New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-17
JAIL METHODS SCORED.
pREsENTMENr BY THE UNITED STATES
GRAND JURY.


NEGLIGENT WARDEN RAABE AND THREE
KEEPERS SEVERELY cENsURED-THE MAN
AGEMENr 'LUDlCRoUsLY INEFFICIENT"
INDICTMENTS CANNOT BE FOUND
UNLESS COMPLETELY WITH THE
PRISONERS is sHowN-soME
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The Grand Jury in the United States Circuit
Court yesterday afternoon handed In present
ment concerning the escape OF the fos'oHice
thieves from Ludlow Street Jail. II begins by re-
hearsing what has already been pubhsheo III
the newspaper, regarding the manner OF 'he es-
cape OF the prisoners. Kioran Russeii ana Al
len, and repeats many Of the sections OF the laws
OF the State concerning jail-keepers.
The Grand Jurors that from the 6egnn dr S ol
their term of Was by
carelessness the part Of he warren 4l .' in
the iail which enabled them seriously 10 obs,ruc,
the prosecution When they were hrst Commune ohons
and received a; the Jail before the prisoners ar.
rived there. that the question o. and The War
den was particularly requested 70 see 'ra. ~, ~
shs %ef n the for
had them at the hearing before me Smnwap
the prisoners appeared before the Commissioner e,
their appearance greatly altered me Ssved
and the clothes Of all of them changed Reports
of this episode were Puosneo az III" Soon after this
stories were published that these prisoners nsu a..
tempted TO bride keepers in the Ja 10 tbese Incl
dents should have been sufficient to put sqh anS
Sheriff and Warden of the jail on thelr guaiu' oiu
to cause the prisoners TO be watched sharpH
PRIVILEGES OF JAIL BOARDERs
II annears to have peen customary for the War
den of the Jail TO board prisoners at separate
table downstairs il they could pay his charge Oh
SIS week. Boarders in the Jail received great
PRIVILEGES while other prisoners were closely Gel
escaped were boarders during the whole psiod
s seen @s s%ppe IN vi; NTH pTSS ana
Their escape the Grand Jury say Is ,h pT Warde
in return S for the money which they paid him
as boarders at his table Except when IN i ,hey
We're allowed to come downstairs to the lower Moor
of the Jail early in the morning to be together IN
privilege of the Jail yard at all times Ihey mao ssl
:ye to g 0ss rs v Ga the
den and the Keepers especially with Keeper Nc
c c Snpe ans Win eHE Es Wra On
Visitors were not searched on entering the JAZZ
psra,e Character. kilioran Allen and Russell were
thoroughly searched when arrested. and were with
of the escape they were in fact. armed something
the grand jurors not able satisfactorily to de-
were allowed to see visitors offer ready expana-
ton of the source from which their alleged revolt
vers were obtared
SEVERE CENsl-RE OF THE KEEPERS.
After describing the method Of the escape the
Grand Jury say Of the day keeper:
Had schneer at this time displayed but slight
amount OF intelligence and courage the i1gi I
could not have passed through I'VE locked doots
the street before assistance had arrived sufficient
TO prevent the ESCAPE InexcmsaDie rerenilen
TO tH So ree, Ttn al she IKE me Of the
and cowardice, and his fellow keeper schoen who
was summoned to the scene Of the escape Dy
schneeI's outcries. was guilty Of almost equal
stupidity and cowardce - ,c... .,.o
deserves severe censure. He was OF longer ex,
perence than any other seepeT m e tban the
warden himself He on terms OF great ia
f@rosy T sspera ns Characters as Alien Russell
and Killoran He. with knowledge OF the char
prisoners, Kiiioran. Russell and Allen. admitted
them without demur and without search no "s
the admission Of man known to him to be "a no no
escape, upon his arrival al the jail late he appears
10 have made no attempt whatever to recapture the
fugitives
The Grand Jury further present:
Tina, the escape Of these prisoners from LUDLOW
Street Jail was due to reckless disregard by the
Sheriff the Warden and their subordinaies 81 me
statutory regulations for the safe-keepng OF prs
oners IN county jails
WARDEN RAABE's RESPONSIBILITY.
1ney continue as loiONS'
The management Of the Jail for even the tenn
porary CONFINEMENT OF criminals pending examina-
ton was rludicrously inefficient II VIII not suffice
10 ascribe this Inefficient management 20 the dim
Guilty Of maintaining the proper discipline OF a
criminal prison in The sane 1ouse IN r wmsn are
was found entirely practicable TO connne closely
s nrs not able 70 pay for the privilege Of boarding
at the Warden's table The whole source ~ me
nnemeut and The primary cause OF their escape are
found in the cup,dty OF the warden, haabe fpr
ss,utory reguIai"ns In respect 10 keeping prison
srs separate from .sch 9m.f sa rnosptty 1s
Seysd The mos, oTdn" ps's so spr TGr, ,Ss
ths prisoners escaped when they did q, II 4, thu,
they consented to remain 10 ong as they d. u, u,
' Il appears tina, the attention Of he sheriff was
81 the reports In the newspapers ~ theii changed
appearance after arrres' and OF their attempts TO
10 the Warden to take precautions IN respect 70
their s1sh Sa e no,
given at all. and the Sheriff was IN our opinion.
nsEse nyer IN the he managemsn Of The jail He was
negligent also In retaining and appoln,,ng, as keep
Bnt the principal responsibility for the escape OF
these prisoer a: well as for their ,S R wn
Had ne. even after receiving such warnings IN re-
cPeet e ns,G T he
tempt to bribe the keepers. enforced against them
ims s'sies IL was guilty In our opinion
gross and culpable negligence HIS underkcepee:
Schneer Schoen and Mc(abe. were utterly unit
Tor such positions and displayed at the critical
moment not only stupidity. but oowardce. n moth
Ing
A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
We suggest tina, the Sheriff Of the city and county
OF New-York establish in Ludlow Street Jail regu-
iations sufficient carry ont the following recon-
mendations:
l. That, as far practicable md as provided
by law, persons detained for trial or examination
on criminal charges be not permitted to associate
at will with persons In custody on civil process or
committed for contempt detained as Witnesses
O. That ne carry out the statutory directions That
all persons confined In the County Jail shall as far
as practicable. be kept separate from each other
20 the extent at least that two or more persons