Litchfield enquirer., 1879-11-27

dred dollars if the Court would impose fine. They refused; they wanted more. Every day I raised the figure, and oE the fourth day named five hundred dollars. Then my law. yers said: ''Oh, boss, let it go for trial, and
 will get you out directly you go down to the Tombs.'' So the next day was committed for trial for feloniously entering and assauting.
 wife to bring me disguise. When l arrived at the Tombs she, iu company with my de. ,tective and another friend, brought me a change of clothing They then shaved off my
 whiskers, dyed my hair, and entirely altered
 my appearance. I had no fear as to the re. sult but wanted to save as much money as possible.
 When you go from the Tombs to tle Court the City Hall-where all trials take place,
 you are handed over to a sheriff, who has a
 certain number of deputies. If you fee the
 sheriff he appoints one deputy to you alone
 he is responsible for your safe custody, and if
 time allows he will take you anywhere you
 wish. There are no irons or handcuffs, or
 that sort of thing; you give your word-and dollars s-and these suffice. ..,-.... j..
 When my deputy took charge of me we
 went to friends house in the vicinity of. the City Hall to see my lawyer, wife, and friends to inform them atthe Court that I would give
 seven hundred dollars, and no more, to be ad-
 mitted to bail. and at any rate he was to waive trial which he had the privilege of doing, and could put off the trial from time to time as
 long as could afford the expense. He told
 me that the other side was determined to fight us, and that unless quickly admitted to bail
 they would arrest me on civil process; a mere bogus affair, but which would be suffi- cient to send me to another prison for such cases-Ludlow Street Goal.
 Now" said he, i've have fixed matters in this way: We will be first in Court and show ourselves, and then slip out and into the next Court which the judge will open, and our
 business is done" :"
 Such was the case. When l entered the Court with my deputy-you must understand there is no dock like ours or subterraneous pas- sage there it is all above board-we passed in among the people, and when the first case came on we slipped out and passed into the new court, where there was no one but the judge and clerk. My application for bail was at once made and granted: myself, lawyer, and bailman. who was man of straw but ready to swear that he owned any quantity of real estate, slipped into the district attorneys office by the side of the Court; the formal papers were signed was free, and need not trouble myself further about the case, for it would take deal of money, time, and patience to get those papers out of their pigeon-hole. 1 was not quite satisfied that all was over, so I called the deputy, and made him put the hand cuffs on me, as though he was taking me back the boundary of the Court the sheriffs were waiting for me, and seeing me handcuffed, said to the deputy -t'Well, McDougall, it don't come off to-day?" "No, guess not," he re- piled. When 1 got little further l slipped my bracelets and was free
 put down seven hundred dollars in the district attorneys office, and left my lawyer to cut it up as he chose. For my part, 1 had to pay sheriff, goalers, and others all through the place.
 This is only one of my individual cases, and I have known dozens of similar ones. But it must not be supposed that the small fry who steal butter, bacon, and such like do not suf- fer tho full penalty of to the law because some escape who have command of money or politi- cal influence. Every man who enters the Tombs seeks out his party friends. and if he is useful man they soon get him out but if he is not politician, why, then he must fall back on his dollars if he has any, or it will go ha With him. --....... ....... ......
 { ffombs is the honse of reception and de- te. tn in New York. It ought to be called ''Rats Castle" It is literally swarming with immense rats which find their way up the drains and hold high carnival at night; they come into the cell, run over the bed, and al- most terrify the life out of you. I used to burn light all night, but the brutes would not be scared away. The Tombs is remark able building, one story high; not window is to be seen, for it is lighted by skylights, It has only about hundred cells, but at pinch two or three persons are locked up together. For prison it is really Liberty Hall, especially before trial. By means of the silver key you can have your door open, and you may walk about on the landings, excepting at visiting times, when your friends can sit in your cell with you for a. consideration. Little restric- lion is put upon visitors, with the exception that liquors must not be brought in-that is to say, openly. The newspapers come round and evening. Our newsman was a very strange character indeed. For thirty years the old fellow went in and out of the prison, stayed out when he chose, and came Tn at all hours believe he was originally con- mitted for trlal and was never called up. He refused to give up his quarters at last, and one about three years ago, was found dead in his'cell with considerable pile of dol lar bills in his bed.
 Nothing is provided for your use in the soap, candles, &c.-you have to get as your pocket will allow.
 Another prison with which became ac- quainted is Sing Sing. It is situated on the banks of the River Hudson, about thirty miles from New York. It is built in hollow on land reclaimed from the river. It is well sheltered by high hills on the east and south and opens on the river with beautiful views north and south. The river at this particular spot is very picturesque. Sing-Sing is one long building about one hundred and fifty yards in length. and contains one thousand two hundred cells. These are placed in the center of the building. and are enclosed with 8 shell of stone work, dropped, as it were, over them at distance of from eight to ten feet. This outer wall is pierced with win dow immediately opposite the door of each cell. Tho cell doors are latticed halfway with iron work for the admission of light and air, which are much wanted, indeed. for the cells are very small. Their dimensions are seven feet long, seYen feet high, and between three and four feet wide. In this space two men are often locked up together. In foul weather prisoners are here confined TOT days and even weeks zpithouJ any exercise, and oro a.lyp-act out for their meals. Formerly the inmates provided their own candles, but for the last few years lamps and oil have been furnished by the government. Two ounces of chewing tobacco for each man are provided WCChlJ. SihOhihS 10 oSoluoe buO iAACos UuG II you stood at one end of the prison and saw the cloud of smoke issuing from the cells, and smelt the horrible stench of bad tobacco, you would come to the conclusion that the rules were not much obeyed. ....
 There are three large prisons in the State of New York for the reception of prisoners whose term of sentence is twelve months and upwards as high as forty years. Sing Sing is the re- oeiving prison from which convlots are draft ed to the others-Auburn and Dannemora. Auburn is about one hundred and fifty miles from New York, and Dannemora is within six miles of the frontiers of Canada. Prison CTS work there in the iron mines both night and day, but for this severe labor they get mitigation of their sentences to the extent of nearly one half. .r..,...s s...r .. !. The three prisons are presided over by three inspectors, of whom one goes out of office ev- cry year, ,and is succeeded by new one. They each take charge of prison for three months, and then change about. They have very great power. A recommendation of one of them for pardon is immediately granted. The prisons are officered by warden, chaplain, surgeon, chief keeper and under keeper. Sing Sing not being inclosed in anyway, requires a stronger staff than the others. All these places of office are nolitical herths Il the officials