The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-05-09
THE TONES BARBER.
What He Says About the Persons Whose
Faces He Observation-Disclosures Custom

ACES latutFt-I Sustouh~
ers.
Eyes, am the Tombs barber said
Morris Haber. an intelligent young Ger
man, who was found in his barber shop
on Canal Street by a reporter, land you
are the first newspaper fellow to find
me out, although have held that posi-
ton for nearly two years. Any other
BARRIERS admitted to the prisons? No,
sir; l am the only one, and was APP
pointed by the Commissioners of Chari-
ties and Correction. Salaryp Not any.
My earnings consist of what the prison.
ers give me, except in cases of con-
demned murderers, and then the Sheriff
pays me.
II am allowed to enter the prison at
any time, but usually only 60 there
three days of the week, on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. l am now
shaving about twenty prisoners = day
there, and what / get averages about
eight dollars week. No prisoners are
compelled to get shaved but the greater
number who have any spare change
always wish to. This is generally the
case with those who are about 20 go
into court They want to make their
best appearance before the court and
jury, and it has come to be common
saying among them that clean shave
means ten years off their sentence.
'In winter go there regularly every
morning at eight o'clock and in sum-
mer at seven o'clock. carry my razors.
scissors, soap and bottles in a small
handbag. and my hair-clipping ma
chine in leather case. | generally
take five or six razors with me every
time. When get there. the first thing
do is to look over the slate and find
the prisoners names marked with an
* This means that they are the ones
who are to go TO court. As court
always opens at ten o'clock, and as
have learned from experience how
much Importance is attached to clean
shave by the prisoners with reference
to their appearance in the courtroom,
/ always take pains to get through with
the court cases early and as soon as
possible, even leaving my regular Gus
toners there-andI have several--until
they are out of the way.
$50 go along each row of cells the
first thing, and ask each prisoner
whether he wants shave or not. Some
times find great many who do and
then it is lively work, for l have to shave
them in their cells. and there are no
chairs in them for the men to sit on,
consequently have to shave them sit
ting on the edge of their narrow beds.
In each case the keeper locks me in
with the prisoner, and l have to call his
attention by knocking on the door
when | am done and want to get out
II have never had prisoner modest
me or even act rudely to me while at
my work there, Notwithstanding the
fact that the Tombs has an average of
from $50 to 200 prisoners all the time,
and from all classes of criminals. The
prison seems to have quieting influ-
ence on them and they are moro polite
to me as rule, in saying their good
morning. and good day. than many
outsiders. i have never had them ask
me to bring them things they are not
permitted to have OF try to get me to
help them to escape or get the best OF
the keepers. As for the sight of my
razors stirring up any desperate
thoughts in the minds of any of them,
if they have I've never known of it,
1.-The new prisoners seldom talk to
me. and of course don't ask questions.
Naturally, the faces are changing all
the time, in the going away OF some
and coming in of new prisoners. Every
now and then some new conner will
greet me with 'how-dy-do, and
will find that he is an old offender who
has been in the Tombs before and re-
members me. But they all seem glad
to see me, for it makes a little change
in their prison life. Those who have
been there some time talk more, and
sometimes tell me about their cases,
but don't take much interest in the
particulars, naturally, though give the
poor fellows all the sympathy l can.
MY oldest customer herep Let me
see. 1t is Conroy, guess, the police
man condemned to be hung on the
charge of murder. He has been in the
Tombs about seventeen months, and is
now waiting for new trial, / believe.
l have shaved him regularly twice a
week since he has been there, and he
is one of those who have talked to me
about their affairs.
another of my regular customers
there is Donovan, condemned to i'm
prisonment for life for killing man
with billiard cue. He is also waiting
or trying to get new trial. He has
been there year. John Carpenter,
condemned to be hung for killing his
wife, is another of my customers there.
He has been in the Tombs eight months,
hoping for new trial.
people might readily think that
these men, knowing that they must stay
there SO long, and perhaps in prison
forever, or be hung, would get careless
about their appearance, and let the bar
Der go by. But they don't, and they
are as particular to be shaved twice a
They will take pride in their looks, and
as they have frequent visitors, they
want to look nice for them, l suppose.
lone of the most particular customers
/ ever had in there was Rhinelandcr,
the man that was claimed to be insane.
He was in long time, and always paid
me extra, but he was very particular to
be shaved three times week, and just
so. If missed day he would get very
angry. Very few, however. pay me
extra. They are not lavish with their
money when they get in the Tombs. and
those who arc fortunate enough to have
any keep it very close.
BILLY McGlory paid me extra,
though, and found him very nice
man. Another man thought was
pretty nice was Martin, the celebrated
counterfeiter. He became blind while
in there and was in the hospital. He
had a long beard and was very particular
to have it trimmed to hair. Another
very particular man was negro Of
Spanish descent, a young man con-
demned for murder. IIo was always
one of the neatest and cleanly-looking
men of the whole lot, and he always