The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-16
How Our Public Chart
ties" Are Abused
uismanagement Of the PsnitentiaTy and the
WOfkhOuSe-The Charity Hospital.
FACTS AND FIGURE S.
Curious Pictures OF Pau.
per Life.

tons under the charge or the COMMISSIONERS OF
Charities and Correction, especially on BlackweWs
Island. Under the old regime there was at least
system and the men were Kept under control; but
now there seems TO be no controlling head, and
Keepers and convicts alike are without restraint,
saving occasionally, spasmodically, in outbursts OF
violence absolute cruelty. The main fault ABOUT
the management OF the Penitentiary and the work.
house on Blackweli's Island is that there Ia no
efncient organization or utilization OF labor.
There is plenty OF work being done all the time
but IT is not "tenngn work-work that is profit
able TO the city. Gangs OF men are employed IN
breaking stones for the seawal, not SO much be-
cause this breaking OF stone Is absolutely neces-
sary but because there Is nothing else Tor the men
TO DO Other gangs are set to work at imp owing
the roads" not because that work ID particularly
needed, but, as one o. the o11cials said,
MERELY TO KEEP THE BOYS OUT OF MISCHIEF"
Now, the idea OF vast metropolis paying vast
sums OF money merely TO keep the boys out OF
mischief" Is absurd. The Penitentiary and Work.
house al Buralo are managed on much better and
more practical and more paying system. The In
mates are placed at contract work, at from twenty
70 forty cents day, according to the length OF the
term OF sentence, and the institution Is thus rem
dered only 20 Charitable institution" SO Tar as
the public Is concerned, out a remuneratve one,
30 lar as regards Its management.
Favorltism also prevails to great extent IN the
present management OF AFFAIRS Blackwelrs
Island There are certain keepers who are per-
m!tted to shirk their duties and to EN- oy them.
selves at the berrooms Of Harlem and New York.
while there are also certain convlcts who are
granted favors which are denied TO others and
which are forbidden By the rules Of the iustitu.
tion
II not quite so bad here as II has been at Sing
sing. but sun a little money goes great way az
Bacxwells Island and political influence" goes
even further One keeper Is SAID to have lately
remarked over MS cups that the "picklngs were
more tnal MA salary,n and his frequent absence
from his post and his rather luxurious style OF Nv
lug ia Nav yorA, when on duty. seemed TO justify
his assertion. Posts 81 hospital duty, or places In
the hospital. are most in demand among the con.
ylcrs. ana exBoss Tweed Is not the only man who
las been assigned" as favor, TO that depart
nent. PROVISIONS aud liquors are constantly
smuggled into the prison aud ind their way TO
lis inmates ana, Mslougn the casual VISITOR y
visit 70 the sianu, tue ha6ttue ol the place, who
"knows the r0pes,n nnds the island mot 80 bad
pace, alter all.'
IL Iact the institutions on "sne island" are
decidedly popular with the very class OF people
which It was designed 10 repel and TO punish.
Bummers and Migrants from ali parts or the city
anu the state so rom cnoce to tine Island" every
winter.
TIE PARADIsED PAUPERs.
At the present time there Is q man on the island
.'wao came rom Port Jervis expressly TO get
there, pIeierring MS certainties OF being housed
CT tled aud led there to his corresponding un-
ceTtaintles IN his native town, and being wiling
10 take mis- chances as TO being worked Pro-
iesslona Dummers have been known to come
~ 100 miles just TO be sent on the
islana.n AND one man, an ex-convict from Sing
sing Prison, who had accumulated 1892, which he
iorthwitn went 10 BlacEweIl's Island, and mas
spent the winter there, while his bank book mas
y ocs wno o Dns o. Oscs%s
cognizant OF this latter TACT very recently.
