The New York herald., 1875-12-19
A CoUNTY's REPRoACH.

SHOCKING CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE
wEsTcHEsTER COUNTY JAII-No EFFORT AS
YET MADE FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE
SEXES.
The county Jail OF westchester stl remains public
scandal. Although successive grand juries
have called the attention or the courts sitting at
White Plans to the dsgaceul of affairs existing
in the institution and have urged the imperative
s.ty OF providing separate department for the female
prisoners, the manifold evils resulting from a COM
mngling OF the sexes remain unchecked. That this
shameful condition of thngs-the knowledge OF which
is sufficient to every respectable citizen to
blush-should be permitted so long TO continue in
county that for wealth and population ranks fifth in
the Empire state seems 10 be past comprehension.
For the accommodation Of prisoners there two
tiers Of cells, which number thirtysix in ALL and
located sides OF rectangle in the centre Of
the jail The upper tier to which is at all times
easy every male inmate who may not be kept con-
tinually under lock and key, is used exclusively
for women and girls Under the existing Jail regula-
tons the mail prisoners forbidden to go on the
upper tier, but, the authorities have taken ef-
cient steps 70 enforce this halfway remedial measure
the frequent every portion OF the Jail at Will And
this commnglng Of the sexes is not alone carried on
in the daytime, tor when, Is sometimes tho case,
the inmates number 100 or 150 the surplus after two
or more have been placed In each CELL have to
be provided with cots in the body OF tho
)all Where tnere can DC no restraint Whatever upon
their movements AS consequence OF this the I'M
morates constantly practsed are OF character too
revolving to be limited at II Is with this vile
herd Of both that not only Juvenile offenders and
persons awaiting trial in civil suits have To consort,
but also witnesses for the people who may not be able
10 procure the requisite bail for their appearance at
court when called upon.
An examination of the records in the Sherin7s Office
discloses the unpleasant information that
CRIME LARGELY on THE INCREASE
throughout the county. From the source 1t
would appear that the number OF criminals convicted
In the Court OF Oyer and Termner the Court of Ses
SONS sentenced by justices Of the during the
past twelve months has been at least twenty per cent
in excess OF that previous TO the annexation or the
densely populated portion OF the county TO New
York Ii is also a well established fact that fully two
thirds those arrested for crime residents Of
the county There In the Jail at present eighty
inmates, thirteen Of whom females. SO far as the
sanitary condition OF the institution Is concerned II
State In short the scrupuous attention paid 10 the
cleansing OF cells aud constant Of dslnectauta
essential for the prevention of disease
and epidemics where so many persons arc
Sheriff Carpenter and his deputies can accomplish.
The authority effect reformation In the shocking
Jail system above Indicated vested In the Board OF
County Supervisors alone and IL Is not very credtable
10 the members OF that body that the ot-repeated
CHARGES by presiding judges ana the presentmens Of
grand jures, deprecatinR the scandaous condition OF
affairs existing the institution mentioned have from
year TO year been completely ignored by them. The
the present Board Of Supervsors-which, it
be stated parenhetcally IL chiefly noted for its
frequent adjournments-is about drawing To a close
but thus the members have steadily adhered to tho
do moth for jail policy Of their predecessors;
being found willing TO risk hts hopes Of future
political preferrnent by proposing which, "
adopted would entail additional tax OF few thou
sand dollars tho wealthy intelligent and Christian
people Of Westchester county.