Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-04-06
OUR PRISONS.
The County Hail and the Adams
street StatfOn-hOuae

street StatIOn.house
A representative of the LEDGER maid
a flying visit to the county Jail yester-
day morning. The books of the insti.
tuition show that one hundred and Eve
prisoners are confined therein, thirty.
eight white males, one white female
sixty six colored males and one colored
female. Several noted criminals are
under lock and key. Charles Clinton,
who butchered his wife in the Webster
block, was found guilty in the Criminal
Court, and sentenced to death. A new
trial was granted by the Supreme Court.
The second trial in the Criminal Court
resulted in a conviction and a sentence
to twenty years imprisonment in the
penitentiary, but the appeal was again
taken to the Supreme Court, and here
the case rests for the present. John
White (colored) known as the Presi-
dents Island murderer, was also sem
fenced to death and had a new trial
granted, which resulted in conviction
and twenty years imprisonment in the
penitentiary An appeal was also taken
to the Supreme Court in his case.
Ed Beckton, sentenced to death for
highway robbery, and - Lewis (col),
for the same offense, also sentenced to
death, have appealed their cases.
John Clifford, who robbed the resi-.
dence of Mrs. Herman, and Captain j.
E. White, the alleged Wholesale horse
thief, are among the noted persons con.
fined in the Jail.
The Jail is kept in perfect order by
Colonel o Bannon, jailer, and his assist
ant, Mr.. Kelley, who keep sharp look
out for attempted escapes.
ADAMS STREET STATION. HOUSE.
Our representative inspected the city
prison on Adams street, and found it
kept in good order. The number of
persons confined therein are fifty males
and thirty.eight females, principally
chain-ga prisoners and those locked
up for nom payment Of fines. There are
nine cells, in each OF which from twelve
TO fifteen prisoners are confined. Those
who see the changing prisoners on the
street imagine that they are noto-
rious criminals; but such is not the
fact, as in the majority of instances
they are not half as bad as their appear
ance would indicate. The chain-gang
men, when working, get three meals
day, and when not working but two, as
do the other prisoners. They are sup
piled with corn and -four bread, corn
beef, pork and;plenty of vegetables by
Colonel Nealis, who feeds them by con-
tract with the city. On Sundays but
two meals are supplied. The prison
force is composed as follows: Day-JOhn
MulroY, the philosophic station.house
keeper; Henry Eishman, assistant; Joe
Lusher and Louis Marshall (colored),
turkeys. Night-Colonel Forrest, sta
tion-houss keeper; Captain Jim TORY,
assistant; Tom Winters, guard.
Some arrangements should be made so
as to separate white from colored pris-
oners, especially females. Yesterday
our reporter saw a well-dressed white
woman who had to remain in the prison
yard in the midst of the colored male
prisoners. She was a milliner who had
been arrested for throwing slops into the
street-a violation of the health ordi-
nance. Later in the day her friends
found out her whereabouts and put up
forfeit of ten dollars, when she was dis
charged from custody. This is wrong,
aud our city fathers should either pro
vide some other place of imprisonment
for such offenders,or arrange the station
house so as to secure some privacy for
white males and females who have been
so unfortunate as to be arrested by the
lynx eyed policemen Tor throwing a
bucket full Of water on the Nicolson
pavement. 1t is only a statutory ofense,
and in many instances is no offense at
all. Our reporter could add more to
this item and show other objections to
the present system, but the above hint
ought to be sufficient for the General
Council or the city authorities; if not
our representative will take another
glance at the matter and publish an
other chapter probably more hypercriti-
cal in comment.
YGU can always find Whitaker's cele-
~. :.