The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-29
LIFE IN TIE WORKHOUSE
How an Intelligent Man spent Three Months
ON the Island.

ON the Island.
While suffering from neuralgia one day
took some opium. On visiting friend on tho
same day was induced to drink some whiskey
punch. The effect Of the opium and the liquor
was decidedly bad and rather unfortunate.
Each agent seemed to give added potency to
the other. l soon found myself losing con-
sciousness. started to 60 to my home less
than block away. To ret there had TO pass n
police station. and In doing so my condition
was observed Although not stranger In that
locality. they took me in. l was arrested on
my own doorstone. nm not writing now
from my own recollection. but from what I
learned afterward for before l reached homo
had become Obvious. When consciousness
returned found myself behind iron bars. tho
inmate Of q coll in police station. The next
morning l was taken to the Yorkvile Police
Court in Fifty-seventh street arraigned upon
| q charge OF intoxication. and sentenced for
three months to the workhouse.
was not sent forthwith to the Island. but
was kept In the prison attached to the Court
| House for q day or two. In this time the prison
physician. whom I know. came on his daily
visit He was much astonished at seeing mo
there. He said that was n itter subject for n
| hospital than for Il prison. and he proposed to
| send me to bellevue. I assented. An ambu-
lance was summoned. and in It was taken to
| Bellevue Hospital. A minute description of
| my person and OF the clothing wore was first
taken. This is necessary precautlon: for
| persons with broken heads or other disable
ments. sent from the city prisons TO Bellevue
| Hospital for surgical treatment. have some
times effected their escape.
While at Bellevue some time during the
| night. a man suffering from deirum tremens
was brought In and lodged in the same room
with me. He had to DO put into a straitjacket
and strapped down TO the iron bedstead. His
rawlings and howlings made the welkin ring.
As was given to understand that such scenes
were Of almost daily or nightly occurrence in
the medical division to which was assigned.
l resolved to go to the Island forthwith. II they
would allow me. rather than remain longer In
such place. The next morning when the doc
tor came in asked to be sent to the workhouse
| at once. To this he at first demurred. Medi-
cal goslings practise without fee or re-
| ward in all the institutions under the
| care OF the Commissioners Of Charities and
| Correction. and arc very fond Of get
ting what they call interesting cases "
to treat. Mine was thought to be OF that char
acter. The doctor had already examined me.
He seemed anxious to keep me for the sake Of
the knowledge he might acquire and the OK
perience he would gain in treatment Of the
case for that is the only compensation these
young men get. At length. however he said
that he would allow mo to go. and that after
noon l was sent down to the boat. My one
nights stay at Bellevue was an advantage to
me in one respect. for on going aboard the boat
l was not thrust with the unsavory crowd
brought directly from the city prisons down
into the hold of the vessel. afterward learned
that this hold was ut that time covered with
about Il foot OF mud and water. l was re-
garded as an Invalid. and AS such was given u
stateroom on deck. which / occupied in con
junction with two men wearing II costume Of ~
novel pattern. which made them look like
zebras. When the landing at Charity Hospital
was made. these two men left the boat, their
| destination being that great stone building in
stands to the northward Of the hospital.
one OF the keepers and marched in double file
up to the prison. Here we were first taken into
answer to his name, and give such particulars
regarding his nativity, age. and occupation as
ducted to the bath room Tor va" bath S and
change Of clothing. Every, one Is required to
df os BY &
erythng but the shoes, WHICH the prisoner
furnishes himself Six iron bath tubs We're
In Sa we're bR
another batch s 81 six, and so on until all had
first had used. BY good luck was, one Of the
first six, although was one of the last to get
hydrophobic dread Of the water.
When dressing in the prison uniform after
Although the men were Of different sizes and
there was clothing of different sizos. no effort
man put on that which was given him, and
sometimes it happened that the short man got
ones; reaching in some cases but a little below
the knees. The, same way with the jackets.
Here YOU would ind Hercules struggling
| lost inside 81 one that might have fitted Daniel
Lambert, This. however, was to some extent
After being dressed the prisoners We're again
marshalled. this time before the Warden.
While tho washing and dressing were in prog
ress the names Of the newly arrived prison
ers. with the results of the interrogation before
admission. From this the Warden read the
former. each man answering when his turn
came. The roll was afterward called for the
| third time. When each one WAS assigned TO
some duty elsewhere in or about the establish
where help was, needed. The assignments
were made with due References to each mans
tom /, nov Mechanic Every yS on S"" Was 's gwen
the work to do which he was supposed to be
When prisoners arrive in the afternoon there
lisa roll-cal to soc If the tally is correct bathing
and dressing being deferred to tho following
for the first night in u cell by; themselves,
As had asked to see = doctor when came
cell where i nth there or three Sss pfs
oners to await tho visit OF the prison physician.
| Whom the doctor had seen mo. l was by his
order transferred to one of tho larger cells.
| where their were some other prisoners suffer-
ing from Temporary, disabilities. This cell;
or room rather. No: 20 on the second
! of one Of the ordinary double cells
below stairs, but in no wise different from thpm
in It's furnishings, except that We had table
| and the other prisoners went to the dining room.
Like the other cells, this one contained several
iron frames some Of them Of two stories, upon
each of which was stretched sackinH bottom,
| which. with n pair ol blankets formed tho pris-
onsr's bed. Every blanket swarmed with ver-
min. This room had been set apart for tho occ-
| cupancy Of such ms were not in n good enough
condition physically To go TO work. yet not sick
| enough to requ re regular hospi tai treatment.
| Ii was q sort of halfway station between health
and tho hospital. They have II hospital with
good accommodations for the sick but you
never get into It until you are found to be on
your last lego
The doctor visited No. 20 once daily. in order
| to prescribe fpr those requiring II. and to dis
charge such Ms had recovered from their dis
abilities sufficiently to 60 to work. He aid
little Tor me, however. ono day had II sum-
mer conlpIaint, the natural result Of the miser-
| able food they gave He prescribed: