The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-29

and without any definite purpose 1t
looked like a key, but had no hole in it,
which could easily have been made by the
prisoner with drill. Without the hole it
could not unlock any door. He said it was
in his possession two weeks before it was
found. He also made trinkets out of bone,
and to do this he had the tools in his pos
session.
Colonel Grimes said he had been good
prisoner.
Ed. Hall, the well known forger, was
was the next called for an explanation.
He looked like any one else than fashion
ably dressed Ed. Hail. His gray mus
tache, close cut and his prison garb made
| wonderful change in him. When he
| faced the committee, the most of whom
he had personal acquaintance with, his
| voice Quavered and he said tremulously
that he had given Butler files, but that
only that he might do his work. Hall is
| in the store room.
THEY ALL MADE TRINKETs.
''Two years ago." said Freeholder Kim
merly, "a lot of tools was found. Why
was there no charge OF iailbreakingT
The question was addressed to Colonel
Grimes and all the members of the COM
mittee. No one was able seemingly to
| answer the question.
Thomas Rollins testified that in 1885 he
was an inmate of the penitentiary, and
added:-"The Warden, Colonel Grimes,
gave me tools to make small boat"
The boat, Freeholder McDonough said,
was at present in the saloon kept by ex-
Director McGovern.
William Price, another prisoner, testl-
| fed that he was in the Penitentiary five
years ago, and that then it was the GUS
| tom to make trinkets with tools, and that
| it is now.
| All of the witnesses testified with re-
luctance and acted as if they feared the
| Warden or keepers. Prices time would
be up June II. He was not requested to
make trinkets for keepers and officials
because he could not do it good enough,
but other prisoners We're.
| 1t was shown by the testimony of all,
| that although violation OF the rules, IL
| is a common thing for prisoners to make
trinkets out of bone. Half of the com
mittee investigating the charges had some
article made by them, and Superintend-
| ent Cannon said he had seen them work
| ing at these things. In every case the
| five prisoners charged with conspiracy
were sent to the cells and not to the
cooler, by Chairman Boyle, the other
| Freeholders agreeing.
THE QUESTION OF RATIoNs,
| Freeholder McDonough informed the
| committee that the food furnished was
| not fit to be eaten and that the prisoners
were better fed than the keepers. He said
the keepers desired to make a complaint
against Warden Grimes. and the commit
| tee ordered that they be sent for. When
| they came in and were counted the un-
lucky number of thirteen were present.
The first one to be examined was
| Keeper Murray. He said that the bill of
| fare was not very good. 81 never have
seen good meat said he, "since have
been there. l don't believe there is any
distinction made with the keepers, but
the Warden has better food than we do:
| The bread is good, but the butter and
| roaat, ara en- had I ran NOT eat them ~
''You mean that every thing in general
| is bad" said Freeholder McDonough.
| Eyes. SIR"
| "You gentlemen" said Mr.. Boyle, ''may
send list of objections to the dietary
| system to the next meeting of the Board
and it will be considered"
"What do you object to-" said Free
holder McDonough to Keeper Waddick.
'The meat is rotten and the butter is
very powerful. The meat is at times SO
bad that the smell of it is offensive.
| Coffee is a scarcity"
"Were not you suspended by the w arden
recently?" asked Chairman Boyle.
| Eyes, sir; | went into the Kitchen Tor
cup of coffee. The pot was on the range
| 1t was in charge OF prisoner. When
| attempted to pour it out the prisoner OBJ
| jected. informed him of the distinction
| between keeper and prisoner, but that did
| not suit him and he went to Warden
Grimes and complained. The Warden
| asked what right had to take the coffee.
told him / had perfect right and he
said not by a-well, profane sight-and
he knocked the cup and saucer from my
hand He treats us keepers with con-
| tempt constantly.
"Before the dietary system went into
effect, could you get all the coffee you
wanted" asked Chairman Boyle.
"Oh, yes, sir"
THE THIRTEEN AGREE.
Keeper Shields testified to the same con-
dition of food, and said that Warden
Grimes came back to the Penitentiary
| from the city frequently so drunk that he
could hardly stand and was incapable of
| issuing orders or enforcing discipline.
| Assistant Warden Myles corroborated this
statement, and said that Warden Grimes
only broke up the discipline at the Peni-
| tentiary. He said that now prisoner
| carries the key to the refrigerator instead
of an employee. He positively said the
prisoners were better fed and treated than
| the keepers. He said that he
was better treated than the other
keepers, but that he only got to
| The reason, he said, that the Warden and
he did not get along in a pleasant manner
| was because the Warden thought he
wanted to succeed him. He said further
that trinkets have always been made by
| prisoners.
/ "Ile WdrQen, Sttllt NIL yleS, goes
] as he pleases, and talks as he pleases. At
| times there is not food enough for all the
men. All got last night for my supper
was three eggs and piece of bread. Two
| wears ago tools were found in cells, and
| he preferred charges against me for negli-
gence, but he did not say anything about
1 the TOOLS"
| Keeper Foley said:-"I've been used
rough in regard to grub, but l have no
| trouble with the Warden when | am not
| at the prison. On Tuesday could not get
sugar at my breakfast"
'FWere not you away without leave
| week ago Saturday." asked Freeholder
| McDonough.
II was"
| 'Were you suspendedY
| "No sir; nothing was done with me.n
| This was done to show favoritism, be-
cause for a similar offence Keepers
| Shields and Sullivan had been suspended.
| Keeper Clark declared he did not like
| the dietary system, but he gets along
| very well with the warden.
| Il have seen all the keepers" said Free
| holder McDonough, land from what l
learn, you are all treated like lot of
| hogs"
Keepers Maxwell Nugent and Shannon
! corroborated the statements already
| made: and, indeed, the Warden Grimes
unlucky thirteen were unanimous. They
spoke with one voice, or, perhaps, it might
| give better idea of the proceedings to
say that they kicked with one combined
foot.