New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07
THE SHERIFF AND HIS PRISON.


Sheriff Tamscn cannot escape responsibility
for the escape Of the three postofiice thieves by
making excuse that the Ludlow Street JAN was
not adapted to their confinement. 1t Is true 'ha'
the building is old and something better ~ neeh-
ed, but even If 1t were a log stockade when an!
agile thief could climb out OF II left Tor thr'~
minutes unmatched. that would not relieve Oh
blame the guards who took such grotcsqnely
Inadequate precautions for the safety or their
nrjsonprs Ii was not the bad condition OF Lud
low Street Jail which gave Killoran ana his
fellows their freedom. The prison walls are yet
standing and no man has been able 10 penetrate
them The iron doors are still on Their hinges
and without the aid Of keys no one can open
Them The robbers escaped because OF the gross
carelcssncss which permitted three men. whose
desperate character was we'll known, 10 De lei'
alone in the presence OF single heaVy-loo''"
and heavy wittcd apology for guard VINO
dangled before the eyes Of his charges tiie Iu
collection Of keys which would enable them 10
walk freely from their prison TO The street ""
self-respectng lawbreaker could he expected u"
remain in confinement under such conditions. IT
the doors Of the prison had been left wide OPEN
the invitation to escape would not have Dr'h
more cordial The delivery was not due 10 III
INADEQUATE iall but to an inadequate Sheriff.
Rut though all the blame for this stupid blum
der-or. maybe, criminal disregard OF duty 49,
must rest with Tamsen and his barber. tailor
and Number assistants the incident calls aticn-
tion 70 the TAIL Itself and raises the question II
II IS one Of our necessary institutions why
should the city Of New York. because Of the dual
nature Of its local government. maintain AT once
city prison and a county Jail: There Is DIS
tlnction between the classes Of prisoners confined
| IN .,cb but the distinction could be equally we'll
maintained within the walls ~ one building.
| Complaint is made that both OF our prisons ne-i
extensive alterations. Last year bill was in
| troduced in the Legislature for building ne"
| ,an and now the necessity VI charging the
| Tombs 10 relieve the pressure OF overcrowuine
has been brought before the people by the 'frnhu
| Jury. II a new building is TO be erected wi'h'h
| the Tombs Enclosure. IT Is dfcult 10 see WI! II
should not be made large enough To ACCOMMODATE
the Shcrlffs prisoners as well as me eli! prlSon
| ers for whom there IS now no room. Inc CIV!
| can as well erect a six or a ten as Il hVe s'"r!
building for prison. and IN case The separate
mana cement Of the two parts ny III" Iel"T''
mept of Correction and the Sheriff cannot De
done away with, the structure could De er'c''u
with n partitiOn 10 conform 10 the necessities OF
| the dual administration. The architecture OF The
| Tomhs has already suffered from high buildings
| within It's limits aud about all that can be done
with Il eventually Is 10 preserve It's outer walls
| az the surrounding Of m Enclosure. Whatever u
nloccd there must Of necessity peer over The old
Epyutian structure. and higher building con
| structed after modern methods VIII be no more
objectionable than the lower from an nrchi
,ecturol polnt Of view. and will De In every way
| as suitable for prison.
| The Ludlow Street Jail has long been dis
grace 70 the city, not SO much from iis structure
| as lis management II has been farned fof
profit by It's managers. The food served to those
| who were unable 10 pay for extras WAS no'or1'
ously bad under former Sheriffs, for the apparent
purp,se of forcing prisoners 10 take board ~
the Wsrden's table, quite In the fashion OF Inc
Old English debtors prison There IS no reason
| TO suppose that any change has taken place I'm
| der Tamsen His Warden. Rnabc, notwl'hs'and
| ing tbe notorious character Of The pDs'onict
| thieves. treated them with extreme consldera
tlon for n round sum n week from the funds they
had stolen and gave them better food than fh'
| moor fellow in jail on some civil complaint could
procure. The Sherlf's prison Is ami has Deer
| conducted on loose methods. and the system IT
| vogue there IS an anacnronsm which Should ID
| abolished II the law requires separate lns'i
tuition under the Sherlfs charge. let us have one
managed with some vigilance. enlightenment
and equality OF treatment for prisoners.