The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-04
THE COUNTY JAIL.
Prisoners Statements as to Their
Treatment.
What Constitutes Their Meals and Whist
They Say Of the Place.

to the outside inquisitive world on Thurs
days. wheEeas the favored few, among
whom are the newspaper representatives
county officials, policemen and others, have
access to the cell-rooms at any hour OF the
day and any day during the week.
A STAR pencil-shoyer took Especial tramr
through the cell-rooms, and cleaned the
following interesting information from the
prisoners and Jail officials:
LOCATION OF THE JAIL.
The institution is located on Sycamore
street, running back TO the rear Of the
Courthouse, and from South Court street
to North Court street. 1t is built in the
form OF Roman cross. The entrance tc
the massive building, which is of Dayton
stone, is on Sycamore, two stone stairway.
leading to the basement, in which is til,
office OF the Jailer and his deputies. Bacl
OF this is screen erected for giving room
to prisoners whom relatives or friends de
sire to speak to. Next is a massive iro1
door. which can only be opened by key
kept securely locked up by the Jailer.
After being admitted behind these bar
the visitor is led into rotunda, which il
we'll lighted up and has pretty good ven
ulation. Surrounding the stair case ar,
situated the laundry, wash room, bakery
etc. On the second floor commence tn,
rows OF cells for the prisoners. Here ther,
IS stone tagging, and the cells are ar
ranged in such manner that each pris
oner can look out through his CRATES intc
the corridors, without being able to see
who is his fellow prisoner in the adjoining
cell. There can be no private communca.
tion between two men, as the cell walls arc
OF solid iron, and each door produdes about
three feet from the adjoining one. On the
side OF the cell is an opening about four or
five inches wide by three or four in depth.
Through this aperture victuals for the
prisoners are handed. The row of cells
on the floor are eight, and separate at an
acute angle. A the base of the angle the
cells on the west front the Sycamore-street
entrance, those on the north the court on
the south and those on the east and south
SIDES the approaches on the opposite sides.
From the ground floor a winding Stair
case leads TO the prisoners departments on
the second tier The cells here are situated
third tier except that there the cells, or
rather rooms, are set apart for female pris-
onerS, and for those who are thought 10 be
insane. These rooms are not of iron as the
other cells but are Of brick and plaster,
and are better furnished.
over the rOtlInda, or courts rather, there
is dome covered with glass lights which
give almost the light OF day itself 10 The
compartments below.
THE PRISONERS
consist Of those sent 10 the iail bv the
United States Court, by the Police Court
for temporary keeping, by 'Squires or Mag
istratos, and those held under indictment.
The otfenses for which they are in are near
ly as numerous as the items on the caen-
dar Of crimes. The charges range from
petit larceny TO rape, murder and other
heinUns crimes.
As q rule each and every prisoner is al
lowed daily two hours exercise, consisting
OF walking around the corridors talking in
the office with relatives and friends, chat
ting with co-prisoncrs, cleaning out the jail,
or enjoying a social game of cards on the
hard, cold tagging.
THE ROUTINE OF PRISON LIFE
is about as follows: Each prisoner has A
cell for himself, the same being abour from
eight TO ten feet square. An iron bedstead
is furnished the man, and if he has control
OF any money he may enjoy the light of a
or coal oil lamp and thc aid oI
a table. For other articles of furniture
the cellroom is inadequate Each man has
a mattress land a poor one al that) and two
blankets as JvvcT in winter and one in sum
Gncr.
The prisoners go 10 bed to their solitary
cells al 0 o'clock in the evening. Afterthis
not loud word is TO be spoken, and if il is
the watchman at the stairway will be sure
to hear the noise, and the consequence will
be that the offending party will be commit
Ted TO the dungcon-a fate dreaded by the
most hardened criminal. The dungeon is
simply small walled-up hole, barely civ.
ing the unfortunate prisoner room to turn
around. Besides the place is perfectly
dark, af1!rding but The smallest space for
hAaThing PURPOSES.
Al nights everything in general is quiet,
except when newly arrested parties are
brought in. There are in the beginning
unable to sleep, and start up at every min
ute, making night hideous TO thc rest.
At 6 o'clock a. II. the prisoners are again
allowed TO talk, this being the time when
the majority arouse from their slumbers.
Inc cells ti[ousil some nsna'laSeinent Oh
the par. oi Ihc recently 4psteG olncIalS' are
eAcceiineIy Miico'hIolsaole' @ lhe 'enpera-
'ufe OF tile ptisol. ~ a. co.' az 'haS Oh 'he
OUTSIDE III W'l'let, III lacI, OF laIs they
nave haidly ever oeen i'eaIed up lhemeh
Keep shlyellhg ouI can 10 ho'hlhS loallc-
Via,e lheif ! sIilerlng' e,. .....,, -,
,in oo rriS"rars n,GSn q, 'o horn iI,,e u,''ii
Gloch 'iie Pi 'nNiiIln A"Ne nele'olore peeil
an,o"1u n;'' oaos ~ "''N "'' 'o'i'"0''' 'A'ep' IL
cei'"''' '"'es'
A., WHAT WHAT THE m pr rR'sohERs '1i;.1' Eat