The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-29
Keepers in the Peniten-
tiary Make Charges
Against Colonel
Grimes.
THE BIG JAIL BREAKING SCARE.
Freeholders Can't See It.-Thirteen
Kickers Who Don't Like Their
RatiOns.

Colonel Grimes, Warden of the Peni-
tentiary, and his thirteen keepers are at
war. Yesterday the keepers made an
open revolt at the meeting of the Commit
tee on County Institutions held at Snake
Hill. 1t made things lively, and Free
holder McDonough, who, until yesterday,
has always been the supporter of Grimes,
was happy.
The committee was notified that Keep
ers Shields and Sullivan, who, the Warden
said, were absent without leave, had re-
turned for duty 1t was also stated that
Edward Tierney had not been accepted
after being reappointed keeper, because
official information had not been given
the Warden
So much of routine business being over,
Prof. Leeds, of Stevens Institute, re-
quested that he and four Others be per-
mitted to appear before the committee.
This was granted, and the four others ap-
peared. They were Mr.. Samuel r. Syms,
Mrs. Palmer Campbell and Mrs. Hannah
Cairns, of Hoboken, and Miss Mary
McCartin, of Jersey City.
The ladies explained that they wanted
to take from Snake Hill four women, and
place them in the State institutions at
Vineland. Chairman Boyle informed
them that the application would receive
due consideration, and be referred to the
Board at its next meeting DIR, King, who
was also with the visitors, explained to
them that the committee could do no
more, and after thanking them, the visi-
tors retired. They are members of the
Women's State Charity Society
Before DR.. Leeds left the room he in
formed the committee that he had exam
ined the dietary list for children, but did
not think it was a good one. He had con-
suited the Warden and that official and
himself had prepared one for children I'M
der the age of ten years that he thought
would prove satisfactory, and he asked
the Board to acceptit.
The committee decided to recommend
tothe Board the required changes
COLONEL GRIMES TROUBLE.
Keeper James Waddick on May 81 had
a difficulty with the Warden over cup of
coffee. The investigation in this matter
was laid over until later in the meeting by
request of Freeholder McDonough, who
said that he would like to hear what the
prisoners in the Cooler had to say about
committee objected. A short discussion
however, caused them to accede to Free
holder McDonough's suggestion, and AS
sistant Warden Vollers brought in the
men singly. In the case of each the COM
mittee directed him to place them in a
cell, and not in a cooler" and the chages
That they contemplated breaking jail were
considered nOnsenSical.
NOT MUCH REASON TO BREAK JAIL.
The first of the convicts to be called be-
fore the committee was Simon Butler. He
frankly and without hesitation said
There were some files found in my cell
and / got them from Edward Hall, a
had &l,a ArrnIe AL Nr1& 4.
months. My time was up yesterday if l
had not lost my time for good behavior
by having these tools. | was sent here for
assault and battery for six months
term. The tools were used to make trink-
cts with"
''Did the keepers know you had the
toolsP" asked Mr. McDonough.
Il don't know, for | always hid them
under the mattress. / never gave them
any of the things l carved was in no
plot to break jail, for my time was nearly
up and it would have been foolish. The
work on carving that did was done on
Sunday. We did it then because the
keepers could not see us, for it was
against the rules"
''What kind of prisoner is her" asked
Mr.. McDonough Of Deputy Warden Vol
lers
'.He is a good prisoner, and would have
been released now but for the tools found
in his CELL
Colonel Grimes, who was present, then
said that he had been in the cooler before
because he interfered in fight between
two negro prisoners, and fought one of
them. Aside from this his character as a
prisoner was excellent
JOSEPH KRoDEL's STORY.
Joseph Krodel is one of the al
legged blood thirsty wretches. He was
tinid in answering questions, but when
assured that he would be protected by the
Freeholders, he said;-'T was arrested for
breaking and entering. lived on Sixth
and Washington streets, Hobo1en.. My
time was up last Friday If had not been
in the cooler before for breach of the
rules"
Colonel Grimes was asked what was
found in his cell. He said nothing except
tobacco bag, which was in the venti-
lator. The prisoner testified that he had
lowered it from his window to the
prisoner in the cooler to give him some
tobacco. 1t is against the rules of the
penitentiary for prisoners confined in the
cooler to receive tobacco, and it was
lowered down by string secretly for that
reason.
Colonel Grimes admitted that Krodel
had no tools in his possession or cell when
arrested, but said one of the keepers told
him he saw Krodel drop knife. The
keeper and knife were not produced, and
after Chairman Boyle had strictly ordered
he was dismissed.
Charles Kormanshaus was the next of
the alleged conspiring convicts to testify.
He said that number of bits, files and
drills were found. and also brace. He
said that Engineer Kennedy, at the stone
crusher, gave them to him, and that they
were used to carve bone trinkets. He
would have been discharged September
81. aud was confined on a charge OF assault
with attempt to kill.
81 have seen the prisoner make bone
t1ugs.n said County Superintendent
lanes Cannon, .'and at one time he
wanted to make comb for me. =
Colonel Grimes said he knew that trim
kets had been made outside OF the cells
for years, bat did not know 1t was done
inside.
THAT FALSE KEY.
lanes Connolly, of Bergen Point, whose
t{ue is up for breaking and entering De-
cerriAer "a, and in whose cell saws, a piece
Of lead shaped like KEY and other