Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-17
HERDEDLIKE CATTLE.
Terrible Condition of the Cells at
the Police Court.
SfIFLING, FILTHY DENS.

SFlfLlNG, FILTHY DENS.
Judge Miller Says the State Of
Affairs is an Outrage.
CONGRESSIONAL PARSIMONY.
Fifty-six prisoners sweltered in the three
Police Court cells this morning, where, accord
Ing to the keeper Of the prison. the heat was
80 intense that one could hang hat in midair.
The floors Of the cells were wet from the warm
hydrant water furnished to quench the thirst
Of the prisoners, and tho steam coming from
the doorway was forcible reminder Of cholera
germs.
Before going of on his summer vacation
Judge Kimball reminded the building inspector
that there was no ventiiat,on in the cell rooms
and asked that the matter be remedied Moth
ing, however, has been done, and with the
large number Of prisoners to care for in such .
place this condition not only causes suffering to
the prisoners. but makes the task Of caring for
them an unpleasant one to the officers The
court officers do their best. to get the
priso oners out Of this place Of torture as early
as possible by making out commitments in
cases of those convicted and sending them of
TO the Jail or work house soon - there are
enough of them to make . load for the prison
van. In this way the number Of occupants ID
lessened and those who arc left
get the benefit Of atmosphere . shade
overcrowded. During recent weeks the num-
Der Of female prisoners has largely increased,
and with them come infants, some only few
months old, and others boys and girls several
years old. There is no special provision made
for such persons. and the young ones have To
suffer for the wrong-doing Of their parents.
in these cells there 10 IN odor which. per
haps, IL not to be found in any other place in
the city, and it IL only a few feet from the
health office, although no Inspector 20 far as il
known, ever made an inspection Of the disease-
breeding place and made . report thereon.
As heretofore stated, there are three cells at-
tached to the court, and on several occasions "a
many as 100 prisoners have had to spend sew
eral hours in them. Prisoners are brought to
court rs early as o'clock in the morning, and
1t often happens that they don't all get away
until after 8 O'Clock in the afternoon.
Heracd Like Cattle.
Today the heat was 20 intense in the celll
that the prisoners removed what clothing they
could. and many of them sought the cooler at.
mosphere Of the sweat boxes by stretching ia,
out on the floor in the water and filth which
necessarily follows the spilling Of water in the
cells when it is passed through the iron grating
for the prisoners to drink. Such wal
the condition Of affairs when . STAR reporter
went TO the cell room this morning. The three
small windows in the outer wall were open, bu
they did not afford much relief. Ali the pris
oners were complaining Of the intense heat
and were giving vent to their feelings by sayin(
uncomplimentary things about the place.
Fortunately for the prisoners court was ovel
BY noon today, and they got away from tn,
building In good season, so that their hours o
torture were not as long - on some other occa-
sions.
An Outraxe, Says Judge Miller.
Judge Miller has now taken the matter in
hand, and he says that he win have proper
accommodations for them II there is any possi.
biity of such thing.
II think II is one Of the FIRST duties Of Con.
gress TO provide proper place for these unfor-
tunates, " he said to star reporter this morn
ing. Something ought and must be done to
fix the place 50 that there will be no reflection
on humanity.
cts an outrage" said the judge, "that per.
sons should be punished before their trial and
conviction. It il, Of course, necessary to in
carcerate persons charged with offenses, but II
10 also the duty Of the government to provide
for them place that is healthy and where no
unnecessary torture will be inflicted While the
present cells are much better than the old ones
that we're in the basement, they are far from
what they ought to be, although Congress would
not give us what we wanted at the last session.
"What Is wanted are larger cells and more Of
them, and they should be better ventilated.
Then in connection with them there should be
rooyoa IN he uaed n NJ \ houaa NJ 1Afer-
tdon, and then, too, there should be arranged q
place where prisoners could wash and put them-
selves in q condition 10 render them present
able when they appear in court for trial.
"When Congress convenes l am going Ia
urge upon that body the necessity OF making
these changes"
The Judge today addressed to Health Officer
Hammett letter requesting that inspection Of
the court building and cells be made with @
view to determining what remedial or precau.
tionary measures should be taken, and in this
connection Judge Miller says he intends to see
that the cells are fumigated often enough to
make the place much moro healthful
Deputy McCanrey's Plan.
Deputy Marshal James McCaffrey, who has
charge Of the United States prisoners, says he
goes to the cells only when he is obliged to go,
because Of the sickening and unhealthful
odor.
II know of no reason why the cells should
not have been better ventilated when they
were constructed" he said to STAR reporter.
my plan to remedy the evil is to add another
story for the United States prisoners. who are
tried in Judge Miller's court ON the upper
floor, and putting in proper ventilatine
shafts"
Concerning the statement from Building In
spector Entwisle to the effect that the ventila-
ton was all right the deputy marshal said
Everybody does not agree with him on his
ideas Of ventilation, and that perhaps accounts
for the way in which many things in the build
ing line have been done about the court
Concerning Mr.. McCaffrey's proposed plan
he explained how large amount Of time would
be saved by having the prisoners on the floor
with the court, and this improvement would
also give an additional room for the use Of the
clerks Office
Humanity in the Dust.
'T wouldn't 60 in the cell room for months
salary" was what Prosecuting Attorney Mul-
lowney said about the place. "The only thing
that would ever take me there would be to 60
for humanity's sake. II some poor unfortunate,
made sick by the foul atmosphere, needed as
sistance l would 60 and help him, and will
say this that l always make 1t point to get
them out Of that place whom it is in my power
to do So"
Policeman Patrick Madigan. who has charge
of the prisoners, looked as sick some of those
who we're packed in the sweat boxes. he was
in his shirt sleeves and was trying TO keep cool
BY the aid Of his hat, which he was using for q