The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-09-06
THE TRANsGRESsORs' HARD ROAD.

THE TRANSGRESSORS' HARD ROAD.
Experiences of the Unfortunates Who
Find Their Way to Blackwell's Island
Rum the Principle Cause of Their Ruin
and Misfortunes.
ct all who enter here leave hope
behind" said a melancholy specimen
OF humanity, accustomed to police
courts, in rather u sarcastic tone to
some new arrivals in the lookup adj
joining the Jefferson Market Police
Court a couple of days ago. He had
been arrested for drunkenness and was
awaiting a hearing, and was already
discussing in his mind the certainty, as
he explained it, of being ''sent up5 for
one month or else SIX. His remark
had the eiiect-if it was not intended to
do so--of making few of the unfortu-
mates in the gloomy, dirty prison pen
even more miserable.
EARLY MORNING SCENES.
As early as six a. m. daily from the
various station-houses prisoners begin
to wend their way in company Of blue
coated Off ers to Jefferson Market. A
doleful looking spectacle Il majority of
them present. As early as nine o'clock
the pen in the rear of the courtroom
was crowded, as it is nearly every seven
days of the week. The room is a dirty
looking, dark concern, with an iron
barred door. Two benches only are
provided, and for hours, owing to the
limited space, the foul place is crowd
ed, some standing, some sitting, others
pacing to and fro if they can obtain
elbow room; some cursing, some cry
ing, signing or moaning; some laugh
ing, singing and making merry over
their misfortunes. Men veil dressed;
less some with bloody faces, black
eyes OF bloody noses, victims of q fight
or policeman's club; respectable men,
vagabonds, tramps, thieves, burglars,
old criminals and new ones, also miser-
able specimens of fallen humanity,
whose rags and bodies are alive with
vermin, are here for hours daily hud-
died together like the dogs in the
pound.
SINS PANDEMONIUM.
1t is veritable pandemonium of sin,
wickedness and untold misery. Many
are the victims of honest misfortune;
some of revenge and spite; few have
been placed there by relatives, perhaps
a mother or a wife; but a ma ority can
attribute their arrest to the ruin they
have brought from, perhaps, some Gid
ed saloon kept by some alderman, or
some OF the thousand pothouse poll
ticians who thrive on poor peoples
misery while doing out the drunkard'
poison in the bar-rooms OF this great
christian (P) metropolis.
But what scene is exhibited in this
prison pen at all hours. Bacchanalian
songs are heard; vulgar stories are told;
the air is black with putrid oaths; timid
men are seen groaning and weeping
over their disgrace; hardened sinners
are gloating over past misdeeds. A
young thief is heard Boosting how he
robbed drunken ''bloat" of his clothes
and money and divided it with the
scoop" another tells the uninitiated
about the life one must lead on the
island; others curse the Judge and VOW
vengeance, while more than one almost
give up in despair. 1t is a question for
'moralists to study and decide whether
the men who 90 up before our police
courts and are sent for the first time to
the island ever become better citizens
or not. Many lose their self-respect
altogether. Many there learn for the
first time the way of thievery, and too
many end their days in a prison or on
the gallows. On the walls of Jefferson
Market is written the name of the muir
derer McGloin. He wrote it there years
before he expiated his crime on the
gallows. 1t would seem to be the es-
pecial delight of some of these island
birds to leave their autographs Ut all
places they visit.
PRISON FARE.
The Justice sits about $3.50 M, and
the prisoners are ar aligned before him.
Many are held for a hearing before the
Court of General Sessions or the Grim
inal courts. Some are bailed, some are
fined but a majority are ever doomed
for the island. Balls and fines are not
always forthcoming. These who are
not prepared in this emergency are
quickly hustled into large room in tire
prison to await their iuturo doom
The room is furnished with long wooden
benches, row of raised plank or a
platform, which serves as bed for forty
or fifty; closet, hydrant and single
tin cup.
Those who are so unfortunate rs to be
detained here are furnished with tin
pan of rye water, called coffee Sugar
Less, and piece of dry bread Occa-