Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-01
THURSDAY, JUNE /, 1871,
An Amntcnr PRISONER.

One of the New York Tribune reporters ha'
been investigating the merits of the LUDLOW
street Jail as a place of residence His expert
ment was prompted by the managing editor Q
the paper from motives of philanthropy and put
lie spirit. He contrived by an arrangement
with friend to secure his Imprisonment on
pretended charge, and staid in durance quit
long enough for his purpose. he was not alto
gether pleased with the management Of the Jail
and failed TO find it an agreeable retreat liz
was fastidious and preferred cleanliness to hltl
and vermin, and fair and equal treatment to Ia
voritsm on one side and oppression on the o'heI,
He found as much Injustice, hardship anu
misery, and as many strange characters as
Dickens describes in bis inimitaole pictures u
the debtors prisons in England, and lndeed MS
experiences remind the reader OF the Marshaisea
and Kings Bench, either because he had Dick
ems in his mind, and was consciously or uncon-
sciously led to reproduce some of the elements
of his descriptions, or because the management
and inmates of prisons in the old world and the
new have strong family resemblance.
One of the most unfortunate classes of prison
ers in Ludlow street are those who are detained
10 secure their attendance as witnesses in the
trial of some criminal charge. The only inter
est of the public is that their evidence should be
forthcoming when needed, and, as they are not
even suspected of being criminals, they should
have every privilege and alienation of their i'm
prisonment that is consistent with safe keeping
and with reasonable economy. But, as the
prison is now managed, they are.su6jected to
prlvalions and hardships which make their con-
Anement more irksome and demoralizing than
that of criminals in the penitentiary. They are
always poor and frieDdless, or they would be
able to escape this forcble detention by giving
security for their appearance. The keeper is al
lowed a certain sum for the support of his pris-
oners; but his chief profits arise from
his opportunity to provide them with additional
privileges at exorbitant rates. In order TO
compel all who are able to pay him fifteen or
thirty dollars week for board, the regular pris-
on fare is made as scanty and repulsive as pos
sible, and the common cells are bare of every
convenience or comfort. The amateur prisoner
tells of two sailors who have been confined since
last October as witnesses against the mate of
their vessel, who is charged with some crime
The real or suspected criminal is at large on
bail, and will not be tried till next autumn
The prisoners, guilty of the heinous offence of
knowledge which the state needs TO convict the
criminal, are suffering a punishment more
severe probably than the criminal would be.
made to endure when his guilt is proved.
The detention Of witnesses is constantly prac-
ticed in New York. In reading the proceedings
of their criminal courts it seems to be the rule
rather than the exception. The station house;
and jails contain as many prisoners of this
kind as of guilty or suspected persons, and theil
treatment is worse than that accorded to actual
criminals, but few Of whom are without some
resources for alternating their confinement. The
imprisonment of a witness is hardly justfable,
except in extreme cases, even if the prisoner
has, as he certainly ought to have, comfortable
quarters, wholesome and abundant food, and
opportunities for recreation and for work il he
wishes it. An this the state owes him if for
public purposes, it depriyes him of his liberty
without his fault. But the experience of this
state,-where witnesses are very rarely impris-
oned to secure their testimony, and yet the pros
ecution OF criminals, is thought to be quite as
certain and effectual to say the least, as in New
York,-seems to prove that this extreme precau-
ton not so necessary to secure the ends JUS
tice as the New York judges seem to suppose.