The New York herald., 1875-10-01
THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
A Senator and JailOr Whose Evidence
Does Not Agree.
Coroner Croker's Imprisonment at
the Tombs.
A MOTHER-IN-LAW QUESTIONED

yesterday morning pursuant TO adjournment, all the
members being present Mr. Thomas Murphy showed
himself for few moments during the early part of the
session. and whispered that he had come to give
the committee "a steer The nrst witness called was
Isaac II. Bailey who testified TO the condition and
management OF the Institutions in charge Of the De-
partment OF Charities aud Correction Of which
President ExCommissionerL Laimbeer examined
the administration of the department while he was
connected with He expressed his opinion in vigorous
language Many OF the statements made by him were
afterwdrd excepted to by Mr. Bailey in re-examina
tion. John Quinn, Warden Of the City
Prison, was closely questioned as to tho
care Of prisoners in that Institution and
especially with reference Coroner Richard Croker
who was permitted TO visit his family while undergoing
trial for MURDER and to Carlotta Shotwell, the no
torous blackmailing adventuress who confined in
the Tonbs under Mr. Qunn's charge, and whom, IL is
said, he very 'lenient" to-sometmes permitting
her to so abroad at night and even going 80 far as to
accompany her himself Mrs. Catherine Frazier,
motherin law of Coroner Croker, admitted that she
had the latter in her daughters house while under
indictment for the murder of McKenna All these
witnesses were brought before the committee without
having the fantest idea of what line of questions
be put them, and the clrcumspecton of the last
two when they recovered from the rst shock Of
prise showed that had they been informed of the
OF the inquiry beforehand their answers would
have taken a different shape.
President of the Commissioners of Charities and Cor
recton, Isaac H. Bailey, testified follows: The De-
partment of Public Buildings condemned the Park Hos4
pita building unsafe last spring. and we sought to
make arrangementby which we could obtain another
buildings the Board OF Aldermen authorized the lease Of
building the corner of Centre and White streets,
but the Comptroller declined to raty the lease the
ground that appropriation had been exhausted;
Supnp rfpua m nd nnn haf, da
the New York Hospital obtained from the Commits
soner of the Sinking Fund the right to occupy the
building No. 100 Chambers street. which they
fitted up Immediately for hospital purposes 1t is
my opinion that this building has done away with
the necessity for any other hospital in the neighbor
hood; introduced q resolution in the Board the
goth OF August recommending the removal of all the
effects in the hospital Bellevue and the dismissal of
the force employed there 1t laid on the table;
have brought tho question two occasions since,
but the Board declined to act upon IT. they had made
application for permission the Beekman street
station house for hospital; there perhaps
age of patient per day received tho old buildings
IT, is merely used for the reception Of patients;
they not allowed TO remain there but trans
ferred to Bellevue; the Chambers street building
Is not more than quarter OF mile
from the old Park Hospital so that IL is in good loca
tion. With reference to the Pententiary
allowed under the law of 1860 hire out our prison
labor was very desrous to have that law repealed
and there act introduced the Legislature last
winter repeating that law but it did pass. We
using all efforts have put through when we re-
ceved note from the Executive Department inform
ing that IL part of our duty 70 'lobby'' at
Albany, and we accordingly took no further action
All the Board think agreed IN desiring the repeal of
the law. ] had previously held conversations with
several large shoe and other manufacturers
with respect to tho amount of compensation
could obtain for the labor of prisoners but received
NO deiinte answer; az % the number Of prisoners
whom could employ probably in manufacturing for
The market suppose the average would be ZOO per
year; wo had IN the Pencntiary at the time of my
last quarterly report 905 of whom l4o were women;
lhe Aims House contains comparatively few persons
who capable OF doing work requiring either skill
bodily strength; the Workhouse contains about 500
males whom think, could be prohtably employed;
the total number of its inmates is perhaps 500
1600 and about 700 distributed among the different
instit utions to do various kinds of work
The second witness called William Laimbeer
formerly Commissioner of Charities and Correction
He stated that he was unwilling to testify and asked TO
be excused but the committee would not consent and
he was sworn 81 went out of Office in February las
he said, 'and ! had then been in the Board
ton made to by responsible parties |
in this city for the labor OF the Penenary
prisoners and all prisoners within the jurisdiction Of
the Board; when the question was introduced 1t was
opposed by one Commissioner and advocated by two
others; from thirty to 1fy1ve cents per day for the
labor Of each prisoner offered by parties
the Board was unit upon contracting this labor and
the papers were sent TO the Board Of Aldermen for
snce they gave no reason ior declining to act, but
one OF their number said il wrong employ this
labor in competition with the honest labor of the city,
stated to tho Mayor and Comptroller that this labor
would turn into the Treasury Of the city from $50 600
70 $4,000 per year, and agreed to deposit
snoaB sRa &R &at xhs g eR d$ $f''sB'' B IN 6 'aas
hands Of the Treasurer guarantee OF my confidence
in the Of the PLAN Kings County Pcnisntiary
has 400 prisoners working under contract; Trenton
State Prison has 500 convcts labor hired at high
rates Of wages, too Bigelow the shoe manufacturer,
for ours he would employ from 500 70 600 men
q number which the department could always furnish
without interfering with its own work; this work they
talk about there is all bosh; there 800 400
scattered all the island aud they don't do the work
of twenty i've; concur in the view OF Mcssrs Bren
and Bailey with regard to the purchase Of coal in
the summer In preference to the winter; in
reference to the 'poor's coal" and its dis
1ribution, / know OF one man VINO had
been employed to distribute in Harlem;
he could not tell me how many members
there were in the families TO whom he had distributed
1t, on which floor Of the house they lived anything
about them; he made no examination whatever beiore
giving tickets; had him perompory discharged; I
believe the delivery Of this poor coal y in New York
has been, and while it Is done at present
be anything else han swndle; while was in the de-
partmont we reduced expenses very materially and tho
best proof OF is that had 1922 600 in the treasury
the lst of January remaining from the appropriation
of 1874; the appropriation was, think Sos, 900;
also changed the keepers and got OF better chara
ter; many of the keepers were the darnnedest
] made confirmed me In that bclieft The com
Tensaton they receive is enough to induce good fn6
TO take the position trained mechanic gets more
than they; these remarks qP9qt the Keepers wall apply
20 every prison in the city OF New York as well az the
Penitentiary; | knew in which keeper
threatened to put the black hole If he did not
pay him SO and the money was borrowed by the
prisoner and paid to the Keeper; the man Geary
who was indicted with Cowenhoyen short time ago for
cruelty 10 the prisoners, of that Glass; yet
could not discharge him because had political friends
who kept him in spite OF us
Mr.. Davenport here handed 10 Mr.. Laimbeer list Of
the Of present employees Of the department
and asked If he could point out any men ike those OF
whom he had been talking He replied tna he be-
leved was possible for any TO repent, and per
haps those men had repentcd 80 he would make NO
complaint against them
Mr. Davenport-At the time Mr Bgelow proposed to
hire the prison labor any question raised as TO the
power Of the Board 70 make the contracts
GMr Laimbecr-There not at that tmo; but u has
since boen decided that they have power the law
absolutely prohibits the by convcts o any
article TO DO sold IN the market; consulted Mr. Della