New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-13
AN UNJUST AND INCONSISTENT ACE

An UNJUST AND INCONSISIENI ACI.
| 1t is unfortunate that Governor Cleveland did
not act impartially upon all measures affecting
| this city. On several important matters party
considerations alone appear to have ruled him.
One of the last bills to which he attached his
| signature is a partisan measure for the benefit
of the Democratic Sheriff of this city. 1t is err
roneOusly entitled An Act to prevent the over
q rowding of jails In the City and County of
| 1New-York." 1t should have been called
@An Act to rob the taxpayers OF New-York for
the benefit of the largely-overpaid Democratic
Sheriff.
In approving that measure Governor Cleve-
| land committed an act ofinjustice and inconsis-
tency. On the same day in which that bill became
| law he disapproyed q somewhat similar measure
affecting the State Prisons. The bill to prevent
| the overcrowdng of cells in the State Prisons
was a short one of twenty lines that passed
both houses by large majorities Urder its pro-
visions the prison authorities were compelled,
when there were fifty more con victs than cells III
State Prison, to transfer the extra convicts to
"one of the other State Prisons wherein there
@are vacant cells" When there were no
more convicts than cells In prison the Super
intendent was forbidden to allow two convcts
to occupy the same CELL In permitting this bill
to fail, for lack of his approval, the Governor
no doubt acted wisely. There is Republican
Superintendent of State Prisons who has full
power TO deal with the question. He can trans
fer convicts from one prison to another when
ever he deems il best to do so. Besides there
arr reasons for and against the practice of
putting two convicts in one cell. If the warden
uses discretion in the matter, according to the
testimony of Superintendent Baker, convicts
are often benefited by being placed two in
cell. AS a rule however, he does not commend
the practice.
But if there is not, in the Governors opinion,
any objection to permitting the State authori-
ties to place two prisoners in cell, what reason
can there ne for refusing the same discretion to
the authorities in this cityf And if the right is
refused TO the city authorities, why should it be
granted in the same bill, to the Sheriff
By the act of seventeen lines, which the Gov
ernor signed. 1t is made compulsory upon the
keeper of the City Prison to deliver to the
"Sherif for safe keeping such prisoners as the
"keeper is unable to provide with separate
acells" But the Sheriff can put two prisoners
or half dozen. in a cell, IL he chooses. AS
matter of fact, the Sherifs have been in the
habit of putting more than one prisoner in a
CELL Ludlow Street Jail, which is tile only prison
under tie Sherifl's charge, is probably the worst
managed institution of the kind in the State.
1t has been prolific of scandals Of all kinds,
simply because 1t is made use of for personal
gam and to serve partisan ends Henry Z.
Knox, George De Forest Lord and other repre-
sentatives of the Bar Association endeavored to
have a Sheriff removed by Governor Robinson
because of the mismanagement of Ludlow
Street Jail. 1t was shown that prisoners were
crowded together in order to compel them to
pay for separate looms, that men and women
were allowed to mingle during the day, and
that the Sheriff kept bar in one of the cells
and sold liquors to such prisoners as had money.
1t is true that the Tammany Sheriff gave place
to one closely allied with the Tden factions
but we have never beard that it made any par
ticular difference in the management Of the Jail.
The Commissioners of Charities and Correc-
ton have charge of the TomGs and the othOr
jails that constitute what is known as the City
Prison. There has been no complaint of the
management of that institution, nor any de-
mand for more room, though it often happens
that there are more prisoners in the Tombs than
cells. 1t Is certainly much better to allow two
prisoners to be confined i'll one cell under the
Commissioners than to allow it to be done under
the Sheriff.
The Governors approval of this bill TO COM
pei the transfer OF prisoners to the Sheriff can be
explained only on the theory of his desire to bene-
6t Democratic officeholder at tue expense of the
taxpayers. Inmates of Ludlow Street Jail who do
not pay for their board receive about the same