The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-10-31
a REPoRTER GOES To JAIL
What He Saw and Besrd-The build
ing Crowded with Prisoners - A
Larger Jail Badly Needed.

What He Saw and Hssrd-The build
ing Crowded with Prisoners - A
Larger Jail Badly Needed.
On Thursday afternoon reporter Of
tho REPUBLICAN left this city on the
AS p. M, train for New Castle, for the
purpose Of visiting the jail. On tho
train, In the baggage car, were Officers
Heal and Maloney with eleven priso-
ners In charge. OF this number two
were women, one being an aged white
woman, and the other colored. OF
the men, all were white except one,
and nearly all were handcuffed to-
gether. The white woman and her
aged husband were both committed In
default OF the payment OF fine and
costs for drunkenness, and In fact this
was the general charge against all the
others.
One OF the prisoners, who has fire.
quently taken the trip before upon
recognizing the newspaper man said:
See here. Mr.. reporter, why don't
the tax payers kick about having to
keep and feed US fellows for twenty or
thlrtyldays Just forindulging in a little
As the reporter has no talent for
guessing conuudrums, he meekly re-
piled that he would give IL up, when
the unfortunate continued:
why, IL a man has good suit Of
clothes when he goes over, 1t becomes
so lousy in the buns cells that he has
to throw 1t away when he comes out"
This closed the conversation, as the
reporter walked to another and more
comfortable car, where he took q seat
until the train reached the battery.
Here the passengers for the jail dis
embarked, and after short walk
reached the old gloomy looking build
Ing. The prisoners seemed to know
The way better than any OF the party,
which was an indication that the great
er part of them had been there before.
The party were met at the door by
Warden Tucker, who after causing all
the prisoners having bundles to lay
them down until they could be OK
amined, sent the white men to the
buns quarters at the end OF the low
er corridor. and assigned the color
ed man and the two women to quar-
ters upstairs.
Many OF the prisoners were in the
corridor walking aimlessly around,
while Others, as though wishing to
avoid the gaze OF spectators, were se-
luded in their cells with curtains
closely drawn over the doors. Among
the latter was Jerry Harrlgan, who
some ten years ago was sentenced to
DO hung for the murder OF Dennis
Shea at Hockessin, but has been re-
prieved from time to time, and will no
doubt eventually be pardoned. While
jerry had no right to take the law in
his--own hands. there liz no doubt but
he had great provocation, and there
n.-l. ts.1r k.N Ii
Imprisonment has been sufficient
punishment for the rash deed.
One thing is certain, That If Jerry
should be released by executive Glenn
ency his stay in this State would only
be long enough to dispose of his pro-
perty and settle up his business, as he
and his teams are badly wanted by a
large firm In Trenton, N. D., who have
promised him steady employment fol
a term oil years il he should be releas-
ed.
Another striking figure is Frank
Mccoy, known as big Frank He Is
probably the most Intelligent and best
educated man, and it is a pleasure to
converse with him. He is well posted
on all that is taking place in the out
side world, and takes the keenest In
terest in politics. His time will not
and it Ii scarcely probable, In the face
OF his past experience, that he would
make an attempt to escape, even II the
doors were left.lopen.
No matter what Frank may have
been in the past, he is now changed
man; he, the same as thousands OF
Others, was creature of circumstan-
ces, and those circumstances and sur
roundings led hun to the bad. But
now he has reformed. and declares his
intention to lead an honest life In the
future. As reformation is. or should
be the main object of punishment, and
as this seems TO be- fully accomplished
III his case, the question arises, why
should he still be kept TN DURANGO
vileg'
Lewis Davis is another, whose case
excites vast deal of sympathy. Here
he Is, n young man, spending the hest
days of his life IN living tomb. He is
sentenced to remain inside of those
walls for the term of his natural life.
He killed man. a faithful and efficient
police officer, but when he committed
the deed lie was 1crazed with rum, aud
goaded to madness by the actions OF u
bad woman.
Butch Walker, tho former we'll
known Colored character oil this city.
who Is also serving "a life sentence for
causing the death of the Mulvey boy
by striking him with stone, employs
his time in making handsome fairy
baskets. which find really sale at from
s3 to So each These articles arc very
pretty, and are lit decorations for any
parlor In the land.
There are others who could be mem
toned, but want of space forbids, still
in all that number OF 1863 prisoners
there Is not ono but who hopes to he
released some day, and be again per-
mitted tn go where he pleases, and
again mingle with his fellow men. The
fact that 1853 prisoners are crowded
into this little Jail speaks louder than
words OF the necessity OF new and
more commodfous building, or the ell
largemsnt of the present one
Were it not for the strict regulation
enforced by Sheriff Simmons and War
den Tucker and DennisOn, in regard
to cleanliness, it would be impossible
to prevent an epidemic breaking out
in this oVercrowded institution. Three,
four and in some instances even five
prisoners are crowded into cells that
were originally intended to aec0mmo-
date not more than two, is n state OF
affairs that should PROMPTLY he reme-
died by the county authorities. The
sheriff allows tho prisoners all the lib
ety possible. and for five DAYS daring
the week they have tho privilege OF
walking in the corridor and exercising
themselves, We're IL not for this, ii is
not hard to suppose what the conse-
quences would be. The sheriff also
provides the prisoners with the best
food that lie can Tor the money al