The Osceola times., 1881-04-09
NEW yOgK'S NEwGATE.
The Tombs Described by One Who was
There-ESterior and Interiorof
the Male Irisob.
Sew York star.

1Omhs,' concerning feature OF MhlDH'
the male prison. ! beg leave 10 acqnaint
and ediiy the hundreds OF thous lnds OF
readers of the star. The male prison Is
but one ofthc several buildings which
constitutes THE Tombs," other notable
ones being the female prison, the ten
day house, the cook house and the main
building, or courthouse, whose imposing
facade on Center street is so familiar TO
the average New Yorker and so interest
ing to the inquiring stranger.
The male prison forms a very long and
marrow rectangle. and is located near the
Elm street wall. with which its length
is parallel Its appearance from without
is singularly dismal and forbiddng.
Four stories in eight, its .dense and bare
stone walls are not at all relieved or en-
bellished by the four rows of tiny horl-
zontal slits-apologies for windows
which extend along its sides. AT the
middle of the east side, and even with
the ground, is porch which shelters the
keenly-guarded and only entrance, one
of whose two doors is of grated iron
The interior of the prison is vast
hall. and So arranged ,hat, standing by
the door, one sweep of the eye will take
in every feature outside of the cells, OF
which there are four tiers on either side.
The prison is peculiarly built, its side
walls slanting so that each tier OF cells
seems To protrude about foot further
out than the tier above, this circumstance
causing each of the narrow platforms or
galleries that run around the three up
per tiers to be wider from side u side
than the galleries beneath. Each tier
I - 81 t~,,. ..1la ~, On the
west side and eighteen Opposite-nine
/ of the latter number on each side Of the
embrasure occupied by the entrance aud
/ the winding flight of stairs connecting
the tiers; hut an alteration Of the course
of the stairway absorbed the cell on its
left on the first tier, and also the one
above This flight Of stairs is sguarded at
the second and the third tier-the ground
tier ranking as the first tier-by grated
/ iron door, and at each Of the three tiers
where the stairway touches there is a
bridge which extends from that point
and side Of the gallery straight across,
these three bridges, one over the other,
dividing the prison into two equal sec-
tions, still rectangular in shape.
I The floor, perhaps not twelve feet in
width, so little of space is there between
/ the long line of facing cells, is laid with
small stone squares. alternately black
and white; thereupon. at equal intervals,
stand four huge stoves, the sole and in
eieciuall heating apparatus, and near
the doorway desk, at which presides
the prisons clerk. Light enters the i'm
mense hall from three cell-sized slits. one
on each gallery, in the embrasure accom-
modating the stairway; from grated
window at the end Of each tier and, ,
finally. from five grated. equally distant
sky-lights located in the arched or semi.
cylindrical ceiling. whose pale-blue tint
contrasts oddly with the dull white Of
the walls. the dead black Of the cell
doors and the faded green Of the gallery
rAilnEs.
Each cell has two iron doors or CRATES.
not over four feet high; the outer one,
grated. hangs when c'osed, pressing
against the Eai., sni has suspended over
II slate, giving the name Of the inmate
or inmates; the inner door. a mere slab,
contains a small movable lii or wicket.
for the introduction Of food aud oflight
from the watchman's dark lantern The
inner door i locked at night. but ia the
day j opeuahle - far a. the closed outer
one will pCrmii-about halfway. To
enter : cell one must step up about a
foot, bend, then across the iron-clad
doorway. ana down a foot u the ef,'-
stone foor. The cells are lighted. the
lowest tier quite jimly, by small rec
lansular horizontal slit near the ceiling
the opening in the wall - said bar
guarded s.its-Which contains an opent-
be SSH -beyC.linz in a. - % form a
figure acute-sug'ed at the bottom and
oltuSe-2u-.gl 40 the top. The authofi-
ties not providing lich.- FOR the ceils.
they are dark AZ Ei-ht. unless iillminst-
e. AZ their inmates expense. Ecanomy
Als1 prevails IN the lighting of the halls
that nscss,ity being quite imperfec,ly
accomplished by three large kerosene
lamps on each tier. the lamps being set
on brackets, supplied with refest0rs
one At each end Of the tier. the other on
the Wal opposite the stairway.
The 5eils. A. furnished by the auth0Ti-
ties III being optional With inmates q
ada c1Ef1fIs lr ilKuries-cou;ain each
= hviAuL q SeseT connection. . tin
Washii>h. q cup and basin. and an iron
cut and tei3.uE the b-idin. comprising
-iraw mattress and pillow. one OF two
ARMY blankets. tao cotton sheets. a pill.
lcu slip ani calico s7-eal. the sheets
and slifs EeiCs changed once sweek
C0srse taee.- are Ei.eE alt easE uiEht
and collected each m7yninc- sup spoons
s-e Distributed daily hef ~ dinner. and.
10 --sseut sIici1-,. collected a0er
Three short uS-rs marks 3 cells length.
hat Eiihiu It's E4rr0W limits too often
tro and 81 U-4eS, t-rec pcrsJls are
.5Uisf.
Thr classification q the prisons in.
mates = rc-ll.e feature T. the ground
iiar " cs'.. : allotted the insane and
the -c1u1eE Eavt.' tie pzijsi cells t,r
the former being iosa'yi IN It's north
SEXTON 11rth lf the hr.i-es whiie IL
~51th section : devoted ca the west ,ide
O. rsus.e--l4-y calyl-ts- ard IN the east
- e 90 state g-ist- Cle- sni eoudemntd
mrr1eEer~- ms cell in this ,stiJr >e,-
tt1l : A-.-slls D. gh;cn Who
rzx--,-t - Slfse sweetheart. ami for
ui-h a rear has a,rraiy hssu in ilrance
The sscv-i tlsF s.. dvvo-ed O. inmates
haif 1c .he --1ve-- cla--e-- therein NAV
~ s1Eui william r GRAY -epllilei so
t1F nearly r-rce yeA-s-wlcse extra.
ilrl-u f-c-1 t1- rel. f1- colossal forgar-
- zz.se sl.h a >rir. uu tie third tier
s1r ps-~-1. chg7--i with les grave of-
ssrss-. ur O. -, Wednesday WAs con-
6rsf-11i Izi hse- fr alu1st two
ye-r---l lltaEv Hone. ya1rE hanj-
s1--s. and poplar. Eri as'gs--,s,i urinsi.
pal i1 the zreAs Manhattan hank rob.
1srv ard ia ssrylCE his sentence os
tWsr-v vsArs. Petty cases are rslss,a,ti
-o the t11rsh tier. Whi-h contained. b.
:. - The ls--=ttd writer and number, .
ssryi1. l.h1 sentences. F4tgicA >hevfu. .
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