The New York herald., 1875-10-01
THE COMMITTEE ON CRIME.
The Abuses FlOuriShing in the Black
wells Island Penitentiary.
Boys Sent Among the Hardened Criminals in
Violation Of the Law.

OF the committee who obeyed the call of duty the
appointed time. Mr.. Hess rallied TO the support OF
his colleague at two O'Clock in the afternoon when the
examination had lasted three hours and OF the
other members put in appearance Mr. Brennan
accompanied Mr. Campbell and Mr. Townsend who,
the commttee's counsel, conducted the examination.
1t held at the reception of the Penitentary
and began about eleven O'Clock
TESTIMONY OF THE WARDEN
John M. Fox Warden Of the Penitentiary was the
first witness Before his appointment he testified he
had had experience in the prison The Warden gave
outline of the prison routine. There OIL pris
in the Penitentary, 100 being females; the
prison only for criminals sixteen years old,
and he asserted that there under that age
Mr Campbell stepped up to the record Of the recep
ton and read aloud entry showing that Jennie
Lewis aged fifteen, received, being sentenced TO
two years for false preences The witness expressed
great asonishment at this and said that probably
the only in the prison
Mr Campbell stepped up again to the record book
and read aloud this entry Nicholas Havey aged af-
teen years, five years. for burglary and the Warden
opened his eyes very wide
I'm explanation it should be stated that prisoners
under sixteen required by law to be sent TO the
House of Refuge but they often their age to
the Judge to escape being to that place Of rigorous
disciplined
DEFECTIVE COMMITMENTS.
Mr.. Campbell read the commitments showing that
the two prisoners sentenced by Judge Hackett
The witness there was means of arriving at the
true age Of the prisoners except by their
ments at their arrival and by their appearance The
age not taken in court did not appear in the
commitments
A number OF cases OF the same kind were then given
by Mr.. Townsend David Pember aged fourteen years.
John Mcmahon, aged fifteen; James Nolan, aged nf
teen years; William Mcnamara aged fifteen, and James
Mccormick, aged thirteen, &c. Different judges and
police justices sentenced the above inmates
Mr. Townsend requested the Warden to furnish to
the committee list OF all the prisoners received since
January l, 1872, under the age of sixteen
nI-PAIp INEXPERIENCED OFFICIALS
Mr. Fox testified at length as to the duties of the
Warden and the Deputy Warden. He made the assign
of the prisoners labor himself If the Deputy
Warden did not they had to rely upon the statements
of the prisoners themselves in regard their occupa
tions, the commitments did not show what they
although the occupation is generally asked in
court after conviction); the consequence was
that the prisoners often gave their occupa
tons falsely in order TO get such work as
suited them. The next point elected was that
and young offenders could not be separated from
the old hardened owing the want of assist
and want of Mr. Fox stated the salaries Of
the officials the highest that of the Warden only being
$165o-and on that he has to board hmself-whie the
keepers and guards &c, only receive 5000 $3.50 and
5000 per year. and these wages they have to keep
their families in New York The inference left open by
these beggarly salaries that these officials must
make something ''outsde as it is called TO be ena
bled to live decently The experience OF the keepers
and assistants in the prison given by the witness
very slight, as large proportion had only been
three or ouy months on the island and had no previous
in nj No Wqrn oufz ida thA
buildings during the night He denied that keeper
could have possibly gone TO Jones' Wood with two
thieves allowed them TO steal there all day and re
turned with them in the evening, alleged In an
anonymous letter to the committee Mr.. Fox ex-
pressed perfect confidence in the integrity Of the
keepers
DRIVING PRISONERS RACK TO CRrMx
Another evil shown up by the testimony was that
prisoners often left the Penitentary without cent
their pockets thus having not the hope OF getting
their first meal honestly. Mr. Fox thought would be
wise make sort OF provision for prisoners OF
this class who had no money and friends for many
of them he felt convinced, would reform II they
only taken hold of upon first leaving the Penitenary
Since January, when the witness entered upon this
Office nine escapes were effected, but from twenty TO
thirty were attempted Mr. Fox thought that by keep
ing watchmen night outside OF the building and two
additional guard boats during the day many escapes
would be prevented.
going and COMM from their meals they nevertheless
do speak considerably IN low voice Mr. Fox thought
that the establishment Of new workshops was de-
sirabe
The witness thought that Governor Seymour's theory
as stated by Mr.. Townsend-namely, that prisoners
should be charged for their meals and all the expense
caused by them to the State but be paid for all work
rendered above that amount was excellent II would
give the prisoner a home TO 60 10.
Jennie Lewis, short stout girl whose rather honest
appearance beled her striped convict dress and who
looked to least eighteen nineteen said she was
fifteen old She asserted her innocence. saying
that she only followed the directions OF her father
playing the confidence game for which she was con-
victed Mr., Townsend observed II very wrong to
send girl SO young TO this prison instead q TO the
House Of Refuge, where she might be reformed
KITCHENS TESTIMONY.
DR. Kitchen chief Of the medical staff and a very in
ellectual looking man. said that every prisoner who
reported sick was examined by one Of the physicians
and all the prisoners passed in before his
stafat hafpast six o'clock every morning: the great
incentive crime, in his opinion intemperance;
a great improvement could be accomplished in the
Work House II the sentences longer and the
increased after every repetition of drunkenness on
the Streets a sent for ten days 70 the
Work House, discharged sent again after few
were one and two months for the first offence
and longer terms after every repetition some OF
the inmates might be cured; sometimes
sent from the Work House to the hospital with
delirium many dozen times in the course
Of twelve months Derium tremens, in the opinion OF
DR.. Kitchen, was produced by the bad whskey sold in
the low groggeres and which consisted principally Of
fusel oil II posonedsthe blood very quickly being in
reality nothing else than a narcotic poison man
could drink
PLENTY OF GOOD PURR wHrsKEr
almost all bis life and it would never produce derum
tremens
Tne eVisors sometimes smuggle liquor into the pris-
ons ana hospitals, which was very dhlcult TO pre8Snt
The reading Of obscene books produced habits leading
TO epilepsy among males and this observable
among all male cases Of epilepsy in tho Charity Hospi-
tai
James Douglas, who has been keeper eleven years,
a small Sized intelligent looking man. said at least ten
moro keepers highly necessary for tho
well being Of tho institution. He gave an ac-
count OF his routine duties, beginning at the hour
Of nve when the keepers have the roll call
They have to rise at the uncomfortaby early hour Of
hafpast four O'Clock summer and winter. The pris-
oners are turned out TO work at O'Clock in the
morning, and continue at their labor until quarter Of
twelve o'clock Then they march 10 dinner return 70
work ten minutes OF O'Clock and labor until
half-past i've o'clock thus making about nine and one
half hours work per day.
TWO BOYS ON STAND.
Robert Nolan, agod fourteen years, one OF the boys
wrongly sent among the hardened prisoners Of the Pen
entiary instead Of 10 the Honso Of Refuge asserted
his innocence Of the charge Of burglary on which ne
was convicted but admitted that he had previously
been guilty OF til tapping and breaking windows one