The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-15
LUDLOW STREET JAIL.
The Management Of the
Debtors Prison.
FREE BOARD FOR BOSS TWEED.
A Prisoner Keeping q
Liquor Bar.
UNFORTUNATE MILITIAMEN.

The Assembly committee to investigate the causes OF
and the institutions concerned In dealing with
criminal matters visited Ludlow Street Jail yesterday.
There is a marble tablet into the front OF tho build
Ing bearing tho OF tho Board OF Supervisors
under whom It was erected. The name Of William NJ.
Tweed figures among Them and by singular twist in
the wheel Of fortune the is now inscribed
prisoner the books of the institution whose
erection he helped to superntend. Mr.. Tweed was Cd
taking exercise in tho yard Of the prison about
the time the committee entered. Ho dressed in
suit OF blue flannel, and a cloth cap. He looked
to be in good health and walked about vigorously.
He has three rooms in the prison, and
fares considerably better than no did on
Blackwellis Island. The committee had no
intercourse with him They went through the prison
from top to bottom examined the cells and cooking
kitchen, and finally selected paror tho first floor
where they examined such witnesses presented
themselves with evidence either TO the nature Of
their incarceration the character of their treatment
in tho prison The conduct of the prison and Its ven
lation appeared to strike the committee favorably.
THE CONDUCT
William /. Gardner testified that he had been eighteen
years Deputy Warden of Ludlow Street Jail; there
confined in tho prison 33 on civil process;
members OF tho National Guard for paying fines %
on United States criminal process every night when
the prisoners kept in the same way except that
when there is surplus of United States prisoners ola
desperate they restricted to the corrdors all
the OTHERS free to range the Railways.
The night Waterman comes on at ten O'clock and 1t
Is his duty to unlock the cells in the morning. The
cleaning OF the prison done night by the prison.
Whoever chooses to perform the work may do it,
and many nsk for It, 1t brings the privilege of later
hours outside their cells They receive their meals in
their cells the hands of the prisoners who do tho
cleaning All three meals in the day alike. Under
the law of 1874 the county allowed seventyhve cents
head for the support OF each prisoner Warden Tracy
ceased to have charge of the prison January l. 1874
The senior prisoner is Samuel oppenheimer lie has
been in since January s. 1870 He is held
under one order for three executions. The next
longest Thomas Larkin, who put
in January l, 1874, and left October
II, 1875 Daniel Sratton comes next having been ia
since February II, 1875 Julius A. Hlchen, a
mitment for almony in divorce case, March IL 1875
Joseph Hart, Christian Frey, Thomas W. Ayea, John
Brandt and Charles Sarnow the six militiamen who
have been imprisoned since the beginning of October
for non payment of fines Forgery, robbng a
mail box, smuggling, countcrfeitng, piracy, mutiny,
violation of naturalization laws and violation of Post
oco laws the offences OF United States prisoners
In his opinion prisoners committed for militia fines
and those confined for criminal offences should be
put in the same CELL AS rule when prisoner goes
to-day the prisoner who comes in takes the vacant
cell There altogether sixty cells most of them
double. United States prisoners arc never con-
fined in the same cell with civil pris-
oners. As q general thing prisoners prefer
company in their cells Whenever application
is made to tho Warden for separate accommodation
1t Is granted. Prisoners who prefer to pay for their
board are charged SIS week. Tweed pays nothing
Hal nfad ha
posed the committee would like to know why Mr.
Tweed should be exception but there dispo-
sition to press the witness the subject There
no punishmcnts inflicted except that of locking man
up in q separate cell at the OF the building No
body has been put in dark cell in years In regard TO
the OF White, who complained OF being beaten,
witness remembered being informed of man named
White being locked up, and inquiring into the mat
ter he found that the White had with tho
Waterman (Dobbs) because the latter complained of
the prisoner having swept down from the tier above
the floor below the debris of burnt paper
He threatened to strike the Waterman with q
bottle, and the latter struck him the
eye and that's all witness knew Of the The
Waterman should not have locked the prisoner up
without notifying the Warden. Witness released him
he thought the proce edings in the matter of
debt should be more summary; that man should have
opportunity OF being Immediately heard in place OF
being held on ez parte statements
INCOME
name Is entered on the register, and the commitment
paper is returned TO the Sheriff There is restric
ton on visitors coming In and out Any prisoner des-
ing liquor purchase II in the prison; lager beer Is
chief drink The Warden gets the proceeds of the
sales well the board money The breakfast is Of
bread and coffee dinner OF meat, varying through the
week bread and potatoes, and soup twice week and
supper OF tea and bread. There three keepers
in the day, two till late at night and two from that till
morning.
found fault with the state of affairs in the PRISON.
I'M IL nrd IA Ia
be held responsible for the conduct OF those under him.
he had not the power of appointing them the War
quisites he find; for bringing prisoner who Is
taken his application TO court the Warden
Is allowed fee OF So so; II the prisoner has no money
he for nothing the application OF cred
the creditor pays; all the officials Of the prison
paid out OF the allowance made by the county OF
seventy five head, together with the perqusites
and the moneys derived from boarding prisoners.
TIE wARDEs's SHADOW or AUTHORITY
Witness believed the Warden should have greater
control over those under him. the Warden. when APP
pointed bond Of $40 900 TO the Sheriff for the safe
keeping of the prisoners sometimes prisoners are
hned representing altogether bail high S. 600 900;
the Warden s responsible up to the amount Of his bond
and the Sheriff for all above that; the suggestion
Warden being differently appointed he did approve
Of unless there somebody who could give heavier
security for the sale keeping Of the prisoners than tho
Warden was called on to give
William s,arks young prisoner, testified staDsi
him and bcd him In the nose lac was taken to Essex
Market Police Court and confined there in the prison
nfeen days; the Judge SAID nothing to him. and no
said nothing 10 the Judge; nobody appeared against
him; finally lawyer got him out on bail la 5000 and
he released; he was out six weeks, and thon was
arrested by a Deputy Sheriff and taken 70 Ludlow
street jail civil suit for damages for the original
offence.
Victor Donzak said he had been in prison
/ since June - charge Of alleged libel and
slander one Joseph J. scheslnger, who sought
/ $40 600 damages Witnoss beloved tho whole thing
/ was put up job 10 deprive him OF his liberty. He
complained bitterly OF the order OF arrest granted by
Judge DAVIS He began a suit against Schesingcr Tor
4 false imprisonment In 1872, and Sehlcsngcr has
retaato By having him arrested again SANDER and
\ put under bail III 81 800 which he Is unable to get
/ samuel O2pclhemer, the prisoner longest in Ludlow
Street Jail stated that lie had been Ia nvo years
/ lie was the wooden clothing business and
charged with fraud IA bankruptcy by ten different
hrms He held BY civil processes IN the hope that
somebody would come 10 hts rescue The trouble IS no
I said the people who hold hlm have i'm idea that he