The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-06
A SUNDAY AT THE TOMRS.
To THE EDITOR or THs HERALD

There are churches and churchcs, ana some-
times wonder what the Creator thinks OF most
OF them. ] particularly wonder what HIS pfi-
vatc opinion Is of the religious services neld in
the cheerful corridor Of that thing OF beauty and
JOY forever, the Tombs. have been lost In this
particular wonder ever since q desire to know
what was being spiritually done for criminals led
me to risk my health by visiting our saiubrious city
prison for lew hours Having run this risk and
returned heme alive wiser ii not a better man,
perhaps the HERALD may like to be equally wise
and equally no better. Assuming this superstition
to be correct 4 will make as truthful pen
and ink sketch as lies within my power. Emerson
says that he who tells the truth will find himself IN
sufficiently dramatic situations. Emerson is more
practical in this remark than in many others, and
at the risk OF my neck dor alter all changing IL not
played out") will give myself all the rope required
to hold the Iombs up to life.
We enter the gloomy portals OF the prison and
stand without the ratings. waiting for the arrival
OF some potentate whose beck means "open
sesame" The ordinary hustle Of secular days has
yielded TO the quiet dulness which Ia sup
posed to denote respect for the Maker
OF the universe. ] have often thought that
If this respect manifested itself by less
chcanery and rowdyism on week days and moro
mirthluness on Sunday. humanity would benefit
by the change; but l am not the President of the
United States. nor do belong to tine Custom House
party, consequently what think is of no conse-
quenCe. My attention Ii attracted to notice
hanging within few feet of the d0orkeeper, whose
business 1t is to receive the passes OF all having &C
cess to the TOmbs:-
no SMOKING HoWED IN fiis fHisoN
"Ah!" say to myself "a very good rule; for II
visitors and officials added tobacco tunes
to air already poisoned by swamp,
bad drainage and Overcrowding, what
would become OF the wretched prisonersW
My reflections are cut short by observing that the
doorkeeper is consong himself with a cigar. I am
somewhat staggered at this violation OF regula-
lions, but then regain speedy composure by re-
membering that the object Of making laws Is to
break them. The greatest pleasure in life Is eat
ing forbidden fruit. Eve made this discovery early
in her varied career and men have been profting
by it since. 1t is not long before the poten-
tate arrives, beckons. and we pass through the
door that affords ingress and egress to more
misery than any door in Chrstendom. Enter
ing the confined courtyard / see where FOs-
ter died double death; first from the
administration of prolonged prayer, and second,
from the administration Of law. behold the WIN
dow OF the condemned cell, which is con-
veniently situated to the gallows as to convey all
sounds OF its construction to the murderer's quick
ears. This refinement of cruelty does credit to our
civilization, and draw attention to it that all
Christians may applaud.
Within the mems prison is q moving spectacle.
| fancy myself on board Great Eastern, anchored
in the lake beneath, that once was sew
enty feet deep. Surely l stand in the en-
CINE room OF vast steamer. Here,
the ground floor, are three large stoves
Three pipes run up into the air and disappear in
the skylight. These are the smOkestacks Three
tiers of galleries run around the narrow corridor,
men in dirty shirt sleeves lounge about, prisoners
are tramping, tramping, trampmg, taking their
exercise for all the world like ocean passengers.
Every moment expect to hear the boatswain's
shr whistle and the cry OF ''All hands forward ~
1t does not come, however. One by one the prison
are shut up in their ceas preparatory to re-
gious exercises, and we mount one flight OF steps
taking stand on what believe to be the Cap
tain's lookout. Gazing around and aloft, my eyes
catch sight of quotations from the Bible, printed
on pasteboard and hung up between every cell.
There supposed to be an eternal fitness in every
thing and wish you to remark the singular pro-
priety of the notices put up by wcll.intentioned
people for the good of sinners. ! read, "The Lord
will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in
hear such blasphemy as Ought to make
that pasteboard curl. al say unto you,
love your enemies,' and prisoner who turns his
back on the Injunction assures me that once out
of prison he will have his revenge those by
whom he has been wronged. "What say unto
you, Isay unto all, Watch!' 'Just though we
didn't retorts a prisoner when asked for crit-
cism. "You better believe we watch, but darned
sight OF good 1t does after fellow gets into this
here place. without Me We can do notningn
Il don't believe in them things,n replies a
young burglar whose eel is plentiiully supplied
with the Ddy's Doings, the clipper ana other
highly instructive journals. "What does 1t
mean, anyhow9 There amt no beginning nor end
to it. I've done lots OF things. What does 1t
mean9 They come round here and give us tracts
and religious newspapers. We take em, but, you'd
better believe we laugh. What do we want with
such STUFF What we want is TO get out and have
a lair chance. | don't want to steal II can get
living some other way. WIN those tract people
give me something to dor Blessed IL they will.
Now look at that. No mau can serve two masters ,
We cannot serve God and Mammon.' Mammon's
money ISN'T itg Suppose you haven't got any
money, what's up2 | don't believe 1t for a
cent. It's all CANNON. And there's another
i am the way, the truth and the lile' why don't
they talk on the square What do they want to
go oolng round for, telling fellow that is locked
up BE not afrad-be OF good cheer, it is p DO
they take us for fools Well, we amt by long
shot.n No, these young burglars are not fools,
whatever else they may be.
''The Lord reigneth,n proclams the motto on
the wall. THAT'S the way lie reignsm exclaims a
keen.eycd prisoner, overhcaring an oath
from his neighbor. "These visitors mean
well. you see, bat they don't understand
their business. Now the other day what
does woman do but go and begin singing
psalms at -, who was seated in a chair by the
stove. She put her hand on the chair and went at
him like good 'un. You ought to have heard the
men go on Go it again. cries one. Bully for you,
said another. Put her outr shouted a third
Some whstled, some beloved and then they got
up chorus OF hows. couldn't help laughing and