Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-08-22

a TTIp Through the OId BRrn-The Nuuibsr
OF Prisoners IhcnFcoTnIed for Capital
Cases.
our reporter yesterday, while passiug the
iall, was struck with tho Cloanly appearance
that tho exterior Of tho old structure presented,
and concluded to make call at the Washing,
ton prison and sec how things looked within.
lie did 50, and found that everything was In
complete order. Tho cells and corridors were
freshly whitownshod and tho floors perfectly
clean, and a fresh and healthy air peryaied the
building. Alter making u briol Inspection Of
the Jail, aud propOunding few questions, he
arrived at tho conclusion that the prison was
under excellent management, and all was being
done possible Tor tho health and comfort OF tho
inmates, the warden holding that the principal
object conducive " health Is cleanliness, great
care being exercised to keep the different parts
Of tho building In as clearly state as possible.
To promote this object tho entire prison, from
top to bottom, Is treated To a coat Of Whituwash
twice a week, and tho floors are kept gcTupu-
lousy clean, the prisoners being subject " u
thoy neglect ur violate the rules by splitting on
the door or otherwise deiaco the walls or lOOTs.
by tlgid adherence TO these rules, originated
and executed by the cOnyic,s, RcAInoss and
cleanliness In tho coils Is preserved. The ap-
peArance OF the yard Is In keeping with the To-
ierOr OF the jail, and although the prisoners are
allowed ogress there twice a day stu there Is
nothing to indicate that the growing flowers are
impaired or tho noatness VI the grounds dis
tufbed. For such an old and wTetched building
every thing about It looks we'll and speaks most
ilattotlngly for tho warden, Hon. Crockcr and
his assistants.
Upon inquiry tho Information was given that
AZ present there arc lis prisoners In tho Jail,
Of whom are females. These are confined Tor
various charges, embracing all within the classCs
IRON murder down to Peut larceny As there
have been more hOmlcidcs recently than has
been known In the city for years, Tor tho benefit
ut our readers We give tho following cases Of
criminals waiting In Jail To DO tried tor murder
First comes tho case OF George jenkins col
uTed, committed May 10, for killing his vito. 1t
will 10 remembered that tho accused resided In
street, between Fifteenth and sixteenth, and
early In tho morning went over to tho ATliug-
ton hlaTkot and borrowed butchers cleayeT,
with which no completely hacked his wile's
head to pieces. Alter that he disappeared for
two or three days, but finally gave himself Up
at Lieutenant EcklOtl' $ station, from whence he
was taken TO Jail. lilo was quite cheerful yeg-
tcrday and tho consequences vi the decd he
committed appeared TO have little effect on his
spifits. lie entoTtains hopes OF being acquitted.
In the opposite corridor was Uhas. II. ~ BrieD,
cNspOlicemaD, who awaits his trial for tho shoot
ing Of John Cunningham, July H. at Green
Syringe above Goorgotown. The trouble orig
iuatcd out Of some wOnis used 10y " BTiou TO
Cuaningham's wife, to which exception was
taken by the husband, and from which a dith
Guilty onsucd, resulting In his death. O'Brlon
appears quiet and diihdUnt, having but little to
say, and awaits his trial with hopes for acVuittal
basing his plea on the ground that tho Shouting
was not pTemeditated, but done In tho heat Of
passion.
In tho same row Of cells Is barney Wood, com.
mitt0d August - for tho shouting OF Samuel
lee Company, about $50 o'clock on tho night Of
the l2th Instant, with u bOb-tail muskot The
circumstances Of the murder are fresh In the
minds Of our readers, and It Is unnecessary hero
10 repeat them. Tho keeper informed uj that
since his cUmmlttal Barney had been one Ui tho
most quiet and orderly men In tho AN, and re.
TERED hut seldom u the crime for which h0 was
imprisoned.
On tue second loOr was Kate Randolph, alias
Hawkins, committed August 10, charged with
chasing Joseph Campbell into the machinery Ot
tho steamer charlotte Vanderbilt, thereby
crushing one Of his limbs, from which death on.
sued. She appears very cheerful, and Is willing
10 abide u trial, US sho feels confident that tho
Injury was tho result OF an accident, and not Oi
any nurdeTOus intention on her part
Tho only other prisoner put In 10 await the
action Of tho grand Jury Is that OF llezeklah
Edwards, who shot Robert llunbarI On the
Island last Sunday night--a tragedy which Is
still before tho public. Ho was committed Au-
gust -, and viii probably DO tried at tho TALL
term Of tho Criminal Court.
There Is ono moro against whom tho grand
jury has found an Indictment Tor murder. Lewis
%. Close was committed April 10 charged with
stHbDinR j. Gray on the night Of tho Nth OF
April, In front Of the Oyster Bay, aud his having
died from tho result Of tho Injuries inflicted.
On April % Close was released on u writ Of
LdbfdS corpus and allowed his liberty Since
that time he has boon indicted by tho grand Jury,
but beyond that no steps have been taken Tor his
TeHIrGBt, II Is also stated that Close has perfect
consciousness In proving his innocence, aud has
no desire to Oyado the law In any particular.
This embraces all the principal cases to come
continues In tho rapid progress Ul the past few
weeks, beyond doubt the capital cases Tor trial
Will exceed any previous docket ever presented
to the Criminal Court Of this District.