The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-03
BROOKLYN'S JAIL BOTHER.
Third Days Sitting of the Coo InvestY-
eating COMMUNICATION Many Prison.
ers Were in Jail March 15-The Sher-,
IFS Bill for Prisoner Board UP Again.


eating Committee-IIow Many Prison.
.ers Were in Jail March 15-The Sher-,
IFS Bill for Prisoncrs' Board UP Again.
The third session OF the Special Investigating
Committee Of the Kings County Board of Supervi-
sors was held yesterday afternoon, in the Supervi-
sors' room, for the purpose of investigating the
charges OF maleieasance in ONCE against Sheriff
Williams. Supervisor Coe, Chairman Of the Com
mittee, occupied the chair. The Alderman in
CURED OF the Sheriff how many cells there were in
at the Jail for January. February and March, to
which the defendant replied there were twenty
eight There were fourteen cells on each tier. The
cells are about eight by twelve feet in size.
Mr.. A. d. Fenton, OF No. 237 Bedford avenue, tes-
tilted that he visited the Raymond Street Jail be-
tween nine and ten O'Clock on March 10 last, in
company with
TIE GRAND JURY.
Supervisor Coe asked how many prisoners there
were at that time In each cell. Objection was
made to the question by counsellor Morris, who
appeared for the Sheriff, the ground that it was
all guess work.
Witness contnued-There were two OF the cells
that had seven prisoners in, and one had five In !:
the cells appeared generally to be very full;
so than were in accordance with comfort; there
were from three to four persons in each cell there
were not more than 100 in the aggregate in the
jail, as there were none in the lower tier.
Inc COuuSe on the cr0SS-eXamnatt0n elected the
fact that witness did not know how many prison.
ers were absent at the Court at the time he visited
william p Libby. foreman OF tho Grand jury OF
March last testified that on the 18th OF that month
he visited the jail in company with his brother
jurors anu found there were
SEVEN PRISONERS ONE CELL
and five in another; his recollection concerning
the other cells was not very distinct; our report
condemned the structure, but not at all the man
agement; the report decricd the building, but nor
supervisor Coz asked, Would 1t be possible for
for eight persons to live in cellS The question
was excluded upon the counsel's objection
visited the jail March Is in company with the
Grand Jury. and went all through the male pris-
another 4, and in another g. and in one other
prisoners while one cell was empty; from 3 to
was about the number in the other cells; there
were about IL in the male department. OF tho
prison, all told there were not more than half a
dozen in the halls; don't remember going into the
kitchen, or near the wood pile.
On tie examination witness would not
state positively that he had calculated the correct
number OF prisoners within twenty-five. His inn
preston was that the prisoners were as well taken
care OF as the circumstances would admit
William Lttell also visited the Raymond Street
Jail in company with the Grand Jury March Is, and
found that the number OF prisoners In the cells on
Cyrus d. Bnnce, who was also member OF the
Grand Jury, testified that he visited the jail ON
the counsel said that they will admit all the
testimony corroborative OF the Grand Jury in
question upon this point and 1t was useless to go
Chairman replied that II they would admit there
were Jour In each cell they might accept that
offer, but counsel would do nothing OF the kind.
The witness then resumed the thread OF his testi-
mony, which was simply c0rroborative of that
given by the other jurors.
Abraham Ditnias, another juror was examined,
and this ended the examination upon the cell sub
jeCt.
Jailer Howard Conrady testified that there were
about twenty men employed daily about the hail,
kitchen, boiler room, stable and woOdhouse:
could not say how many prisoners were sent out
TO the various courts for examination on March Is;
certain occasions; the commitments are burned.
THAT BOARD BILL AGAIN.
The counsel remarked that the bill WAS before
the committee. and there was no use in taking up
27117 days. board was charged for prisoners In the
Sherifrs bill Tor January, February and March,
The clerk was directed to divide that number by
10 and see how many prisoners 1t will average per
March Is shows there were 1874 male prisoners In
Jail on that day. In sixteen OF the cells these must
have been seven prisoners and In twelve six
prisoners.
Charles Mauger clerk Of the committee, testified
that he visited the jail In August, on the day the
charges were made against the Sheriff.
The counsel wanted to know now the Witness
could tell by the bill how many were out for exam
how many were out for examination on that lay
Counsel further contended that when the Grand
Jury visited the jail the committee could not tell
how many were out for examination.
f. L. Jenkins. clerk to the Chief OF Police testi.
ned that the returns OF arrests Tor March is werc
correct and correspondent with the number in
possession OF the committee.
supervisor Coe said they would give the counss
went In and out on that day. They would estimate
simply nom the number counted As In iail
The committee then adjourned until next Thura
day afternoon at three O'Clock.