The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-19

but an extra ounces q oa.mes issued Fri
soSp bssi and pns ssa
Or bean Tne supn.T y 'e sn h a; 1reksss aa
corn meal and quarter gill OF n0iassss given. with ~
Il rs the opinion OF the officials Of the department
that lhs very best means OF REFRESHING crime is
low diet and plenty Of hard work There great
many men and women IN tho Workhouse, who, Ii they
were badly fed and obliged TO work nsrd, would, at
the expiration OF their terms think twice before they
would again place themselves within tho power OF tho
law with hard and constant labor and low diet
IL 10 stated by visitors 70 tho institution owing
TO the ANAL amount OF animal food and vegetables
broken out from time 10 tme anu that
ago seven cases o. scvrvy U'Srrrsd que 70 an I'm.
above referred TO we're old women who had
each been committed 70 the workhouss b
been there several months whom they wore attacked
There be but little doubt that one OF the chief
all the institutions the small irregular sup-
ply OF vegetables While for economy sake the moss
has proved ~ sas prudent 70 curtail
amount Of fresh vegetables where largo numbers
mon tbs SHOCKING example has occurred que 10 me
disregard OF this principle.
woRKHorsE SYSTEM.
With tho exception Of the PcnitcDttary the Work.
largest buildings under the control OF the Department
Of Charities ana Correction II is diviaed into
mule and female prison, The NUMBER and capacity Of
cells beng - lollows:-Mals prison, Q coils, with
each; as cells capacity each; total capa-
city. Ara Female prison, l39 cells; capa.
H r:Ua 10 Spa passeu sy...% s
at the Workhouse Mr. Anthony Aliairc, tho Superin-
tendont, supplied the following iniermaton:-"Au
the prisoners received hore committed Tor short
terms varying from ten days TO SIX months. A ten
days commitment means simple intoxication; from
one 10 six months Win ball. inv0ves charge OF dis
orderlp conduct, and without bai the prs
onor stands fully committed. Hubtuai drunkenness,
When prisoner arrives here his history rs At
once taken-vz, name. age, where born, civil condi-
ton, occupation. and entered IN our registers CON-
pIcte. Thcy ara then "gangod ouI'-detaiied to the
dtforeht gangs under cnarkc Of The several Keepers
help OF lnis latter class none but PRISONERS with
ono months time solicited, the longer term prs
oners being placed undsr the special supervision OF
males. the longer term women being detained here
ana placed In charge Of the Astron Ia tho sewing
room or tho Assistant Matron's laundry This Is
done TO prevent escape, ~ prisoner with but ten,
fifteen thirty days. sime seldom leave
The Time Short and We have better facilities
Tor holding the long term prisoners than the other
institutions Our male aud female prisoners are
kept entirely apart. Within the past year female
keepers have been placed in charge OF the women
In place Of . male officer as tormerlv and The
Office aud laundry have been removed from The
male 70 The female PRISON. Within year wo have
received but one male, aged nine years, one Of
eleven. one OF we've ana Two o. thirteen, al OF
be sent 10 some juvenile reiormatory There wero
647 males and I'll iemaies received between tho ages
of'touroen and nineteen. Those wore placed In the
shops away from older hands. In TACT, our great
care has been 10 classify all prisoners, as REGARDS
selves rs Tar as possible. Eff~ .M
Nf CHANCES OF REFORMATION.
In reference 70 this Djecl superintendent Alaire
said:-An estimate takcn some mouths ago shows
that Of every LOCO males committed $50
Tor haouxi drunkenness, tho balance being yayrancy
anu abandonment cases. OF the females 100 out Of
every 1000 are here Tor the same cause. As re-
girds the chances Of reformation would say
that the pris0per from thu course OF treatment
received here Is given to understand that drink.
Ing 10 crime that The law viii overlook. and
prisoners generally leave improved, physically at
least. Their chance Tor moral improve meut through
religious instruction 10 In having both Catholic and
Protestant service held chapel Ins,itu-
ton each Sunday morning and afternoon, presided
over by Father Chambon and Rev. Mr.. French. potn
OF whom arc unronitting In their attentions. But
long Us rum Is sold SO long Will this blot remain aud
warehouses; continue 10 be a necessity
In the absence OF reliable sssistIcs which Il would
prisoners VINO como moro adopt 90 many aliases, l
hardly say what are tic exact sum bers received
Thousand commitments for the year 1871 hardly
thin there were more than SIX to seven thousand
TO The females, as experience has shown mo that
man will ~ tn es try 20 recisim himself, out VITA .
woman who has onco taken downward step
reformation seems almost out OF the question.
Oi Tho females tho younger portion are arrested in
a majority OF Instances for prostitution ana
oil tue streets, whe Tho Older 0nos given
nabi.uai drunkenness rhe, former class l lind
arc much the harder 10 deal with, Tor
The reason that the older ones at least
a great many OF them, have somo pre-.
tonco to morality wnon not IN their cups and IL Is
only their mania ior LIQUOR tnat sends them mere.
Of.tho large number Of our inmates regularly trans
ierred to our House Hospital and 10 Charity Hospital
as patients dnd that with tho males in most in-
stances .heir ailments can be traced to the excessive
use OF liquor, and vi The females probaby ons-third
10 the sano cause.
In every particular. Every precaution Is taken
against The spread OF disease It's origin the nsl
scrupuiousiy clean condition. rho vcnliatlon through
The eplrc buildng Is very good. The Workbouse At
tho present time Is perhaps the bcst conducted Inst
tuition under the Department Of Charitiss and Cor
roction.