The New York herald., 1878-07-11
LIFE IN THE TOxBs.

To THK EDITOR OF THg HERALD:-
The prisoners confined in thc Tombs are human
beings and have a claim to be treated MS SUCH As
long they have convicted they are simply
suspected persons, who NY be perfectly innocent,
but whom justice from prudential reasons, aecices to
keep IN connnement MI tne question oil gilt or inno-
cencc be decided. How far the actual treaIment of
these men Is In accord with these unaenaoie prin-
ciples Tho following may snow
The cells about ten by SIX havo two opeDipgs--a
slit near tho ceiling IN the massive outer wall about
three feet long ard SIX inches wide and double uoor
leading INTO corridor about four ieet long and
feet wide lie outer door made OF iron bars the inner
one soIid with u small opening In Tho middle about
eight by four inches. The inner solid door Is closed
a. Ave p. VI. aud stays so I'LL seven A. II. II 1t is
taken ~ consideration that these cells are mostly
haoited ny two men and contain each water ciosct
II WI be eaaiiy seen that the suferngs from heat
aud bad AR alone must be cruel. rho exercise al
lowed TO the prisoners IS totally insufficient TO keep
men healthy under sucn circumstances, 1t consisting
soiciy oi the liosrty 10 walk Tor thry minutes
aud afternoon, along the corridor leading
cells, space enclosed all sides by massive walls
ana rooted In where Is impossible 10 geta breath ol
fresh air.
No less nsufncient-yea. unal Tor human beings
are the vituais furnished Inc breakfast consists VI
u tlu cup OF sO-csllea coffee, made OF roasted and
ground bread, without sugar ana bread. The supper
o. tin cup oi not water coosd 10 Slate color by
substance having neither Tue tnintcst Taste smell
OF tea without sugar ana Bread Tue dinner oi dish
VI wnat called soup consslng Tor the most part Of
COOK III every hous hOid throws away unn tor use,
and which only ue designated as garbage, with
here ana tnere small p,ece oil sumo II. smelling
animal substalcc, when probably stands Tor meat,
the whole diuvu with warm water TO the consistency
oil SOUP nd bread.
The bread turnishcd, besides being always stale,
coarse, black and sour 10 very often mnsy and
Win mould and entirely UNI. i0r consumptoa.
Complaints conceraug Its bad qualify have repeat
ep,y Dosn made 10 tae keepers, the warden, the lore
man ot the jury, who sometimes visits The prsoD, Uut
without leading to the slightest Improvement. he
city allows thirty cents DAY for the iood OF
prisoner. The paying business dome by the callcd
model conee houses Ia tnis city and Philadelphia
where real coffee or tea and rolls almost every KIND
0i r0,st and meat ali kinds OF vegetables even
puddipgs, PR pared in a clean and wholesome way,
bread Tor cent, proves that this amount, II ex-
pended, 10 surncicnt. The food furnished IN the
Tombs w0ula be dear at ten cents per head.
good many OF tho PRISONERS have been confined
there i0r quito y considerable length oi time. II
these men had been Convicted ana sentenced TO
State Prison They would nave had pienty OF exer-
cire being compelled work. aud sufficient quau-
Of the prison gcmsnt Keep the convic.s
In n state oil health which enables them 10 work.
But IL being stil undecided whether they are
nails or not they ara kept IN close connnemen,
sIderaDy harder than thnt slotted TO coHvicts.
The HERALD always leadink In the battle against
abuses ana oppression, Is always foremost to point
out the requirements OF our udvauc Bg civiizstiop
complaint Of number OF people who, deprived Of
their liberty, have no Other way OF making them
selves heard and TO protest IN ihcr name against
treatment moro IN accord with modiSvai principles
than with the ideas oil the sec0ud halt OF the niue-
tssnth century. INMATES OF iHk lOMbS