The advocate., 1895-05-22

TUT 6ONb9 VsHo " HUS DGoib CbtS Upois CSVfoS @ses
the police force of Buffalo has been eRdeGUOrinG
to make record for itself, and e has also beer
openly charged thot In certain precincts the OH
GERS haze been guilty Gf indiScrimindte arrest
ing
And from che subsequent action Of th'
police Justices in convicting everybody taken
before them, CredenCe may be given TO the
remark Of q prominent attOFP ey, who in
court yesterday said that the judges were la'
boring under Che idea that the police never
arrested anybody who was mot guilty, and
that they felt 10 incumbent upon them %
convict all.
An instance Of this: Wednesday o prisoner
was taken TO che penitentisry in bhe Black
Maria, and bob" SsGdler informed the au
thorities there thstthe charge against John
Doe" was vagranCy, and when his name was
being taken "John Doe" was told TO shell
out his personal property.
Much TO the surprise of everyone, he had
$40 in his pockets. IL seemed that he had
not been allowed 10 even pay fine.
Communication was imm ediately had
with the precinct from which the prisoner
had been sent and Keeper Neal was Ourtly
told that all they could flnd on him was 50.
In Collusion with the police, il is alleged
that the officers of the various railroads,
known as railroad detectives, are extremely
active in such affairs.
Unemployed men, who are neither vsgs
nor buns, but who are sndesvoring TO get
west Of Buffalo when they find no work
here, are also among those who soon and
themselves vRggsd in the penitentisry with
out apparent reason.
Angola, N, Y, seems TO be the limit,
judging By the loads which are continually
being shipped from that point. All Of the
men referred TO who are trying TO get West
for work, are nipped along the railroads
and confined in Aag phanties until some
friendly conductor comes along who brings
them 10 the outskirts Of Buffalo.
OF course, some of these men are fit sub
jsCts for the prisons, but something ig
wrong when twenty-five prisoners are
brought down from the little station Of An
COLA at one time, all charged with being
tramps.
Then, too, many Of the prisoners are be-
hind the bars Of 8heiF own accord. They
become tired, and wishing a short reOuper-
alton manage to get a short sentence, know.
ing full we'll that Che Erie county Peniten-
tiary is 90 crowded that they will not be
compelled TO work. Here they are well-fed
and well taken care Of generally.
In consequence of the agitation Of
the subject the grand jury of the
Buffalo superior court made q per-
sonal investigation of the peniten-
tiary and the Enquirer of May s has
some additional facts to think about.
Il says:
Assistant District Attorney QusOkenbush
accompanied the jury, and he, as well as the
jury, was greatly surprised TO And such
terrible state of affairs. Here the jury
learned that not only were prisoners corded
three in a coil, but that many were obliged
TO sleep on the stone floors in the corridors
al night.
Keeper Neal has long since given up all
attempts TO give more than small proper.
zion Of the prisoners work, and the great
crowds which are being constantly shipped
90 the penitentiRry By the police and morn
ing Justices, render the authorities abso-
lutely helpless. Trdmps are being sent dO1OD
lOtthosH being GIlOtUed eueB The right Of bGt1, TO
soy nothing of q jury trial.
Is this America? Is this the coun-
try in which q constitution was once