Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-15
THE HENRICO JAIL.
THE NEW STRUCTURE AND
IT'S PREDECESSORS.
Notable Prisoners---Aaron Burr
and the Portuguese Pirates--
Jailer Rose---GoOd Story.


Supervisors Thursday. is o vast imp oye-
meut on the building il supplants and
doubtless still greater improvement on
Roses Brig, as the jail OF the latter part
of the last ana the early part of this
century was called. The new structure
is two stories high aud built Of stone and
brick. The Van Dorm Iron-Works, OF
Cleveland. o., were the contractors, and
Mr.. William Q. West, Of this city, wss
the architect The building is equipped
Gu the lower floor, rear part, with ten
large cells or cages. One of these is q
duneeon-cell, and it and another are
constructed OF saw, file, and drill-proof
metal. Each cell is provided with the
most approved sanitary appliances, and
all are locked aud unlocked by levers
worked at the end OF the corridor, thus
facilitating the labor of the attendants.
On the upper floor of the building, IN
the rear, are fve cells for women and
large room for turning the prisoners
| loose in for exercise. ON the lower floor,
front. are the iailer's Office, kitchen
room, and living-room, and above these
two rooms designed especially for the
| iniane.
TIE OLD JAIL.
Tho DISPATCH in its effort TO locate
the &" old jail has found the structure
and its history about as elusive as some
of the prisoners who we're from time to
time confined in it. The first County
Court held in Richmond was, 1t seems,
in 1852, and that there must have been
some sort of county Jail here about that
time appears from a statute OF l74o
(Henning). That statute provides I'M
der penalty that "foreyer hereafter the
court OF every county shall cause to be
erected and kept in good repair within
each respective county one
GOOD and convenient courthouse of
stone. brick, or timber and one county
eaol and county prison well secured with
ron bars, locks, and bolts, and also one
pillory and whipping post and stocks
Also, if desired, ducking-stool. The
property was purchased for the purpose
of erecting a courthouse thereon IN
175l.
THE OLD CoURT-HoUsE.
Within the memory OF those now
living the county courthouse stood in
the middle Of Twenty-second street. 1t
was put upon its present site about 1910,
Quilted at the evacuation fire. and sub
seduently restored. About 1910 the jail
was also enlarged, but the structure
which was added to is spoken Of in the
records as the new Jail as far back as
1920. Mordecai, in his " Richmond in
Bye Gone Days" says "Mr. Rose, the
taller, fourished at the close OF the last
and in the early part Of this century. In
his full suit OF black, including shirt
and hose. which we'll suited his tall and
dignided figure, one would rather sup
pose he was in charge of church than
of a Jail. HIS house, which stood on the
present open space in front OF tho coun-
tv courthouse (Which occupies the site
Of tae old jaiL, was not attractive ex-
ternally, and the stronghold III the
rear Of it-called by its occupants
Roses Brig had sect less charms" ;"
The tradition is that Roses Brig gave
way about 1860 to the new JAIL" re-
ferred TO in 1920. but as far rs can DO
ascsrtained there is no record OF this. 1t
got its name from trick played on MIR.
Rose by a sailor prisoner
SOME or THE PRISONERS.
The old jail claimed the honor Of
having held within its walls during his
trial here no less distinguished parsonage
than Aaron Burr This claim has been
challenged, but the preponderance of
testimony would seem t. be In its favor.
Burr's trial took place in 1907. On the
27th of March of that year the Enquirer
made the announcement that "Aaron
Burr is now in this city guarded as
State prisoner" The next day pri-
vate examination was had in room in
the Eagle Tavern. and Burr was helc to
bail in the sum of $1,000 to appear the
day following at the Capitol Here he
was bailed in the sum of $40, 900, and
finally no did get into jail. But what
Jail ?
CORNER OF NINTH AND BROAD.
Mordecai says "In that house (cor-
ner of Ninth and Broad) Aaron Burr
was kept prisoner during his trial for
treason, the Federal Court having no
prison under its control. His first place
of confinement was the common jsil,
but his counsel stated to the Judge that
there was Lo privacy there to allow a
free conference and he was removed TO
the penltentiary, and from thence,
when his trial came on, he was incarce.
rated in the house above mentioned" "
Parton's Life of Burr SAYS on June 26th
counsel for the prisoner presented a pa
per TO the Judge stating the city gdf
was unhealthy and iuconvenient and so
constructed that he could not have a
room to himself. They prayed that
better quarters be provided, and the
Governor Of the State, under the advice
OF counsel, offered apartments in the
penitentiary. and the Chief Justice or
dered the prisoner sent there.
ANOTHER sNAG.
But in the examination OF the files OF
the Enquirer another snag is encoun-
tered. That paper in reporting the trial
prints, under date OF the 26th of June
Cthe same date mentioned in Parton),
the petition or paper of counsel and
gives the order of court. That order
makes no allusion to the penitentiary,
but directs that a certain room IN the
house occupied by Luther Martin (cor-
ner OF Ninth and Broad streets) be made
secure and that Burr be confined there.
The late Mr.. Meanly, who was for so
long an officer at the penitentiary, fre-
quently spoke of Burrs confinement in
that institution so it seems to be only
a question of the period at which he
was incarcerated within its walls. II
tradition is to be relied upon, there was
a great deal OF the farcical about Burrs
imprisonment, anyhow. Richmond was
at the time of his trial one of the great
est Federalist strongholds in the coun.
try, and there was a vast amount OF
criticism regarding the social considera-
ton with which the prisoner was treated.
If NOT, WHERE?
To return, however, to the claim OF
tie Henrico Jail If Burs's Jail expe-
rience was not in the Henrico jail,