New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-10
TO DEMokfsR THE OLD SUGAR HOUSE.

ONE or THE CITY'S ANCIENT LANDMARK:
DOOMED.
Where crooked Duane-st after meandering across
lots strikes crooked Rosest. an ancient building Is
being exposed 10 view Men busy tearing down
the dingy houses that corner and their work has
now gone far that can see that the buildings
formed only the shell surrounding massive. gloomy
psOn-llkc structure Of large gray stores. with tiled
and gnbled roof. 1t Is The old sugar house. 81 rs 1t
has always been called In the neighborhood the prison.
IL was erected in 1863 by BerTcr r. Cuylcr. and It's
solid. unbroken walls stand a silent testimonial Ia
the honesty Of Che dead and gone builder. The date
and the architects initials still Ia be on u"
side OF the building. worked IN wrought Iron characters
quaint ana old. The Rhneland"r family has owned
the properly since 1900 and much Of tho land around
II has been in their possession much longer ihan mat
when first erected the house was used a sugar
house but the great Interest IN the old building il III
the memory OF the which 1t put In Rovolu-
uonary times The grated windows the dungeon
Ike underground cellars. the general air OF sohaity
and lmprcgnallty which impress the observer AZ
first sight bear the assertion, which has become
a creed among the ncghborS. that during the Hfvou
ton the sugar house was diverted from It's legitimate
ard turned Into British prison where many All
American patriot suffered not only imprisonment uh'
crurcs and starvation. That II would stu make
prison Of the worst Kind may be seen by look DIT
the forlddng building from RoSest., for the sues
by the demolition OF the modern structures whch
have covered them for wears The tick walls are
pierced by FIVE rows OF five small windows e;Ich' IN"
lower rows being heavily barred by extremely 'hcR
Iron which the rust Of century has not been able
weaken. On the side facing to"aru 'he cast
many windows have been walled up during the last
fifteen years but there are still six grated openings
left Three are In the gable aud the others are alons
the south side. Underneath them Is great NaU'eo
passage way, made Of heavy masonry IKE me "ho'c
building still another opening may lie seen along
side OF It, half hidden BY rubbish. ana the V1F!cu
outline Of another cell window are also to be seen
after close examination
The kew Of the ancient prison Is still preserved II
Is owned by P. Oclsenreitcr Of No - Ro>e-'i. wh'
own much Of the real estate In the nciglborhood ana
who acted as agent for tue owners Of the sugar house
once II is large affair OF wrought iron about foot
long and weighs about half pound. number 81
other relics have been found and preserved am )hs
them a heavy Iron aNc. siaped like battlcaxe. and
yesterday a coin Inscribed Carolus III, Del Grd'ia
1871, on one side aud ". r. F. !. I,pan ct indIex
on the other. found between the board, OF me
ioJr The strangcst discovery WIS made. however
by Mr.. Ochsenrrter IT, on sunday wncn ne found -.
nunninad bodies Of a cat and rat tightly wedgcd
In between the tmbcrs OF The ao)i Of the old court
house, which was pulled down some DAYS ago. ! va,
i,ose-st. The Two animals showed hy theiI p0-lllo.
that they had been caught ~heIc neither o' them n, con
which showed that 1t had been trying 10 escap, ana
the cats mouth was sill open Win the '"sti s9wnr
she had been jammed In tightly that >he oolId MOI
get at the rt although III" wa only few me IS rom
her intended prey both animals were dried hard ana
yeCw hy a par, m aa ma NJ, c" Ga a nT n ,a'
II * expected that mnny other ROLES VIII pc innnl
when the prison Is ATTACHED by the worhmcn Wne,
Ing viii .and alone and hnronccaicd rs It did loo
years ago But u will rot remain long. and In few
weeks another old landmark will have disappeared fom
Manhattan Island.