The evening world., 1895-06-28
,,1oMBs PRISON
Z FULL OF EVILS.
Grand Jury Recommends That
Numerous Changes Be
Made at Once.
200 MORE CELLS WANTED.
Two Prisoners Obliged to Sleep
With Ones Head to the
Others Feet.
~ MEN REST IN A 12X25 ROOM.
80
Mere Box for a Hospital and the
Small Ten.0ay Cell Sometimes
Contains $50 Men.
200 MORE CELLS WANTED.
27 MEN REST IN A 12x25 ROOM.

The Grand Jury to-day handed in a
presentment against the Tombs prison.
The committee visited the Jail on June
% and made a thorough examination.
They say that owing to the building
having been erected on the site of what
was the collect pond the main building
has so settled at each end that the
heavy walls are cracked almost from
roof to foundation.
The prison at the time of it's erection
irr 1888 had. l43 cells for males and 30
f,h females. Since that time they say
there have been added about 80 cells.
These with u cells for boys. make a to-
tai Of 2s5. while the population of the
city has increased from 300. 900 to 1.sO0
oOo Continuing. the presentment says:
During the month OF May the num-
Der of prisoners confined in the Tombs
averaged about 800 at time. On May
20 the number was 365. owing to the
special efforts OF our Grand Jury to re-
duce the number OF prison cases. they
having devoted their especial attention
to this matter during their sitting.
Two Hundred More Cells Wanted.
"The Warden, recommends that there
should be 200 additional cells, and
bAour committee indorses this request.
This can be done by taking in the
Centre street side Of the building and
by carrying the main prison UP rs many
! stories as may be considered necessary
by tho architects In charge.
1T seems that In planning the present
Criminal Court Building, although very
fine rooms were appropriated for the
Police Justice courts. there was no pro-
vision made for temporary prison pens
for prisoners br ,ught to court awaiting
trial.
1.-THE consequence is that the Police
Justices elected &c remain in the Tombs
building. ..,a-y. r~-Is.-
"This is a trivial excuse for the rea son
that pens should be placed In a portion
Of the courtroom and the Police Jus
tices removed to rooms in the Criminal
Court Building.
''This would enable the whole Centre
y street side OF the Tombs properly to be
de,oted to cell accommodation, with
room on the ground floor for cooking.
laundry. lavatory and storing facilities.
A DIot on the City.
"And In this connection we will say
that the laundry, cooking and sleeping
J accommodations are entirely inadequate
and blot on the fair name or our city.
THE kitchen. which has to provide
Il food for 500 persons, Is IL by 20 feet. not
large enough for a small boarding house.
THE same may be said Of the iaun-
dry. The room for help Is but II by Is.
and In this room twenty-seven men are
obliged to sleep.
1.-THE hospital is but S by Is feet, and in
this space all the prisoners suffering
from any complaint, when they are not
k3hligsS to be sent to a regular hospital
Kffor acute or contagious diseases. are
| u placed.
THE lavatory accommodations scarce
hy sHd pUron %hfn Of dSr petPe pa
sent here reeking with filth and pollu-
ton. the result OF the want Of lavatory
conveniences can be realized.
Crowded Ten-Day Cell.
1.-THE ten-day prison is 12x3O feet. and
here sometimes l5o persons are placed
which to lie. and your committee are at
= loss to figure how 1t is possible for
this number Of persons to be accommo-
dated. even with a couch on the stone
"The cells in the main prison are 5xs
feet in the clear, and here two persons
cot, as the Warden terms 1t. .''heads
And points," with one mans feet at
W other mans face.
Oefminals with Innocent Men,
"A great moral objection to placing
more than one man IN cell Is the
ened criminals with perhaps an inno-
cent man arrested on suspicion.
This applies especially to female
prisoners. We think that we have
shown enough to % call for Il the E., most de-
.'The money required should not be a
matter that should enter into the calcula
tion. We feel perfectly satisfied that
when this subject is brought to the at
" tention Of the people there will not be
which win remedy this evil Signed
JAMES T. YOUNG,
"GEORGE r. HAMILTON,
COMMITTEE -
The Grand Jury also handed in the
following presentment:
"The Grand Jury, In investigating the
condition of the House of Detention
found twelve women In confinement
4 one nearly two months. six others ovei
one month. These persons were not
charged with crime. but were held as
witnesses for the people.
I'm view of this Imprisonment OF IN
nocent persons. the Grand Jury is IN I'm
newly appointed City Magistrates t.
the subject. These provisions were
formulated expressly to prevent the pn
due detention of witnesses. but thel
have been In a large measure ignored
by the Police Justices.