The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-05
A Remarkably Fruitful Session Of the
Committee on Crime.
PRISONERS ROLLING IN FILTH.
What Five Dollars Will Pur-
chase from the Keepers.
FAVORlTISM SHOWN TO LAWYERS,


The evidence disclosed amount OF corruption and
dishonesty the part of the officials and Of hlthness
OF the prisoners, which shocked all who present
1t will be seen that Warden Quinns testimony is con-
tradcted in many important points, more especially
where he says that friends OF prisoners allowed to
send them food and that they not compelled 70 pur
chase it from Mrs. Foster, the OF the prison.
and where he speaks OF the liberal supply of clothes
the prisoners. The testimony is very crcumstantial
these points, it is also in regard to the haDual
bribery Of keepers for granting all sorts of ndugences
The inhumanity Of one keeper named Duffy was also
disclosed, and the avortsm shown certain lawyers
which have been matters Of notoriety, was inquired
into at considerable length The investigation was
held at the counsel room of the Tombs, and began at
twelve o'clock. Previously the committee had all
through the prison and inspected it thoroughly
TESTIMONY or WARDEN QUINN.
John Quinn Warden Of the Tombs, was the first wit
ness. He defined the duties of his position IN this
way.-eTo that the prisoners properly fed, to
answer the orders of the courts and to care for the
health of the prisoners generally" He obeyed the
orders of the District Attorney, but sometimes also Of
the Assistant District Attorney.
Mr. Townsend-By what authority do you obey the
Assistant District Attorney
Mr.. QUINN don't know OF any authority, have
just taken it for granted.
Mr. Townsend-You send prisoners out to court
sometimes with court attendants?
Mr. Qunn-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Townsend-By what authority do you do that9
Mr. QUINN have authority for it that know of
Mr. Townsend-Have you known of any instances in
which prisoners have been taken out by a boyP
Mr.. Qunn-I have
Mr. Townsend-How old was that boy9
Mr. Quinn-About sixteen years of age; he fire.
quenty comes here with orders from the District At
torney.
Mr. Townsend-Have prisoners ever escaped from
that boy9
Mr.. Quinn-No, sir; have never known such an in
stance to occur
Mr. Townsend-whats the boys namep
Mr. QUINN don't know his name
Mr.. Townsend-Eow often does this boy come here2
Mr.. Qunn-Quite often; they generally bail cases
he takes up there; sometimes they are felonies.
Mr.. Townsend-Wth how high crime have you
known prisoners be charged whom this boy has taken
upp
Mr. QUINN suppose felonies.
Mr. Townsend-Are you that the boy is sixteen
years old2
Mr. QUINN should say that his age.
Mr. Townsend-He is a very small boy9
Mr.. Qunn-Yes, sir
Mr.. Townsend-And yet he has perfectly free access
So prisoners2
Mr. Quinn--Yes sir
SOMETHING ABOUT POLICE COURT OFFICERS
The witness admitted, in his further examination,
that the rule not to admit visitors except from till
two O'clock frequently violated. He denied that
he favored any lawyers in granting them access to
prisoners after these hours However, he asserted
that he equalized the business" considerably by not
allowing any lawyer take anoher's client away from
him. Most of the prisoners who came here had cards
of lawyers with them and these cards often fur
nj ed byth he uhn
interest of special lawyers In fact the cards were
generally given at the first of arrest The in
slant the law laid its hand there was a lawyer
ready to defend him. Q.aughter) He admitted that IL
generally understood that the police court officers
who furnished the cards received commission from
the profits which the lawyers derived from their recon-
mendatons He had heard prisoners complain that the
lawyers after taking money from them did not attend
Mr.. Desart-Have your keepers recommended
lawyers TO any prisonerY
Mr.. Quinn-Not TO my knowledge.
Mr.. Desart-Well, Is 1t possible without your knowl-
sdgeS
Mr. Qunn-Yes, sir; 1t is
Mr.. Desart-Have you heard that keepers are in
the habit OF receiving commissions from lawyers for
such Recommendations
Mr.. Qunn-The only instance of the kind | have
heard when the prisoner denied having spoken
TO by the keeper; it's very easy for keepers to make
such arrangements with prisoners without my knowing
Mr.. Desart-Is there not a system here OF allowing
Summers" for lawyers to come in hereY
Mr.. Quinn-No, sir.
WARDEN DENIES
The Warden went on, in answering the questions OF
Mr.. Townsend TO deny that men who had little money
first put into very bad cells in order TO extort 1t
from them for giving them better Mrs Foster
the matron kept restaurant for prisoners who chose
20 pay for their food their friends were ncverthe
less, not prevented from sending articles Of food
bacco &c He admitted that would be great hardship
II prisoners were forced TO purchase Mrs Fosters
viands and their friends gifts were excluded,
as used to be the case Some articles he
did not allow to be In when he thought
injurious
sardine boxes for instance which were admitted until
found that waste pipes were choked by them
In regard TO the dampness OF the prison confessed
that the lend cells' always wet and therefore,
never used The building much too small for the
great number of prisoners sent here The cells were
originally Intended for each but often four had to
be put into them. Mr. Townsend asked HIM MS to the
safeguards that employed for separating young
offenders from old hardened ones; and he SAID the ONLY
rule OF distinction that by cleanliness clean
vasrne might DC put and often was, with an old sea
soned burglar Il the latter only clean Mr. Town
send suggested that might be to separate them
IN order 70 reform first onenders but the only
shook MS head, and said:-''Well I havn't
here on crmesp' When asked. how.
ever whether ne could suggest better school OF crime
than such mingng Of young with old offenders he was
forced to reply ITS very bad and after being driven
he at last said that would be an excellent thtng
TO try classification and ''he might try n =
Such we're the profound views on prison experience
given by the worthy Warden
The fair sex is only favored at the Bar but also
IN prison. Mr.. Quinn testified that the female pris.
were allowed to mnge freely in the halls all
SAID that young girls often separated from the old
drunkards and sometimes he sent them to a reiorma-
tory. Mr. Townsend remarked that the male prisoners
not allowed the liberty the females and
the Warden admitted that such undoubtedly the
fact II appeared from his testimony that the pris-
during their halt hours IN the morning
and afternoon allowed 10 talk freely with one
smother. MT Townsend suggested that where two
Three prisoners held for the offence this
might give them an opportunity 70 concoct bogus"
acences and otherwise, but tho Warden said
HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THAT;
pc denied that the messenger, Savage, carried liquor
INTO the prison. and that he charged grossly exobtant
prices Tor delivering messages 70 prisoners friends he
Dad found empty bottles however, and when he FIRST
zane to the Tombs tho used ITO 20 staggering
tbout drunk" the barber OF the prison found
smuggling liquor into the Tombs but he dismissed
VI consequence
The Warden, after the recess, gave tho number Of
cells in the main prison 1870 their sizes fol-
Ows;First tier 10 feet 10 inches by feet inches
second tier feet inches by feet inches third tier
cei inches BY feet inches: fourth tier feet