The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-09
FRIENDS OF THE PRIsoSERs.
A Curious Daily Scene In Franklin Street
Opposite the New Criminal Courts.

OpPOSttc Inv Fihaihhh Nourtas
The location Of the prisoners pen In the new
Criminal Courts building on Centre street gives
the friends OF the imprisoned ones an opportunity
TO see and talk vith them which they never had
before. In the old brow-nstone building in City
Hall Park. where for forty years the wheels OF
justice whirled steadily around. there was q
prison pen in each one Of the parts OF the Court
OF General Sessions, and q prisoner once placed
In 1t had absolutely no opportunity OF conversing
with or seeing any Of his friends until he was
taken out again.
This system was In every way better than the
one now In vogue In tho new building, where
they have one big cage on the second floor,
where ali Of the prisoners are kept. When the
clerk calls a prisoner to como to the bar the
name Is passed from one policeman to another,
through the halls and down the stairs to the
floor below until the officer on guard at the en-
trance OF the cage gets It, and he in stentorian
tones summons the individual who 1. wanted.
Then, in charge Of another officer, the man Is
taken up stairs to the court room, where his case
is proceeded with. That is the new system, and
old.
The new prison pen has a large and heavily
barred window and this window opens on Frank
OVER ON '' TSs nt As ~ fsqh as q z e sisSss w !; eShOq aShs
thrust into the cage. his first act is TO make for
this window. y glimpse Of the street, the horse
cars on centre street, OF WhlCh thOrOuZhfAre a
view can lie had. and the man, women, and chill
dren oil enjoying the freedom which they them
selves cannot have and may not for q number OF
years have the pleasure Of seeing others enjoy,
Is something which a prisoner who has spent
any great amount Of time in a dingy old place
the conception OF a citizen who las never been
deprived OF his liberty.
The window being large will permit Of nearly
thirty men standing n u at once, and Il 81 an
interesting sight to stand on the Tombs side OF
Franklin street and see the unfortunates strug-
Cling IN uRt AN HNanfaUalTn VaNafffnn rnV
which they can see and be seen BY their friends
who congregate on the opposite side OF the street
street is blocked. with men and women who
have friends in the pen awaiting trial. some
their babies in their arms a. they Walk
up and down the street. waiting % catch a
be 70 say a few words OF encouragement to theia.
possibly content 20 get even as much as a glance;
others are sweetheaTts. working girls whose
get themselves in trouble and into jail, while
others are gray haired and troubled looking
pen cannot be mistaken. They are their mothers,
and silently they walk up and down the street.
Ins to SE eat exam a sf E;Shtc of , Sh9 az IN ,H Sb Slad .Ssy h SFs
Interested.
It is such a parade as was never before per-
mitted in New York, and IL is only allowed now
because the police are as yet scarcely aware OF
lite existence, Day in and day out the crowd Is
student OF human nature TO indulge in his
hobby. Allowing this crowd TO congregate in
This MANNER may sDMe uhl result IN something
serious. From the street IT would be a COM
paratiyely easy matter to throw a small-slzed
bundle into the cage. The bars OF the window
are far enough apart 70 admit q gOod-sizod
package, cIeyerly thrown, while any man
who has ever tossed a baseball about
and gained any degree OF proficiency could
without difficulty throw a penknife. a bottle OF
poison, or a revolver, up 20 any one within. II
tempt such a thing. but the result Of such arti-
c.es OF self-destruction getting In the hands OF
men rendered desperate By long Incarceration
IN The IImhs Awaiting TRIAL and M prospa,t
Of anything but years more OF confinement after
trial, can be- imagined.
Several days ago two young men stood on the
south side OF Franklin street and held a long
conversation with n third young man who was
In the window Of the prison pen. OF course,
they had 20 shout, and naturally their remarks
were heard by everybody. In this particular
case, however, nothing was said which the Ofi-
GERS OF the law might not have heard. The pris-
Oner was evidently in no danger OF a lon gsen-
tence, for he shouted down 10 h.s friends mot
more than six months, boys, think"
Amy chance OF getting on - shouted one OF
his friends.
mo. the OLD man give me Z hard rap" re-
sponded the prisoner, and then he was pulled
away by some one from behind. and another IN
fortunate jumped into his place. In a few mo-
ments the first one had worked his way 10 the
front again, and the conversation was resumed.
Sometimes half a dozen conversations would BE-
going on between prisoners and their friends,
and altogether IL was an interesting and novel
sight for the few strangers who happened 70 10
about.