The New York herald., 1873-12-01
TWEEDS PRISON HOME.
The Great Culprit's First Sunday
on Blackwell's Island.
He Il Sick and sufsring-"Cell No. "a, see-
ond Tier" : He Eats Prison Fare and
Sleeps on q Canvas Cot-No In
dulgence He Livei

William Marcy Tweed. ex-Supervsor and ex-
State Senator, q man whose wealth Is said to bo
several millions, and who had up to two years ago
possessed more political influence and patronage
than were ever before held by one man In this
metropolis, had been just "a hours In Penitentary
convict garb when HERALD reporter yesterday
afternoon stepped upon Blackwells Island to learn
now the fallen man endured his changed mode OF
existence.
It was matter not easy OF accomplishment to
obtain access to the prison Isle yesterday, bus
when the reporter had procured the necessary
authority and landed from small boat, tempo
rary Onicer attached to one Of the4nstituti0nss
volunteered to conduct him to the residence OF tho
Warden, Mr.. j. S. Liscomb. On the way to the
Wardeh's house. over the neat walks and past the
grim, gray loopholed walls OF the Penitentiary.
which was already closed for the day. the 0nicer
said:-
~ suppose you have come to learn something
about Mr. Tweed. l hear the old man ia sick to-
day-they. say it's Inflammation Of the bowels and
that he'll very likely go to hospital guess 1t goes
pretty hard with him."
At this time, walking along by the prison wall,
the sounds OF voices, singing sacred songs. were
very distinct. Issuing from the windows OF tho
central part OF the Penitentary
ssThere's church service going on there" said
the guido. "The hospital Is up there in tho top Of
the building"
A little further desultory conversation passed
and at last the Warden's house was reached-a
neat granite building some 800 yards from tho
north end OF the Penitentiary The reporter was
admitted In few moments and conducted to
sitting room, where was seated the gentlemany
warden and friend. Apooglzing for his intru-
sion and stating the object of his vist-to inquire
as to Mr. Tweed's general health and condition.
the reporter was asked to be seated and IN reply
to his inquiries the Warden said
"Mr. Tweed is about as well as could be ex-
pected under The circumstances, to-day; but he
complains somewhat OF sort OF diarrh9al affec-
ton and OF a headache. 1t is not exactly a con.
sequence Of his being brought here as he stated to
me that he was subject to 1t more or less; but
suppose 1t has been aggravated by the change"
"Has the prison physician been in attendance
on himSu asked the reporter
'tOh, yes. 1t Is not deemed OF very serious ma
ture, though, so far. He was affected in the Same
way while in the T0mbs, and brought medicine
here which his physician had prescribed. That
medicine, OF course was taken from him under the
rules, and the prison physician prescribed Ion
him." rejoined the Warden.
care all prisoners cOnaded to your charge obliged
to submit to the full prison regimen?n asked tho
reporter. 'For example, is it absolutely incum-
bent that Mr.. Tweed shah sleep upon prison bed
and eat the prison rations' Could you permit him
10 have feather bed, his own bedcl0thes and food
OF his own selection, prepared at his own expense,
II he desire ts'
at is under the prison rules. Fit is varied for
one it must be varied for all who can afford it. We
have a number OF prisoners here, members OF
families possessing means and reputation, but
they all conform to the same rules as the poorest
might not Mr.. Tweed have his own bed and
selected diet upon the recommendation Of ply.
sician?r asked the reDOrter
"He might have, upon the recommendation Of .
physcian-that ls, on the ADVICE Of our own physL
cian--the prison physician" was the WardenS
response "But the assumption is that his health
would be In peril where that was requisite, and
instead oil letting him have those accommodations
In his CELL which Is not contemplated by the rules.
he would be transferred to the hospital His
nature however, unless 1t should grow worse.n
"Aave you seen MIR. Tweed to day, Warden'"
considering his condition. He did not appear to
| be nearly so depressed and troubled as he was on
Saturday s,at evening. He was quiet and had very
"IIas he been out to-day or taken any exercise
in the corridor & Of the PRISON. DO you allow prs-
''Yes, ne has been out. That Is, he has been out
Of his cell. passing through the corridors, &C."
"oh, no. Ali the prisoners eat in the dining
room. lie takes his meals with the rest. Where
well as imp udent TO make distinctions Of that
"Has he attended any religious service to-day IN
| the prison ~ Inquired the reporter.
"No, he has not,r replied the warden. sHe has
| got his Bible and number OF other books In his
cell though, and believe he has been reading
some. His son William also called to see him this
HDoes the sentence Of prisoner, condemnlng
him to confinement here, also imply that he shall
perform what Is known as hard labors'" asked
! .h4 ..hh4s reporter.
| ut does not" answered the warden. sThat II
only implied IN the sentence to a State prison.
There ts OF course, certain amount OF hard labor
performed mere by the prtSOuer9 Indeed tha
labor performed about the Penitentiary and the
grounds dsnS belonging to 4 done oonycts There
They do all the cooking the and bread are cut
by them; they keep the prison clean, make nres
also In addition to this they make the clothing
and do REPAIRS and outside OF the prison there are
pairing roads. You may have noticed, Too, that
some distance above here, on the east side OF the
being got out to grade and pave The roads, and
they sg are also building 2 sea-wal there"
piled In the sentence, Mr.. Warden G asked che re-
porter.
at is imposed by virtue Of the prison rules and
discipline. The people never contemplated that
several hundred men should be kept here; doing
absolutely nothing, aud being led and clothed and
the necessary work OF this department OF the
public institutions on the island. The only service
ers.5 y '"' p'''0"e'' % 'n' o' 'n' keep
.wel, then, there are no workshops here in
which mechanical trades aresarried on, as at Sing
Sing, are there ~ resumed the reporter.
"No nothing OF that kind We have carpenters
and Dlacksmiths and stone masons who do tne
work required about the prison. have also had
the repairing OF shoes worn by the inmates done
here and lattery have had some very good shoes
made by them 1 think it is very likely that a
regular shoe shop will be established, and think
considerable work could be turned out from H."
was the Warden's reply and explanation
"What cell does Mr.. Tweed occupy ~
'He IL in cell No. 81 That IS on the east side,
facing toward Long Island, and IL IN the northern
division OF the building, on the second ter."
''Wnat are the dimensions oil the cells In the Pen.
tentiary, Mr.. Wardenr
"We, as nearly as can Judge, answered the
OFFICIAL ''they are about seven ieet long, ana about
four or fonr and n half feet wide. Their height IA
somewhere about six feet eight inches, or seven
feetu -,
and fat man as Mr.. Tweed Interpolated the re-
porter. "They are much smaller than the cells in