The New York herald., 1872-07-06
How 0onvicts Are Not Reformed The Ball
and Chain, Manacles, &c.-Drinking
from the Same Pint with Darky-
The Way to Get to the Island.
WHAT RELEASED PRISONERS SAY
Tho Dark Cell for Torty-eight Hours . Prisoner
Refuse 10 Listen to Prisstly Words that He
Does Not Believe In-Cofee Made
&om Stale Bread and Rye.
The Penitentiary and Workhouse
Management.

Management.
Following up the subject Of prison discipline ON
Dlackweli's Island the HERALD reporter has spent
several days about the Penitentiary, presided
by warden John Fitch. Great as was the dificulty
to gain knowledge Of the administration Of af
fairs at the Workhouse and learn from the in
mates BY conversation how they like their treat
ment, the instructions he encountered at the Peni
tentiasy were still more disheartening few
favortes seem to have the privilege of going upon
the island and holding free converse with the
prisoners roaming about the grounds at will, with
ont passes, while the representative Of the HERALD
who was armed with proper authority could
not cross the river IN the small boats OF the Com
missioners that ply between the island and Fifty.
second street, even by the tender Of a dollar for
the service, and was forced to employ special
boats In passing through the grounds the same
distractions met him, and more than once
ADvENTURERs FROM NEW YORK
without passes were permitted by the guards to go
by unchallenged, while he on showing his author
ity, was turned back by some guard or subordinate
OF the Commissioners dressed In q little brief au-
thOrity. Every effort was made to converse with
some OF the c0nvicts, but with three four excep-
ti0ns none could be spoken to, 80 close was the
surveillance OF the keepers. Warden Fitch was
finally appealed to for permission to converse with
some Of the convcts on the island, but he courte-
ousy but firmly declined to permit any converse
tion with them. He however, expressed his de-
sire to give any information in his power and
kindly showed his visitor through the prison on
Thursday. remarking that 1t was hardly just for
Journal to publish the reports Of convicts detri-
mental to the prison arrangements. There are
. IN THE PENirENTIARY
about seven hundred convicts some sentenced
for as high as Ave years, the males OF course pre-
dominating. They turn out Of their cells little
After six A. NJ, repair to the washroom and then
to breakfast. This consists of coffee and bread the
week round, each man, the Warden reports, receiv-
ing quarter Of loaf of the latter They are then
turned out to work in gangs Of from five or six to
twenty men each at about seven O'Clock. AT ten
minutes before noon the ben sounds for dinner;
the cOnvicts are mustered on the lawn and marched
into the dining room, which is within the prison.
Here benches about foot broad and large enough
TO accommodate i've men each are ranged along
by the cells On each table is placed for each man
o pan containing nearly a quart of soup, beside
which is spread meat, three-quarters of pound
per man. Then to every five men is given quart
dish filed with Cr0tOn water, out OF which the
nve drink AS they file past to their seats each Ia
given in the summer quarter loaf, and in the fall
and winter third Of loaf Of sweet bread.
THE DINNER
consists of bread, vegetable soup and pound Of
fresh beef five times per week, and bread, bean
soup and threequarters of pound of salt beef
twice per week. About threelourths OF an hour
is allowed the convicts for dinner Supper consists
Of bread and cofYee four times per week, and boiled
mush and molasses three times per week. They
quit work at quarter before O'clock and after
supper locked in their cells. In a conversation
had with the Warden, he declared that the food was
ample in quantity and quality; that they are all
treated with every proper care are not overworked
chain, the dark cell and deprivation of meals
~ "ATe they never imposed upon by their Keepers
| "It is barely possible that now and then keeper
may be too severe, but do not
RETALIATE UPON THE KEEPER
for 1t. II convict comes to me and complains Of
Ill treatment send him away after hearing it.n
"And do you not investigate his complaint ?"
ooh, yes, make all due inquiry; but If credited
the word Of convict against Keeper there could
never be any discipline here. Sometimes l have
that the keeper was in the wrong. In that case 1
would caution him to be more careful In the future,
but never in the presence Of the convcts, who
would at once cease to respect the authority Of the
"kr. Fitch, will you show me
THE DARK CELL
Ihope It Is not as bad as those In the Workhouse."
The Warden led the way to one of these cells and
more thoroughly ventilated than the den in
the workhouse, and supplied with little light
dozen inch holes, while in the outer door are two
circular holes about six inches in diameter. A
prisoner could pass a day in one OF them without
ti0n made OF them In the Workhouse the reporter
would want heavy premium to Insure mans
life in it for Q single night.
The convicts are chiefly employed in beautifying
the grounds, gardening, erecting sea walls at car
penters and backsmiths work. baking cccs.nc cccccs.nc as
Oarsmen, messengers, attendants upon the officers
9 and nurses IN tge Penitcntiary Hospital. Then
large number Of the hardest characters are kept at
work
- IN THE STONE YARD,
where the labor Is more severe, and others are
ployed as deck hands on the steamers of the Com
missioners of Charities and Correction The men
do not appear to he overworked, unless 1t be In the
stone yard, into which the reporter allowed
to penetrate, for some reason or other best known
to the keepers.
Disparlng Of getting any facilities on the island
for ascertanng the feeling Of the cOnvicts toward
their keepers, owing to the utter disregard by Mr..
Abel OF the authO ity Of the Commissioners the re-
missioner Nicholson for permission to 60 over the
island converse with the convicts and note the
character OF their duties Both the Commissioners
expressed their desire to afford all the assistance in
their power In the premises but declared that they
could not permit any intercourse with prisoners.
General Bowen,' said the reporter, 'wlrat possi-
BILE objection can there he to my conversing with
them, when you know that do not go to aid them
to escape nor to incitc them to insubordination II
NO IRREGULARITIES EXIST
there can be no objection far can see, to my
request, and you gentlemen need not fear O visit
such as propose to make"
90" responded the General, smiling, tive could
not permit It, Now think moment sir. Suppose
we yield to your request and you proceed to the
Penitentary: jealousy would be the result. The
30 go about and converse with the convlcts--a
privilege not granted to them and not knowing
your monve they win feel that we are exercising
Mr. Nicholson expressed his assent to this view
OF the matter.
"a confess cannot see the force of this General,
i9u IN Wiz nlafo apv vofv vnur