In point OF TACT the institutions on Backwells
nstt Alrpa.
house ana tue IKE. attract rather than repel the
worthless poor. Ever aud anon, the public hear,
counts. OF beggars who own houses, and It is
equally true, though We do not hear OF 1T SO often,
asxers II our MIDST that regards the island as It's
regular wlnter quarters rs eiysiam OF food aud
ent the Island is regarded as a sort or
WINTER SARATOGA FOR THE POOR.
and Migrants on the island ana at the public nsti-
tuEons under the care Of our Commissioners OF
than anywhere else or than work. one couple
a Dutcnmal anQ ms VIE, nave been on the island
woman says sue would IKE TO i've and die there
An freshman whose name Is McManon, taougn ne
toe srss wess u every DecemDer . ana saI'a one
saving. esas sasA sse has been
Nor Is tnls al. The public institutions ION the
island" are not ouy regarded oy sne poor as sort
themselves but are looked at Ia The same lgat W
many 81 tEelI richer relatives, WHO would other
vantage o. the institution" get rad OF toe ex-
pense o. maintaining their own kindred. TO suca
a. extent tnis EVIL carried that there are several
Of our ward POLITICIANS who have members Of their
own ian4lly al tue present time enrolled among
the pagpefs al the Almsnouse and supported
A. tie paolo expense. A liquor dealer in the
IoariA wAfd. soca politician. nas
f ss y u.uS s 1od receives caS one oS o. G ISs
cits saOOO year g. charged by Q woman VINO
ssserts VA, sae = ~ Own iatner,s sister, WITH
" re-
Apply 10 tue pubac Of1clas Tor charity, and finally
70 9e seat Y one u or puo4c institutions for sup
port. Anotnei poAuclan Of note "a said at one
tine 70 naye Aept ns oSn lalAer al the puDAc ex-
pense 81 the .sAae. aaa similar instances could be
tier are shame "a. Nor 4 even tals all Tor OF late
Tears u aas Oecome somewhat d a system Tor oar. /
room politicians. shoulder nitiers and rourns OF
born parties ~ send or their relatives rom the old
cooatry tgetung their steerase passage 'througn /
ana then gettug them posts ION the sand " II /
not a. Ssspe .. taen - persons kept At tae puo.
sUrf0sfISG aELArTvEs Ar rHE PUBLIC EXPENSE
~ uot ong utterly dsgraceigL but utterly demora.
hln9 ana dishonest. a1d s4oUs tnat 10 "pGguc I
eharfies.M a. 10 private. great and aagrant abuses
Prcvaii. ana tnal lac AlgAgst J. puDac virtues Il
often asca % iartner toe most .gnooie selnsh pr.
Again. there are
roo Many OFFICIALS
connected wifh err pu0lc Institutions ION the lsl
aud faere are 81 sape inlendents clerks,
va4dens deputies. doctors. nurses Aeepels. &C.,
Naras anu BlackweA's Islands, shose salaries
rua anywsere rom 80 20 $500 per annum.
f4efe are 0rly-three CglciAis 0l ali grades con.
nectea vita tie Hospital ana lIl0L ScaoOI
on handslls Island. lootng az salaries
o. sls.g0. There are tElrty.ioar connected
Vito the ngrserles On kandaAs lsiAna footing
~ salAlies " ss@.Doo. There are twenty-five con.
bectea ~lgb lie infant Hospital % kandan's
L. saa. VITA salaries amounting 70 ss,yy0. There
aIe lny-alne colnecssa ~ilb TIE Lslatsc Asy.
lac "a S.sckseas ismna. ioosins ~ y sa.Aries q
szLyygs 500 sSsTlss are pai1 70 Nsr9's Island
iueDflaie Asyi1in So, ~ - paid ~ saares % tue
Aslt4lA lSr he Insane ~ Nsrd Lsiaho, WhcA
MANAGE about Essy oriclAls There are atty.
two pei sons male aud leG1si@, CONNECTED vito sae
u-aAAEe aE4l tne Cn41gy Hospital whose saa-
net - ~ee4 all.ys. II taxes seventeen U1ciais
sA1 49, ~ Yraf aAlArles 20 run the AIMS SOuse.
~ Aoss tt-sNs pef Rn11m IN sAlaries and taxes
sLl AAg-V1@ sAACiAls 20 ne fenItentiarys
bssAaes 49, iOf raro1s iof ne 0f1clalA. wAlle
70 nefkAo1ss "a bAsesusn's sAaAaa texss The en-