The New York herald., 1877-09-12
THE WEsTCHEsTER rAUpERs.

CONDITION OF THE COUNTY ALMsHoUsE AT
TARRYTowN- KEEPER HAMMoND's DEFENCE.
The bucolic community OF Tarrytown is somewhat
agatcd ny the published reports OF the State Chari-
ties AID Association, which accuses the management
OF the westchcstsr County Amshouse at that place
OF cruelty. incompetency and cxtravagancs rc
porter OF the HERALD was sent TO the almshouse
Monday to hear Keeper Hammond's side Of the
story. According to his statements his quarrel
with the ladies' OF the subcommittee of tho association
Is very pretty one II stands The ladies' he says,
came TO the Institution, and because he did not pay
them tho extrayagant amount Of attention to which
thcy by reason OF their fancicd social superiority,
deemed themselves entitled they became determined
TO ind fault vita him at any cost, and set tho
paupers spies upon him, rcwarding them with jcy
pastry and other goodies Tor every damaging statement
which they put forth against the Keeper This. Keeper
Hammond declares dcmeralized his hitherto virtuous
paupers; they became dissatisfied with their lot, and
tho end was that the superintendent had to adopt
rule forbidding all future visits OF The ladies'.
Mr. Hammond SAID u was wholly false that the dead
'were buried like animals" Each corpse was placed
in proper cofin aud although funeral oraton WIS
pronounced, yet the burial was always decent one.
He explained the absence OF funeral service which
had complained Of by the tact that the majority
OF unatics were Catholics VINO would not wish Prot.
estaut minister TO oicatc at their intarment, while
there was was no appropriation 10 pay for Catholic
funeral service Al every separate burial Moreover,
even the Protestant chaplain was only paid tor mis-
Sunday sermons, and not for attending funerals Tho
tratious OF priest when they expressed wish for
thcc,.
AS to the quarters OF the insane being "dark badly
ventilated aud comfortless,'' Keeper Hammond as
serted that they quite the contrary led tho
writer, in proof of his assertion through tho building
sot apart for them. They undoubtedly somewhat
dark, which Is tho fault OF The architect OF the build.
Ing and certainly not OF tho keeper but OF them
we'll ventatcdmuch better than the cells in tho
Tombs or In the Biackweps Island Institution In an
swer 70 the charge that 'thosbuildugs crowded.
Keeper Hammond pointed out number Of cells which
were not occupied.
AS to the expense OF the institution, no declared It
only SIS 600 year, 81 AZ per week tor each
mate. This, hc thought, was extremely low
ago, for only few years agoi was 81 60 And yeti he
asserted the food very good for institution Of
this cnsracter. In which chickens A Aarcngo need
not be expected very often. Neat was the ruc twice
day. fifteen cows on tho grounds supplied abun-
dance Of fresh milk the bread made OF fair
quality Of iourin short, all reasonable expectations
satisfied.
DR.. Scrbner, tho physician who Waits tho insttu-
tion twice week, dcnicd that the number OF deaths
was excessive considering the fact that many In
mates wero afflicted with ch rouic Diseases
The writer, IN the course OF careful inspection OF
tho premises and inmates found that both pretty
much in tho average condition OF amshouses in this
State The inmates seemed clean, tolerably well fed
aud about happy paupers