl
death is now Transformed under our modern prison
Observation-Disclosures into a room where friend meets
friends and where assemble experts 10 lapllcatt
false accusations and coniessOns& & anu bs rsN no
gether to render the laws OF non-elecI' lne SranS AM
Jury recommend the adoption Oh some metnou Cal
oulated tn remedy the evil brought untleT 1ouCc'
THE Grand Jury would respectfully endorse th'
nresentments of former inquests Gaining l0r th'
establishment of house OF correction lor ule re
cention and reform of criminals OF minor grade
1'he Grand Jury would call the special attention
the Court TO a new school OF Offenders, known a.
me hootblack bows. UnrestTaned by parenta
gnardanship in the very embryo state they alread,
make their depredatOns felt in bold and almost opel
rohheries and unless speedily checked by VgorOu
,.orrectiyes must soon develop into an elelnen
dangerous alike TO themselves ana the community
ont of which will finally grow the worst type
The Grand Jury visited the Almshouse, havin
heen shown through by Mr.. Marshall Henszey
observation-disclosures The good order neatness, an
cIeanliness observed in every part Of the establsh
ment made very favorable impression upon IN
The Grand Jury were received at the Easter
penitentiary by Mr.. John s. llaoway, the Warden
and Kindly conducted through the institution, whlc
1yas Toun1 in thorough order; the officers seem we
"nalided for their duties The system OF disciplln
Iisrrled out at the prison very iaVoraDy lmpresse
the visitors. - - ,,os,.o ,uos -, ,,roo
iotarest 10 the Grand Jury: the cheeriulness OF Tn
ateS their great activity and skilfulness In th
,o"S lnmovV9 emnloyments they were engaged in, an
,ai Mental and moral training, made very favo
hIa t,nnTession Under the present excellent MAJ
nnt the Grand Jury under the belief that th
ktnts desired in founding this Institution are IN
great measure attained. ., ..,,,, ., 1Iororobi
The Grand Inquest, In common Win the nonoraD
Conrt are profoundly sensible ol the lnporta,hSS
and need OF q great and healtnIul change IN pun @
aninton on the subject OF crlnlnh Jurlsp.uueno'
sSow ran me recent decisions 0i inc N0uIk Al