The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-02
LIFE IN rnE WoRKH0UsE.
Reforms Suggested by the Watdeu's lnteii-
gent SnhurdinutUs-Th sOncwtut Pccu-
nnr NnIinun Of q (nthnlir Priest.

gent NrhUrdnutCs-Thc FOrncwhut Pccu-
Hair Notione o. IL Catholic Priest.
The management OF the woilthouso WAS
inquired into yesterday by tho Assembly Com
mittce on Crime. joseph kcenc. the supern-
tondent, testified that there are In tho work
house lOii prs oners, half Of whom are females.
They were sent 60 the place by the Police
Justices. Their sentences va!y from ten dave to
ak months. The ma ,rlty are tcn-doy prisoners.
Nearly al were arrested for either intoXic,tion
or disnrdchy conduct. Edward McD.nald,
deputy surci!ntondcnt, testified that during
working hours the old offenders and long-term
men are kept together as much as possible,
hut that both young and old offenders
eat together and In many Instances oc-
cupy tho same cclla. Young girls committed
for their first offence and women who hayo
spent rye part Of their ives in the work
house, work aud room together. Among tie
inmates Of the Institution are men and women
who were committed at tneir own request, be-
cause LhcN could not una eMp,'ymeht III the
city. They work aui room win the men and
women who have been committed w TIE inagis-
tr.tcs. Mr. Mcbt nald thought That The SELF
committed Inmates and the young offenders
shn Id he kent scr1ra g from the OH ohcn.Cre,
aud that such . reform might be partially
effected. II would. however, be difficult to
make any distinction b. tween the female prs
nners in working LoUrs. unless the branches q
inuustry were increased. Tho s,lf-comuiittnd
male inmates would hereafter be tulrrI ~ well
k,pt apart from the committed pri.oncts, az
Clmites aud Correction the felf cummitted
men we're la the future TO be sent to Harts
Island.
~ reply 10 Mr.. Tuwnscnds question 20 to the
number n pneunciu sent 10 the wuiki 1usg for
intoNiCation, Or. MrDonald lal that NJ leaet
" o-thir's fthe iumdic owci their ncarcctd-
lion directly or iraIrcc'ly TO the use - liquor.
lie thou-hi ia the Police Justice did notsOn-
tCrc dtuukards Tor Long enough 'crms. lie had
seen t1Cu auu women 90 dfauh on their arrival
on B.ckwcls Island tuut they had to 10 car. led
fruM the htc4inl cat e. the Wur,thuuer. lhpir
% Q IL AS "
Thcu they went out, got drunk. md were again
sentenced Tor zen daye; Many returned within
two dav, after they he'd been discharged.
There are women in the worAhousc who had
served I've tcrns ut ten day 4ch within i've
ntc IL years old. BlNs and 10 years old had
been sent to the wOrhhouse.
Nr lnwhseud read from one Of the work.
house REGISTERS q al since october last fs piis-
ougrs have escaped, and asked how so
many cscipcs had been effected. Mr.. Mcdonald.
replied that the csc res nom II the IN ttutiOns
~ which the wofkhouse prisoners were enc
plnSeG wcr. included IN the nGmuer read by the
counsel. here nau ucen bus TOUR cs c;tlcs from
the workhouso itself. there would be fewer
escapes If the kctftrs were armed. But the
Count s'oucrS OF CHa.fics had forbidden the
keererS To carry arms, aUd Therefore Il w. easy
for a prisoner to siin away while NJ worN. and
ESCAPE hy swimming actoss the liver. lie sup
posed "a the commissioners made tuat rule
b eau they Gid NOT wish >" give thekcepcis
al opportunity 10 shoot men oe women WAC are
not ieiuh-' bul lHiiisoh,d Only Ter ,gimrken-
nr.e Or uisDrdcry conduct Mr. Mcdonnell
added that confinement IA "a darH cc,l Is tic
scs rrrs, punishment, imposed On wofhhcuse
Father John Frarci. Caambon has been the
re'iGcHt { tnulc cud laiu iut iour vear-. He
Thought tu.t mean. ~f.,lli he employed to sepa-
served several tcri.s. uud 70 prevent "a far as
pc iibl' anS coninuricu,i'n between tho male
Chhohc nj tie pfui astAnt pris 1rors shudiu 90
kept Ia different paris ul the workhousc, and
CT lolic prisoner. wolli 4" improved u the
Warden were authorized 20 punish those of