Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-25
BLACKWELL'S ISLAND.
That Infamous East River Island-lts
Inmates Surroundings.
The Yacht Tillie One of the Most Expensive
Little Crafts Afioat- sullivan OF the
Dramatic Stage.
NEW YORK, Sept. s, 1890.

NEW YORK., Sept. s, 1890.
Dear Gazette.
Ihave been out of the world to-day, in the
most beautiful, the most dismal, the most in
habted the most des olate, the most accessible,
the most isolated-place earth; the place
whose name is the synonym for ostracism-so-
cial and moral--a place which harbors more
heavy hearts, more bad hearts, more banished
names; more wrecked lives more sin and vice;
more fostering memories, more gnawing con-
Sciences more throbbing awakened sensibili-
ties. .rore dormant, murdered faculties, more
transient hopes and iuctuating energies than
any place of its size under the dome of God!
''Blackwell's Island!'' The very words written
or spoken, resound with maudlin curses, insane
ravlngs, with the rattle OF chains and the clank
of handouts. And yet, It's such
a pretty place! So green and
tectural designs, white pebbled walks and
shady avenues The island is in the middle OF
East river, a few miles above the city. 1t is
long, narrow strip of land containing about l2O
acres and is the property OF the city of New
York. 1t is the main one of the group OF
islands upon which the public, charitable
and correctional institutions for which New
York Is famous. Upon it are the penitent1ary,
almshouse, lunatic asylum, workhouse, blind
BILE and &C nyalescent hospital. The majority OF
the buildings are of granite, of imposing size
and unique IN architecture, kind OF turreted,
rHE FEuDAL CHARACTER.
The stone is from quarries on the island,
worked entirely by convict labor. The massive
stone walls around the island are also the
work of the convicts, and consequently male at
al most nominal cost to the city. The island is
fertile, fine gardening and farming being car
ried on by convict labor. The entire premises
models of cleanliness and thrift, even the
brown leaves being swept of the walks as asst
they drift there out OF the whitening fingers
of autumn Down their striped knees the
poor. silent creatures pick the weeds one by
one from the grassy lawns, others spread the wet
l0ln dor oil f has n IN a IRA
roll wheelbarrows, empty or loaded, along the
borders. They do not lift their eyes and dare
not speak. Silence, absolute, except when ad-
dressed ny superior. is the rule. The average
number of inmates in this penitentiary
is 200. Rigid discipline in controlling
such manner OF men is as necessary as
in the navy. The population of the entire island
is about 1000, all under the Gaze of the commits
soners OF public charities and correction. The
island is subject to unlimited inspection, and
subject well to the most severe police, politi-
cal hygenic and reformatory espionage. On the
dock 09 bags OF 5ecea by she
along in the markets OF the city for private fam
lily and hotel consumption. In going through
the penitenitiary we were shown the cell where
Herr Most,
THE ANARCHIST EDITOR,
was confined, and the keeper remarked: 1--WE
expect to have him back here as soon as his
present trial is over. %
There is woman sentenced to life
imprisonment, the Italian Chiard Cignoralli,
who murdered her husband in July, 1883.
She is only twenty eight years old, a black
br owed, sullen, yet deeply FASHIONED looking
creature. Her sentence was to be hanged. but
ment. Near the rivers edge are the stone
quarries, great, deep. volcanic looking places,
where the striped arms go up and down, up and
down, picking on the finty rocks, the sound
ringing out as merrily anvil chorus.
Armed guards stand over them, and notices are
quested not to stop and look at the gangs at |
work, but to move on. Officers are to enforce |
this regulation
fhev hav their dignity
though in chains and stripes? 1t is right, hu- |
name, that they shall not be put on palpable
hibition like so many interesting but noxious |
wild animals.
The almshouse is 2itifal place. The poor
old, decrepit women sitting out on the sunny |
pavements knitting, mumbling, praying, ours |
ing; one dreaming OF and longing for a little |
pet grandchiid; another, gaunt, blear-e eyed, |
palsied old creature, In whom, indeed, was |
''the ruling passion strong in death, - followed |
us along the path, thrusting her shriveIed hand |
in front of us and begging in her cracked, small |
voice lady help 5oa poor Poo 0d
and would not be allowed to spend it. An at
tendant spied her and sternly
ORDERED HER TO DBsIsr.
1t was touchngly ridiculous to see.the aged |
cunning with which she folded her arms
secreting the pennie. We gave as she trotted
sunny wall In the workhouse was one poor
creature. a woman, young and pretty, brought |
there only five days ago-in terrible fit Of de-
lerium tremens! oh, It was awful to look at
her knowing the circumstances which the keeper
had given us before he unlocked the cell door.
On pallet cot near the floor she was sitting
As the KEY turned in the door she sprang TO her
feet, facing the intruders, her eyes slaring
with-expectation--or resentment could not
tell. ''stay whore you sre,' the keeper said
couch, her limbs trembling noticably, and
quick color surging over her neck and face.
She was entirely sober then; OF course, but the
fear she will have to go from here to the
insane hospital. That is usually the end OF such
cases" Three physicians come and examine
unaware of the others' diagnosis. These ''opin-
ions'' are classified and sent up to some higher
authority, where board OF examiners pass
upon the evidence and submit its ultimate dis
position to the court. Meanwhile the VICTIM
waits! II she is lunatic it does not matter,
fallen debauched creature, with the burningly
desired intoxicant taken away from her, the
misguided conscience preying upon itself, God
help herl The pitifulness of sin is measured by |
its depth. think the fact of elaboration,
MALICE OF FoRBrHoUGHT,
only pleading the stronger ior Onrlst-hke extern
to watch the loading and unloading
of prisoners At the city pier this morning there
were three Black Maria" loads OF men for the
island and eighty women. Think of it. eighty
mothers or sisters. utterly dead. morally. 1t
was horrible to look at them The men were not
so revolving. had seen bad men, prisoners,
drunkards convicts, but never before woman
of that class. Down the dock they came, march
ing two and two, some tottering with age, gray
haired and toothless, some buxom and obscene
ly strong: some young and fair enough to be
loved by little soft-halded baby or q good hus-
band. One frightful old bag had her face pur-
~. One young woman had her red wooden
dress torn ali of her breast, and one sleeve drip
ping with blood, and another-God only knows
her age or sace had her entire head wrapped up
in her apron add went staggering along. guided
by the elbow OF her companion. There were
several litters holding sick women. The rigid |
silent forms under the gray blankets would have