New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-31
INctnhor and NnNnmhrr nnlY.

october and November only
The committee took up the Department Of Charities
and Correction. with Commissioner Porter in the
witness chair The first point considered the
discharge OF prisoners from The workhousc before the
expiration Of their terms Of commitment comm'
sioncr Porter said that it extremely common ior
who had been sent to the woikhousc Tor SIX
months to be discharged almost Immediately. these
were generally cases where friends OF the man OBJ
tanned, either from the police justice who committed
him or from Commissioner Porter recommendation
that the discharge be made. Commissioner Porter
thought however that the prisoners should be com
RELIED to serve the full time for which they were
committed. Discharges before the expiration Of the
term Of imprisonment should be had only after open
court proceedings. The Commissioner agreed with
Nr Wins tit The provision OF The law tlat the DE-
partncnt should consist Of the Bureau ri Charities
and the Bureau Of Correction was in force I'm name
only The law made provision for industrial
school on Iar's Island. 1hi, carried ont in a
manner only There were about 1863 prisoners there,
nearly all Of whom were adults. The teachers were
the keeper, and their instruction consisted in trying
Ia get the prisoners to learn temperance songs.
Al this point Mr.. WINS touched upon the sub
ject of law IN the Consolidation Act. which
have become dead letters in measure.
Then, are nl,tbcF Of those laws. Ons
section Of this act requires the establishment Of an
inobriate asylum land belonging to the department.
Mr. Porter gave q number Of reasons why such an
Institution conducted public hospital would not
be- oi great value. Tho main objection was because
no inmates 81 such place cond not be made 10 con
tribute their own support Men sent To- the Island
for mere drInIennes, were not compelled Ia a.
sOGiate with those termed the habiual' criminal class
Regarding present accommodations for persons suffer
ing from deurum trcmcus Commissioners Porter said
that the only place the department had for this class
~ patients was at Bellevue Hospital
The accommodations for them there simply
drcadiul they cannot be called accommodations" he
said There were generally from sN To- thirty patients IN
this wnrd for whom there only eight cells and
usually there three and four persons In ono cell
The department asked for appropriation Of $4,000
I" build quarters. but the loa:d Of Estimate ond
AppurtiDnment allowed only 1000. For new build
iugs tho department asked 100000 and received only
100000. and ths for buildings for which there wes
pressing need.
Commissioner Porter said that the public was taking
greater interest in the various Institutions rs n,tanoed
hy the gft n the Training school for Nurses, built by
u. .. Mills. ard the chapel Blackwell 5 Island,
given by George Dl,,. Mayor Hewitt took active
Intrret Ia the department and made thorough visit
10 al II the institutions IN II. The present MayoG
MD" tcur q them last year, bat had never gone
Commissioner Porter said that II thero were any
Republican keeper II The department thcy we're 80
lie would not appoint h,Plni'an. ., ..
The PAVILION, On liart> Island for Tho female insane
were urLHhs blt Ola udlIhi X buii 10y me f'u'ih
authorities u. I-tI. There were upc II these there
and FOUR Wants leland. most of which w"r" propped
up q, keep them nom failing down. Thr department
asked FOR 100000 with which construct four new
pavil0r- and gpl from The Board ~ Estimate only
$4,000 about enough a. build me.
IN these buildings were In tie city the hoard ~
Health would not tolerate them was the astounding
statement of the COrnniSe luncr.
N IN his testimony regarding m" ability Of Dr. A. r.
Macdonald the superintendent II 30" asylum '1l Nad
l-llhd Nr. Porter aid that no more able or better
quallNVd man for ~ place "A! al.
The somnl't.e ~ ,Irud hi ii" afternoon To meet
in Albany after tn meeting ~ the Legislature.