The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-12
PRICE-FIVE CENTS.

closes with bang after them, to preclude escape
Inc return march is heralded as before by Il Of
her slide, and in few moments all the prison.
ers are discussing the tea in groups about the
yard and corridor. WIZ
In hfteen minutes the fun commences,n said
doubtful as to the probable means emnlnved In
get 1un out OF such heterogeneous mass of
murderers, thieves and petty criminals.
deep pass voice away back in the negroes
yard yells out, fall In, following this humorous
injunction by mocking bird Solo on a police
whistle. He was tall sinewy mulatto, stripped
| to the waist, and arAed with marshal's baton
which had seen considerable service as a broom
stick. -
All the negro men formed in line, and he Sc
lected every third man for "brickers and rag
gers. We were Informed that the scrubbin.
was ABOUT to commence, and that the term
"brlckers" was applied to. those guileless in
divlduals whose mornings work it was to rub
all the halls and their own cells with bricks and
white sand. The more arlstocratc battalion OF
'raggers" followed them and wiped the hoors..
Another shrill whistle, and the brickers
marched forward in line, filing into the outside
entry. way, their marshal leading. There we're
Probably about forty in the gang, and seldom
| have we seen such collection of nluscularly de-
veloped subjects. Arms and shoulders with
knots OF hard muscle almost stretching the skirs
Itself from beneath these swarthy prisoners,
| seem almost gladatorial in their appearance.
Arriving IN tie entry, the marshal waves his
stick, blows his whistle, shouts some Senegam-
Dian command, and the line drops in two ranks
on all fouls, bricks in hand
Another wave of the stick, another whistle
and yell and the fun really did commence
Rubbing from right to left and left to right their
bodies swayed to the motion the whole line keep
ing perfect time. 1t at first diff cult to un-
derstand from whence came the almost deafen-
ing sound. Like some twenty saw mills in
unison this grating noise drowned everything
except the yeils Of the marshal. Right and left.
rIrht AVID Late hul. III.
and time rubbed away tho sand, grinding the
floor beneath the bricks into the native Wilderness
Vt the wood.
"Chrrp, ohirp, Chirrup, Chirrupl sounded the
marshai's whistle, and like one piece Of machin-
cry the line Of battle began a slow retreat scrub
bling the floor as they fell back. When the whole
surface had been gone over, a whistle-a pro-
longed yell-and night owls screech caused all
to right-about, and with the same motion they
went over the ground aga ain.
by the right flank, by the left, forward and
backward, these dusky scrubbels worked away
never once getting out Of time, and evidently en-
Joylng the sporr. AS soon as they had finished
one hall their place was taken by sweepers, who
cleaned off the wet sand, and then the majestica
raggers followed. Each had piece of coarse
cloth about yard square.
Spreading it on the floor, they, like the "bricb-
ers," dragged it in zigZag line across the hall
and then lengthwise until it was perfectly dry
The brigade, after everything had been polished
to snowy Wilderness, marched out and broke
ranks. IL was one of the most curious sights to
be met with in our city, this rubbing match, and
those who saw it for the first time yesterday will
hardly forget il.
The reporters then, to use one of their techni-
meal phrases, "took in the prison." stroll
through the female division came first. On the
long, wide gallery some thirty women, of all ages,
lounged about, enjoying the cool air Of the morn
ing.
"Look at my eye, gentlemen" said an old
woman Of sixty, whose frontal bones were well
cushioned with an artistic pair, of black eyes,
g Beant these ere pair 'ov hyes. / got UNI
from Paddy Magee, and Judge Gasine sent me-
down, gentlemen in whist, bad luck to him."
A wel-known beer jerker, with head of hair
Of sunset hue, interrupted with "dry up, Mollie,
you know you're an old timer here"
A modest and soft hearted reporter commiser-
ated with the beer jerker, and advised her to buy
\ sewing machine, but this interesting young
ady merely looked at him scornfully and retorted,
: You thinks I'm going to come down to that"
The Mexican tigress, q negress, black as the
Ice OF q very black suit OF cards, who came here
rom Mexico some seven years ago was next in
er.lewed. She Is a woman of very short stature,
md nearly as broad as she is long, powerfully
developed and of known prowess. She, with
ome hesitancy, came out Of her cell, and in
low gait gradually approached the party.
" How many peelcrs can YOU get away with,
dexy," asked knight Of tbs penc ], standing
'ack little for fear the Tigress would give a
demonstration of her powers.
"Peelers 2-me? Eff | couldn't jest pile six Of
I'm out, I'd shoot the top OF my head off. Yes,
indeed, l am that do wn on 'em. If had my way
d coal tar em all and set fire to 'em. Just look
t me. They goes and puts me in this ere place
est becase l drawed a knife 'em. Is dat
light. No, sir dat amt 80. / haven't been here
We years. Use been in The parish only three
ears of my life dats all"
With scornful expression about the police
nd the 18th OF September, she ran into her cell
sughlng.
she is generally considered by the police force
he most dangerous woman in the city, hesitating
nothing rather than go to jail.
AS we passed out through the gate from the
hite yard, Garvey was sitting beside it, prayer
ook in hand, reading over the days devotion,
nd Kincn Malone was washing his face
The visit was gratifying in one thing more than
ny other, and that was to witness the scfupu-
'us care taken by Capt. Pegrsm to keep the
rlson in the most clearly condition, and the
risoners as healthy as possible. Al we h we
aid before, the food was the sams az we buy in
ne markets; the quantity ample and well cooked.
Only three indisposed prisoners were in the
ospital, and they did not appear seriously i'll.
fttr our visit, we have no hesitancy in saying
nat for discipline, cleanliness and kind treat
tent OF prisoners, our Parish Prison, under
heriff Fagans management, will compare favor
bly, with any in the country.
For courtes sizes exten ed we are indebted, on
he occasion OF our sudden visit, to Capt Pegram
nd his staff and to Mr.. Leon Lemothe, the
1osen iudpa of the yictualin0 dena