New-York tribune., 1871-10-21
HOW PRISONERS FOR DEBT ARE NEGLECTED
IN LUDLOW-ST. JAIL.

to feel at that sOIDetDg WAs wrong tracey looked
blue. the others turned rcd; all gave visible start
! Without any prelimluarles the Sheriff said:
"Mr. Tracey, you have o prisoner named John May
/ herei"
Mr.. Tracey replied that he had.
"Brng him here" rejoined Mr. Brennan.
"The s very IN in his cell. You will have 70 90
up stairs 10 him. Sir" replied Tracey obseqriousy aad
| evidently alarmed
The Sheriff at requested to be conducted TO SAe
poor follows CELL The prisoner, strong, powerfully
built man Of a. lay stretched OF tho miserabs
dirty straw mattresses which Jail provides, with n0t
sign OF convenience or comfort about lin. Tho follow
| ing conve ration ensued
| Sherif-What is your namoi
| PrisOner--John May.
sherif-YOu are III, Ihear.
Prsoner-Yes, am paralyzed.
sacrif-Whcn were you taken IL
PrsOuer-I had an apopectc 1T on the Cd Of October
lst
| sheriR-Who attended youi
Prsoner-No Gao at drst hut this gentleman pointing
TO fellow prisoner wLo occupies the other bed nths
oelD.
sherif-Did not the jail doctor como to sec youi
| Prisoner-Not for Ii days after I was taken III
eherfH-Afr. Tracey, how Is thisi
Tracey-we sent at least 20 times for the Jail DOctSs
| but be did not come.
sheriG-Why, Sir did you not report such neglect OF
dutyl
Tracey-we It Is always difficult 70 get bim to come
Sher-Mr Tracey, is your duty 70 report such nnt
ters TO me- Who this DoctOri he Is evidently moss
unfit person for the Office
Traccy-He is Dr. julius Frankel, Of AT East Seven
teenth-st
eherG-Does he come here regularity
Tracey-sometmes aud sometimes he sends his con
sherif-Is his licensed practitioner
Tracey-I believe not.
6heriR-And you allow him TO attend tne prsonerss
Tracey-Yes, Sir.
shertf-Mr. May, how long have you been herei
Prisoncr-Five months.
sheri6-what you here fori
Prisoner-Contempt Of Court. I could not pay 'ns
alimony to my wife ordered by tho Court
sheriR-Did she get you put in prisonf
Prisoner-Yes, Sir.
shcrif-Does she know you are III
Prsoner-Yes, Sir She has been TO see me- she knows
Ihave lost the use VI all one side Of my body
Sheriff with energy)-Haveyou Ind no physician with
youf
Prisoner-Ay own doctor came after had been Ill two
DAYS He has attended me since.
sherif-Mr. Tracey this Is q bad case. shan taks
immediate steps TO havc this man removed.
Reporter-Mr. Brennan, two or three doctors have
signed certificates that this man wants careful nursing
and should be removed at once.
eherif-Mr. Tracey, why is be not remoyedi
Tracey-The Jail doctor won't counersgn the paper.
Rcportcr-Because he is conscious Of his derecon OF
duty and fears that IL this let out OF prison. his
| story will become public.
shcpif-Who committed youf
Prisoner-Judge CardOZo.
Sheriff. will make immediate application 10 him TO
have you discharged And then turning sternly on Mr.
Tracey 1t awful to think Of lying rottDg here
because they cannot pay debt.
Prisoner-whO you, Slri
Sheriff. Matthew Brennan, the Sheriff OF the City
and County OF New-York.
Prsoner-wcll, Sir don't know that ever you
But I've often voted for you.
shcrF-ore good turn deserves another. will do all
can TO get you out Of this place possible.
The poor fellow expressed his deep gratitude to tho
Sheriff for interference IN his and the Sheriff pro-
ceeded to other parts Of the Jail. His attention
called to the cases other prisoners for debt the Sheriff
promising TO his utmost endeavOr to get them
leased So struck Was he with the facts with regard to
poor debtors that he declared his intention of having
complete LIST Of them made out, and making an In
yestgaton Into each CASE &c also Ordered Mr. Tracey
and his subordinates to give THE TRIBUNE reporter
every facility for making such inquiries as he
might deem desirable and to admit him at any time b
the prison. The Sheriff remarked the evident lnse
curity Of the hanging galleries by which the upper tiers
approached and said that they must be strengthened
and made more secure Immediately. He also seemed
generally surprised a the cells. bods and other AranGs
ments On leaving, he turned to Mr. Tracey, and said:
~ desire You to send In full and detailed report
of the state of this JAIL and Of the condition Of oil The
prisoners confined here. Do so immediately"
Mr.. Tracey, when questioned rs to how long q ume
elapsed after Mr. May taken Ill before he sent for
the Jail doctor, said he did not know Of the keep
ers went him." This keeper could not say
days did pass before he went for the DOCTOR and
cused himself the ground that the prisoners geneay
preferred their own physicians to the Jail doctor
ing hat manner Of this jail doctor ls this yeJ
natural preference. His proficiency may be judged Of
by his saying that "apoplexy catching" and that
he had once known sixty patients In hospital to catch
one from other 1t is rumored that this doctor has
never passed such examination as would warrant hh
appointment, and it s said that he Is not really
DOCTOR
In conversation subsequently, he said:
see many things here that require to bo radically
changed THIS imprisonment for debt for Is fear
full Other things must be altered Tsha send In re-
mort of what ] have and heard to the Board Of
Supervisors and request that the County Committee
will give it their immediate attention
The shcTs attention was also directed 10 the case Oh
Mott the lawyer who heeces many OF the prisoners In
tba Jal Mr.. Brennan promised to issue an ORDER 70
Warden Tracey that Mott should not again be admto
to the JAIL OF DO allowed 70 have anything TO DO WL 'AS
prsOnors.
Oh leaving the JAIL Mr.. Brennan made representations
10 Judge Cardozo which led the Judge to grant On I'M
mediate ord OF release The poor fellow carried
from lila CELL and conveyed home In carriage yester-
dsy afternoon expressing his deep gratitude 70 IHA
TRIBUNE for its kind interference on his behalf
There are many sad cases stT OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
action on the part OF the authorities Among others
there ia Door old gentleman, years OF age OF hShy
respectable appearance and gentemany dsmeanor. hs
Ia for debt Of $3.50 Another poor toW'
one Jerry Donoghue wordngmAn, 10 held Tor SSo' no
has been there nearly four monthA He has
visa and Ax children who have for some
time existed on tho scrsps Of the prisoners
h,h ara given 10 them and occasional small SUD