The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-20
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY, APRIL 20 s74-TRIPLE SHEET.

Wet was recently shot for attempting an
escape. The man was III the prime oI HE,
vigorous and strong ana had the wound been
properly attended TO would have recoverea-so
several physicians are prepafea ar Of tne case
But instead OF tying up the artery Anu using
! every precaution 10 stop hemorrnase, .ne pnysi
nary Inflammation, trusted TO oandages and exter
nal applications o. the most simple character and
surrendered the patent wholly to the care oil q
brother convict, who, or course, knew nothing
whatever Of nursing or OF medicine. A was natu-
rally 10 be expected under the circumstances, the
man dlel. AS clear an instance OF maiepractice as
ever occurred; but, OF course, being convict, he
had no redress living or dead. lie IL gone. The
s.doctor'' still, remains in charge.
But charges, upt only OF ncompetency, but
cruelty. nagrans and wanton, are land at the door
The particulars OF one OF these instances OF
cruelty and most shocking lnstancel we're gwen
TO the represent atlve OF the HERALD as f0lloWs:-
CURIOUS CASE OF CRUELTY.
man OF respectable family. formerly mer-
chant IN this city, committed to sing Sing for
term OF years ior Obtaining money under false
pretences. He was man OF active brain ana
good deal OF common sense, ana determined 10
make the best OF his prison sltuati He accord
ingly worked hard and uncompainingiy, and soon
pleased The authorities OF the PRISON. some OF the
Keepers becoming quite attached 10 INN ana All
speaking well OF MIN. Hui, somehow or other. he
was never able TO secure the goodwin OF one OF the
doctors OF tie prison, who III course oil time found
an opportunity for venting his dislike upon his
victim, and venting II, too. alter most slDgu-
lar and unproesslonal fashion.
The prisoner took SICK aud was threatened with
Inflammation % the lungs. What dld the doctor
u
diarrh,ea mixture the man obeyed mis- direction
but, OF course, rot no better. III" doctor then
prescribed tne dlarrnoa mixture tue second time
This prescription was again iolloweu Dut ~ only
resulted IN making the patient stii! worse. Inc
third Tune the doctor ordered this prescription.
| The man. VINO began be was being made a
butt or refused to 1t. and Tor this disoDe-
dlence the poor devil was by the DOCTORS orders,
punished. and punished, too. after the most lnhu-
man manner spite OF his enfecbled condition,
spite his weakened chest, rendered still weaker
by the DOCTORS neglect, he was cruelty suspended
~ IN
and was thus kept hanging TIL, IN ms torture. ne
prayed to be stabbed or shot, .or Killed any now.
so only he WAS put out OF PAM
At last, more dead than alive, he was taken
down; but his agony was NOT yet over. lie was
known as .'the dark CELL" and would have prob
ably expired mad not one Of the keepers taken the
responsibility U informing the warden OF ms case,
wnO without censurlng the doctor, however. con-
tented himself by ordering the release OF this hard.
ened REBEL whose atroc,ous crime consisted Of re-
using TO swallow cholera mixture Tor hnamina.
tion Of the lungs.
GENERAL Run OF pUNIsHMENrs,
they are under our present Warden and the pre-
vailing regulations are less brutal than in former
times; but still 1.-The dark cei' IS TO frequently
in vogue. test compound was introduced into
one OF THESE .'dark cells" which, though perfectly
hour. completeiv covered with thick slime e.
Yet poor wretches or convicts VINO did not have
money have been, Tor trifing offences, confined 10
these cells Tor days at Tune on the scaltest ana
ioulest iood till, what with hunger filth, darkness
and Ioul ar, they have been reduced almost TO
Other acts could be mentioned OF a similar char
acter; but enough has been written to snow that
could be profrabiy directed to the management or
mismana2ement OF sing Sing Prison.
An Inside View OF State Prison Life.
SING SING, n. u, April Is, 1874.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Through the columns or the HERALD the public
have been made familiar with the exertions OF the
detectives and the investigation at White Plains
in relation to the manner OF escape OF two noto-
rious characters, named Miller and Brady, from the
State Prison at Sing sing, in the month OF october
last. 20 those familiar with the pOitcai machinery
by which the three prisons OF the state are run
the only wonder Is that such cases are not more
numerous IL is through the manipulations OF this
machinery that the cost OF maintaining those pris
0ns have continued to increase annually, until at
length 1t has reached the enormous OF ss17, $780,
while he earnings, IRON all sources, only am cunt
TO $354,l9s. (See last annual report.) II the
taxpayers and the whole people OF the State OF
New YORK are willing tamey to submit to such
state OF affairs many wcll-intentoned persons will
say, "serves them right But, sir, there is one
aspect OF this prison business which is not gener-
ally understood. and TO draw attention TO this is
the duty which assign TO myself, and which, with
your appreciation, wish to lay before the public,
as 1t directly appeals to the charity and humanity
OF society al large
There are about 1850 inmates az the prison at
present, and If you pick ont about 100 OF those
which Is really the representation OF individuals OF
the Miller ana Brady type-you viii find large
majority OF the rest 20 be unfortunate beings who,
in moments OF .onornai weakness, ieil. ana who in
their normal CONDITION. would shrink rom the idea
Q. violating TIE raw. those are the class
thousand and one viscissltudes that human nature
is heir 20, take one false STEP are detected, hurried
through the form OF a Lrai-fOr the trial Of poor
unfortunate wretch without money or friends Is
but the clumslest OF empty Iorms-and are de-
spatched with all speed &c the state Prison. once
there rney have TO share the odum oil the Mlers
and the Biadys, who are held up 10 public view as
representative sampes OF The entire lot. Out.
house in his testimony stated that Miller previous
to MS escape was a "walteri at the guard posts.
Doubtless there are very lew OF your readers VINO
know what the duties o! a "walter'' at guard
post are. They consist OF going on any errands
that the guards ON duty a. the post
and every Keeper IN charge OF COM
pany has one. This is the species OF
hard labor that the Mllers ana the Brad,s nave
to do, while the poor wretched Victims OF poverty
and misfortune have 10 wieiu the crOwbar, the
sledge the adze and the mallet. The very con-
victs who should be Kept nnder the strictest sur
yeilance are tue only ones allowed any priyi-
leges For proof Of this fnd the names all those
VINO nave escaped Tor years past and you viii hnd
that they were privileged Characters.
Tne doctor at each OF the prisons IS the junction
airy who has 10 decide who must work and who
need not. Ar sample OF now impartial this is
done will state a circumstance which occurred
AT the sing slug Prison lew mornings since,
which VIII Illustrate hundreds ofothers, aud winch
are o. daily occurrence on the morning in question
a pale, delicate, emaclated boy made application
10 the DOCTOR, with tears IN his eyes, TO have HIM
removed of the contract where ne was working,
on toe grounds that he as not able TO 10 the
work. Inc following dialogue Will show the re-
suit
DOCToI-How Old are your
BoY-riXteen years Sir.
DocFoE-dow long are YOU here'
BOY-ADout eighteen months, sir.
DoCToR-l suppose you are very anxious TO get
OF tue contract
BoY-Yes sir, because am not strong enough
to do the WORK required OF me.
D0CToR-iou came TO tnis institution before
became the physcla of H. consequently | mad
nothing TO do with putting you the contract
Perhaps Ii ] had been here might not have nut
you at sucn work. owing 10 your being under ago
but now you are there you must stay there. And
that | remember, you came TO me once or
twice before on the same Grand want YOU TO
take this for your final answer, Tor If you come 10
ne again | shall know now to deal with YOU /
won't be annoyed in Tins way.