The New York herald., 1875-12-01
"MURDERERS' ROW."
HOW THE FIVE MEN WHO ARE DOOMED rc

u was with no levity OF tone or manner that the
writer inquired yesterday OF Keeper Finley In the
Tombs Prison.
(which is that awful place called Murderers' Rowr"
''You are in IT." sir" quantity but not without
some soemnity Of voice, replied the keeper TINS
somewhat unexpected announcement was made oy
stout, elderly man. who has acted - keeper in the
Tombs for forty years And oh what fearful
scenes OF misery woe and suffering has he not wit
messed within the dreary walls Of that living sepuchre
you to visit the Tombs go in at the Franklin
street Upon ascending the steps the visitor
finds himself in a narrow, vaulted passageway. On
the left, fenced in behind an iron network, s the
Office Of Warden Quinn, where all applications for
ingress egress must be considered. On the
right strong iron gate closes the passage, and
behind its stout bars three trusted keepers are at their
posts One has charge OF this gae another guards the
inner iron and oaken doors leading into the prison
yard, while the third examines all passers TO and from
the cells At the outside OF the gate number OF
people Of both sexes, the majority OF whom looked
miserable and sorrowful enough Packages of various
sizes and kinds we're handed in for
DELIVERY PRISONERS;
letters were passed anxious looks seemed to in
aure the fate OF the unfortunate friends whose evil
passions and deeds had made them amenable to
the lash of the law.
The writer had handed to him a press pass which
was scrutnzed at the inside Of the gate and in front
of the inner door. II was noticeable that the
keeper at the gate was prompt enough TO
open its ponderous jaws for ingress, but his
movements slow, cautious and catlike when
ng IL but short way its hinges for egress The
terror space between the gate and the inner door
sembles hons cage and was speedily traveised while
the keepers Of the beasts OF prey looked sharply and
he the iron door turned massive key in It's well
wards and admitted the reporter into the prison
yard.
1t seemed strange that nobody appeared to care
where wandered in the jail court there you were,
an ct6n frnuu nfVU
iron grated windows thick and lofty granite walls
person who in the garb OF workman,
moodlly crossed the stone paved walk divid-
ing the Offices which had just been traverscd
from the body OF the jail, pointed to q door
in the south side of the main interior edhce and said
that Keeper Finley, who has charge of the ward in
which ''Murderers Row. is situated, could be found
there The door was placed in stout, wooden lodge,
which appeared to adhere the outside of the wall like
a barnace a ships SIDE In this little box a
solitary keeper counted the passing hours, and
admitted the writer through a low narrow
iron door the body of the man prison ward The
atmosphere close, and tainted Several per.
sons were walking about or disposed in various atti-
tudes denoting languor, lstlessness, WEAKNESS and
even hopelessness Keeper Finley was at his desk,
which was placed at the southern end of the ward
and commanded full view OF the lines of cells
along both SIDES He examined the reporters pass
and gave good humored nod of assent to the implied
request to see the unfortunate men whose lives had
been declared forfeited the vengeance of the law
JACOB sTASDERMAS-No. S.
II will be remembered that this convict was tried
and found guilty of fatally shooting on Chatham street,
q few months ago, the young German woman TO whom
IL alleged he was betrothed, but who had finally
rejected his addresses.
s'Standerman, said the Warden, in a kindly tone,
ethis reporter OF the HERALD who has come to see
you z ..u- I, .,, -, !, -,
nothing to say; and, anyway, they never print right
what do say"
"He seldom talks to any one," remarked the keeper,
as standerman turned away from the grated barred and
locked door of his CELL He commenced pacing
rapidly backward and forward in the narrow
space in front of the iron bed on which
ha hu1 w haa Thn ntphn
mans step that OF restless hyena rather than
rational being AS his figure passed TO and fro between
the light and the observer II that he was
rather low size; the head was round and not badly
shaped forehead high hair cut short and rising up in
front He dressed in ordinary citizens clothes,
but without collar OF all the five prisoners who
are awaiting the execution Of their death his
countenance is decidedly the least prepossessng,
cepting perhaps that Of the colored man William
Thompson and yet the face of Sanderman was not
of those vanous visages that people apt couple
with the idea Of men doomed to capital punishment.
He seemed to feel most acuely the awful condition in
which he is placed.
WILLIAM ELIIs-No g.
Mans inhumauity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn
Such might have been the words of the philan.
thropist at casting his eyes upon much SORROW
and suffering could not TAIL to strike him by visit
are not without the affections hopes and
fears which binds them to mother earth
nor they insensibe TO the kindness Of friends
sympathzers who would ameorate the convict's suf-
ferings. While stepping from Standermans cell to that
of the coored convict William Ellis the writer's
ton was attracted to beautiful girl OF
eighteen nineteen summers. She evidently be-
| longed to = good circle in society. Her well
gloved hand resting upon the rough grating OF the
cell door and she conversng in tones of sympa-
thetfc kindness with of the colored convicts Who
could be- or what relation could that rosycheeked,
brghteyed girl bear TO tho unfortunate African with
whom she was speaking
sIt's only MISS Deany sir" said the keeper. "She
is very good entirely TO the poor condemned men, She
comes to see them all very frequently, and always
brings them both good advice and delicate token
of sympathy-such as books, and the like"
Upon approach TO the cell OF Ellis this
kndhearted American girl fitted past and was
of pure negro blood, showed no unwingness
to converse but not about those topics Imme-
diatey connected with his participation in the
crime for which he has been sentenced to
the chest and shoulders and has not unshapey
head He does not look the least like the stereotyped
scrbed and painted so frequently. II he were on the
street. one might be inclined to take HIM for
hotel waiter or servant in gentleman
family; but would, from his looks
think him capable OF the foul crime OF murder Ellis
has no hope for this life and believes that the 18th
OF next month he must die, unless In the meantime
something very extraordinary turns up He is
particularly desrous, In the first place, to mako known
his gratitude and thankfulness 70 Miss Deany
who, since his conviction has been "knd mother''
10 him He is also much indebted for the good advice
and friendly counsel received from the Rev. Mr. Bed
ford, Miss Parsons, and Mrs Jackson His conversa-
ton and manners are calm RATIONAL and resigned. He
thinks that his punishment is unjust; prcjudccd jury
men tried him, and he used brutally during the
trial
THOMPSON, NUMBER sEvEN.
This coored man. who. with Ellis and Charles West
on convicted short time ago OF the murder of
poor Hebrew pedler in West Farms, mpresses the be-
holder more unfavorably than any Of the other con-
demned wretches who soon and so violently to
pass out Of the world for taking human life He is
pure black, heavy, thick set and sullen looking He
has bullet shaped head with rather lowering brows
and heavy eyes He evnces no desire to talk with any
one says that he is resigned to his fate and
frequent visits from well ntentioned ministers
WILLIAM WESTON. NUMBER EIGHT
This is the most interesting OF the three negro
vcts. He is young somewhat slender in figure, not
tall and possesses rather prepossessing oval shaped
face and large eyes He looks like intelligent smart
young coored man. He says that his mind is made up
FOR what he has to undergo but expresses much dssat
isfaction at the manner in which his trial was con.
Quoted.
JOHN DoLAS-NuMBRR FOUR
This unhappy man tried and convicted on wholly
circumstantal evidence for the killing OF Mr. James H.
Noe, at his store in Greenwich street, some three
months ago. He Is rather young man, OF
Short very stout and square build he has well shaped
~ 49, fn.nl- -