The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-01-02
HOW RELIGIOUS SERVICES ARE
CONDUCTED AT THE
TOMBS
LARGE, D|NGY and i'll VENTILATED
days at Certain Hours, and During
Service Number are AL
ways Present.

part IN the criminal annals of this coun-
try. The readers of this column will be
interested to know something about this
celebrated prison and the services which
are held Sabbath to Sabbath by religious
men and women for the spiritual comfort
of its wretched inmates In the last issue
of the Christian Herald quite lengthy
account of the prison is given, from which
the following is extracted:
Passing along the west side of Center
street, New York, within few minutes
walk of the city hall, the pedestrian finds
himself in glOomy-looking building of a
style of architecture that strongly recalls
the Egyptian. Ascending broad fight
of stone steps and passing in between mas
sive stone pillars, the visitor stands on
the threshold of the most famous prison in
America-the Tombs. Its interior is a
quadrangle, containing some 300 cells, ar
ranged in tiers, one above another, and
each tier with a corridor. The entrance
to the prison proper is ON Franklin street,
through locked and barred grating. On
the left of the main entrance is the war
den's office, from which short hallway
leads to the cells. The main entrance
is the famous Toombs police court, with
the court of special sessions on the left
The latter is connected with the prison
IN the rear by a structure known as 1.-THE
bridge of sighs," so called from the fact
that condemned prisoners are lead across
II after conviction. Two years ago, how
ever, when the new criminal court build
ing was erected On the west side of Cen
ter street between Franklin and White.
new bridge of sighs'' was built to con-
meet it with the Tombs prison. Even
III the two years since it was built it has
already acquired pathetic history 1t is
mainly OF iron very stoutly guarded and
prisoners being led to it from the Tombs
by covered passage-way. Many hope
less prisoner, as he treads that iron path
way, with an officer of the law on either
side to prevent escape, realizes too late
that the way of the transgressor is
hard"
Where the Tombs prison now stands
was, in pre-revolutionary days, the site
of the public gibbet which was planted
in small island in the Collect pond-a
marsh that was afterward reclaimed and
hlled IN. Seven negro slaves were exc
cuted there in 1741 for alleged completely
IN the negro riots of that year and since
then a great number of other criminals,
white and black have met a similar fate
for capital offenses. The present build
ing. was erected in 1910. Originally of
white granite, it is now a dingy. faded
gray. For several years past the annual
commitments of prisoners have averaged
25,0D0. "e''
The Tombs police court has become his
torlc. 1t is large. dingy, ill-lighted and
ill-ventilated rooms, the bench and bar .,
the north end and seats for witnesses and
spectators on either side of the room.
liere nave sat in judgment on offenders
against the law a long line of justices,
some of them of National fame. Here
100, have been arraigned hundreds of
thousands of criminals of both sexes and
Oh all ages and nationalities, accused of
every crime on the calendar, from 81 nple
to murder. During half n
century the Tombs police court has had
Detore 1t a noted array of noted crlmi-
nails, the most important of whom. offer
a nearing and commitment have been
taken to other courts for trial More
OIL the human tiotsam and jetsam. the
waits and drunkards, the disselute and
pro1llgate, the wanton and the unfortu-
nate, have been arraigned at the bar of
the Iombs than in any other court. Jus-
tee has been tempered with mercy and
thousands of young criminals of First
have been, saved from a ca
reer OF crime by the leniency of the
Iombs. justices in discharging them with
wholesome advice instead of consigning
them to cell. p,
saturday night is usually a season of
revel with the lowest class of the city's
and there are many, arrests
Tor drunkenness in consequence. Such
offenders are kept together in a large cell
Or room which has frequently contained
over 100 prisoners, all of whom are ar
raigned on Sunday morning before the
justice. Court opens early. and this class
of Offenders is disposed of as rapidly as
possible, line and imprisonments being
imposed in proportion to their offenses'
Many are discharged with a reprimand
ana sanitary caution. 1t is sad and
significant fact that the great majority
OF saturday night arrests are for drunk
In the motley and dilapidated
crowd. in the ''pen"-as the prisoners
cage is called-are some striking con-
lraSts. respectable working men and
Styhshiy dressed women are jostled and
pushed by low-browed rufiians and by
.ne uhIortunates of the street; merchants
ma clubmen who have been ''taken in,
FOR too much conviviality, stand side nv
sue with plckpockets. common drunkards
and viragos who fill the air with their
profanity. Here and there a battarod
face tells of a brawl with fists. clnbs mr.
KNIVES as weapons. Police justices arc
usually keen judges of human nature,
md the really hardened criminal or pro,
[esslonal rogue has little chance ot tho
par OF a police court, while mercy is Of |
.unate. "i uhioi
Divine service is held at 8 O'Clock with. !
,ut chapel or meeting house, the court Of
ne main prison being utilized for that
purpose. The chaplain. Sidney G. Law
'tands on the corridor platform where tho
PRISONERS can see him from their cell in |
ne tiers on either side. above and below
some OF them sit quietly on their benches
estenlng; some stand at the grating and |
vatch the preacher, earnestly drinking in
very word of the service he is condlIct-
hg, and even joining in the singing. A |
ew appear totally Indifferent, and do not |
now themselves at all. Every syllable
u the short sermon can be heard at the |
arthest corner of the corridors Prison
ificers stand around ready to interfere.
mould any prisoner interrupt the service.
mt this rarely occurs. At intervals. as
he misic or the preaching continues.
ONE prisoner who is needed, it may be.
\ the Justices court, is quietly removed.
'ormerly no singing was permitted, but
ow it is one of the attractive features
f the service. Visitors are allowed in
he prison SUNDAYS Mt certain hours and