Evening journal., 1889-09-21
THE NEW CASTLE JAIL.
GRAND JURY REPORT ON ITS DE-
PLoRA6LE CONDITION.

what WAS Adequate in 1885 Is not so
Now isgracsfui squalor and over
Crowding Recommendation for the
Levy Court.
Below will be found the report OF the
| grand jury, on the condition OF the
| county Jail, and OF the cells at the Court
| House, as made to the court yesterday
afternoon.
After it had been read by the clerk
| Chief Justice Comegys thanked the jury,
and said that the condition In which they
had found the Jail was deplorable and
that it was inadequate to the needs OF
the county and no credit to the state
He ordered the report placed upon the
records Of the court and promised that a
copy should be sent to the Levy Court,
which would no doubt act upon it, The
report in full.
To the Honorable Judges Of the Court OF
General Sessions of the Peace and Jail
Delivery OF the State Of Delaware. in
and for New Castle County.
In compliance with your request we
have made special inspection OF the Jail
at New Castle and the cells in the base
ment OF the Court House used for the
retention Of prisoners awaiting trial We
regret to inform you that we found both
in a deplorable condition The Court
House cells have each floor area OF fifty
square feet; each cell contains small
single bedstead without mattress or
covering the floors are paved with stone
number OF The bedsteads are broken and
therefore useless.
In some cases six and seven prisoners
are crowded in them; II one prisoner oc-
cupies the bedstead the balance must
sleep or sit on the cold, damp stones
without even a blanket to protect them
We also visited the jail at New Castle
and found a worse condition OF affairs
there.
The physician in charge informed us
that there have been at times confined in
the Jail over 200 prisoners, and that it's
maximum capacity is eighty.
No additions TO this Jail have been
made since 1856, and what at that time
was sufficient for the needs OF New Gas.
! tie county are now grossly inadequate.
, Nearly all the cells there are oyercrowded
! they have floor space OF 1913 feet and
! 10 feet high. In one Of these we counted
/ seven people without bed or bedding OF
any kind Prisoners there who have
been sentenced to long terms Of impris
onment are provided with beds and
clothing; those for short terms witt
n neither
The physician in charge informed M
a that there were only two bath tubs in thl
building and that they were not in condi
ton to use. One room acre, Is feet Wild
and 50 feet long. is set apart for the i'm
prisonment Of tramps; in this room Their
Is are no beds, bedding. benches or chairs
| al al
floor. No clothing is provide,
j" We are informed) and we foun'
men there absolutely naked above thei
3. waists, and others upon our approac
gathered ragged garments to avoid stand
ar ing before us entirely naked Directl
under this floor of this tramp room a
open sewer extends and conveys the II
fuse from the water closets on one side II
= building We doubted that such cou
~ be the case, but the resident physieil
stated that il was q fact, had Loo
H. board removed and showed II to us. Th
on room now contains about forty peopl
but it has had crowded into il sevent
40 FIVE, No traps in waste pipes have bee
in placed in any part Of the building.
consideration Of the above facts q
grand jury respectfully recommend
ng the Levy Court that there should be 1
IL improvement made at once In the plum
ing throughout the jail.
err Second. That a system be adopted
Ial which the prisoners can be proper
clothed and kept clean.
Third. Thai there be two more wa
~ dens employed for the proper guardil
- of prisoners.
Fourth That there be some provisi'
he made for hospital purposes.
on Fifth That additional cell room
provided at as moderate expense as %
v sible. Respectfully submitted.
n, WILLIAM CoocH, Foreman.