The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-26
TALLY-HO! THE GRINDER.
A Returned Prisoner on the Judges and
Commissioners Convicts with
Political influence Get Out
Some Spicy Revelations.
4 New Use for Patent Clothes Pins-Ap.
plying Them TO the Ears Of Re-
fractOry Prisoners.

In our prisons should always ne the great incentive
OF those having authority over Them and where a
word OF kindness or friendly act can accomplish
anytime o make the criminal better, to awaken In
mis- calloused heart longing to change his mode OF
life, to rise out of the miIe OF sin and above the
stain that attaches to the convcts garb, 1t should
be uttered or cheermlly rendered, instead OF
HARsHNEss AND CRUELTY.
How often have Incidents been quoted to show
that even the most hardened criminal is capable OF
receiving advice and acting upon it when 1t is ten
dered by one whose manner shows that he or she
feels for the msiortunes Of this class of persons.
The most thoroughly informed, who have made
prison discipline study. cOncede that gentle at
fcntions and kindness can do more with most
offenders than brusqueness and cruelty but rarely
In this city Is this theory carried into everyday
practice. On the contrary, we too often hear of
brutaltes at Sing Sing, on the school ship Mercury
and Randalls Island, that indicate laXity OF disci-
pline and an utter disregard of
WHAT Is DUE FROM KEEPER
to the helpless victims IN his custody.
The revelations made in the case Of young Dunn
who killed keeper in the House of Refuge for long
continued cruelties, and the religious
INTOLERANCE OF POPE JONES'
have called the attention Of the public to our
reformatory institutions, which many believe de-
grade and harden the inmates in vice rather
than inducing them to reform.
Rnmors Of Irregularities, OF expressions and of
insults to the delenceless criminals in other nsti-
tutions have been rife at times and many believe
that careful inspection OF them would show that
great reforms are needed that the same brutal.
ties would be shown to prevail more or less in the
c.x,,s,s>. EE.yryrSrIAEy AND woRKnousE .-r~"'-
on BlackwelI's Island. ,.s. = ..s.ass''~-
With view OF ascertaning any facts on the
subject reporter OF the HERALD was deputed to
go to the Island and, without divuging his motive,
learn the actual condition of the prisoners their
treatment, &c. from them. This is task of great
difficulty, owing to the damaging revelations made
in the trial OF Dunn which has put the Keepers OF
the prisons on their good behavior, and the fact
that the Commissioners OF Charities and Correction
arc
AFRAID TO ALLOW VISITORS TO CONVERSE
with inmates, and carefully prevent all intercourse.
Nevertheless the reporter paid several visits to the
Island incognio, and made an inspection Ofthe Work
house, but was cautiously Swallowed by the keepers
that there but little opportunity to ascertain
from the inmates their treatment. He, however,
was informed by one woman who has been there for
some weeks Of some
EXPRESSIONS IN THE FENALE DEPARTMENT
that should be remedied
care you treated well here9" asked the reporter.
rs have led before got into the embraces of Black
Aaria,'"
'Do you get enough to eat'"
ssWhist! there is the head man, NJ. Kean, watch
ing us; wait till he passes" said the woman, as she
disappeared in q CELL
After the warden had passed, casting suspicious
chances at the reporter and being reassured by the
circumstance that a gentleman dressed in style
with hands encased in tight-fttng kids, and with
out any note book pencil could not be reporter,
the woman came out and said to a lady who was
taken by the reporter specially to throw OF suspi
cion and gain an entrance to the womans ward:-
There is usually enough to eat SIGH as 1t is; but
arrah mushai fat stuar 1t is. 1t isn't 1t for
pig, except the bread"
"what is the usual fare-breakfast for instancer
"Bread, which is good and cooked on the Island,
and Coffee The coffee is horrible" and putting her
hand to her stomach, "whin attempt to swallow 1t
1T COMES RIGHT UP AGAIN
Sometimes they give us niger m0asses,' to
render the meal eatabe."
''Wlat do you have for dinnerY"
"A chunk of bread and SOUP"
sWhat Is the soup made Off"
'The devil and the cooks ony knows. 1t looks
ike corn meal, water and onions boiled together
into hodge-poege."
"Do you get any meat with irp"
"Sometimes little rump beef boiled into scraps
It's what they flavor the soup wild"
''What do you receive for supperY''
"Bread and the black coffee, we calls
TAR DRops.'
Sometimes they gives some mush besides, just
fnr change, We see, ehl"
''What do you do with the sck2"
''They're taken out and sent to the hospital.
They are all fetched down from the wards to the
doctors room to be examined, and many OF them
can scarcely walk that far;
"But II a woman is so sick she can't get I'D to 90
TO the Doctors room, what then9"
"Begorrah, there is no hip for her. she must get
mp. Thems the rules. and must be obeyed.
THEY'LL FIX HER IF SHE poN'r.r
''How fix herf"
"Force her ont OF bed or punish her."
s'WhO are those women locked In the cells9-
'Thim's women stint from here to work as SER
wants at Bivue and other institutions who don't
like it, and refuse to work. They lock 'em up as
punishment, all in one Gill;"
"And If they still refuseY'
'Then they 80 to
THE DARK GILL,
ana are put on bread and water till they do"
''Show us the dark cell.n
The woman led the way to q whitewashed cell,
Into which the reporter entered; but the atno-
sphere, even with the door open, so oppressive
thathe could remain but an instant. Ten hours con-
nnement, with the light and air excluded, would
Kill or cure the most refractory. The only air
obtained Is ny a SIX inch hue, running up through
the walls
Glow long do they keep them in that vile dens"
sThe time Is forty-cight hours, but Mr. Costello,
who has charge OF this department s humane and
racintly don't keep lem in 1t at night"
Here the keeper was seen approaching, and the
woman lodged into her cell again.
Proceeding to the chapel, number OF female
prisoners were found sewing. One OF them con-
Armed the statements OF the bad fare, and said tnat
no knives nor forks were given to them, that the
only eating utensils provided is tin pan. Regard
ing
she said that there were Protestant and Catholic
services every Sunday, and that the Catholics were