New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-05
MANY SAW THE WHISKEY.
TESTIMONY TO PROVE THAT LIQUOR WAS
SOLD IN LUDLOW STREET JAIL
srrrp.r. WITNESSES TESTIFY TO THE MlsCoN-
DICT OF KEEPERS APPOINTED BY SHERIFF
rAMsEN-A woMAN's STORY OF
ILL-TREATMENT'

William H. Robertson, the CommiSs.o"e t ~
| nointed by Governor Morton TO NnVes''s.e
| charges against Sheriff Tamsen, continued III. III.
.,.,,e ,..s,erdav IN the old brownstone Court
rIa,,sa and listened to more testimony 10 support
| tho charges that Ludlow Street jan mas pee" i'
! managed There crowd IN the room "'s's"
| ~ his use and the air in the room was oPpreS''e
! Mr. Hansen looked as If he thought the eh're
! a,,os zero opnressive when he was called 10
,,o witness chair and asked what had become OF
| denoston made by Lena Kuenstler, FORMER p''s
| oner in the jail. ,,., %
General Tracy the Sherin's counsel, objected 10
the production Of the paper on the GROUND ''id' II
aas Tho nronerty Of the defence, and Commissioner
! Robertson sustained the objection. Inc '"., -,
| smiled he left the cnalr "it'""t "o
! to produce the paper. ~, ..,
Robert J. Irwin was the next wi'he's' " 49,,
fed that ne had been civil prisoner ~ C
Street Jail and was acquainted with "liha'i 80,
Is1or Isoacs and other prisoners who had tes'''eu
| =, tho investigation He saw the assault os d
keener upon Isaacs, who was seized oy '',e In
| Lied owav from a notice the wall lsaacs was
! s,a,aing In n prohibited place. The notice was o
| f., reference to sick prisoners beinS leu " nv,
| and water pending the arrival OF ,ie ~ IA
| .,,ross knew Of whiskey being used III 'ie JiI 49,,
was requested to take part IN iesO', ,n keener
/ ,,, he declined because he did not Inc Wv -,
| ho extended the invitation. Il had no te0po'
,h Lo.ror" said the witness. "and I'll" "'' VIZ"
70 drink with a man did not ADMIRE
vtusKry FOR KEEPERS AND fhi0'' '''''
nj, u,os. saw bottles of whIskey IN inc p'
scsslon OF keepers and prisoners. 'i' u -, $780,,
or. wos Rumpf "T drank some OF 'ne
said the witness "and II was very poor ''"" .ha,
. ,,,.. ~ ,lnuor and | know OF ce''hi'''S '
J""h " ., t., tho tail was bad. Whlskey was
-. % c:rsv n prisoner Keeper Bauer o'ous'i'
mo liouor 7 remember the night or the tehe. ." ~
Ice IN tho JAIL on December Sl' Inc wa, ,"ors
A., evcnlng dress lie talked some. oeNei"t "'
and some prisoners were intoxicated Oh 'na' o01"
,o, WAS in the fail when several OF the Keepers
go s;.,arx.d I REGARDED Isaacs. who was as
i.sd nv a keeper as quite youthful ana l
though, II hard II ne was abused d'u not A"o"
that Isaacs was twenty-three years oa'
PENNY Attorney-Gencral Hasbrouck looked d.
General Tracy and smingly SAID; ooi'e HIGH -
seventy are youthful in demeanor
The witness testified that ne never na' any
,,iol difficulty with the keepers. The Keepers never
,n,errered with him He had studied law III" Nv
recommended lawyer TO prisoners III ING 'A''
Ke.pers id not object 10 this proceeding on '"o
par, OF the witness The witness believer "a'
tho fac, that he knew about the "whisHey pus-
ness' had something TO do with the Keepers irleho-
ure.s toward him boy. who al least was under
,wentv-ons years old. probably a janitor Drought
po,,or 10 the witness IN the jail He could no, re-
member tho boys name. Tho "h'sKey WAS pau
for . ~,
min. 4 keeper would bring me bottle. dtlhN
first himself and IL, have all that was 'eit IN
tho bottle Sometimes got drink without pay
ing for H. was In Ludlow Street jan as a JUG
ment debtor was broker anu "''' NV" ~ "
adjuster Of claims
n .acir.-, IN stlte the nature OF the claims
ar any what kind OF broker he was before ne
was In Ludlow Street Jail letter was hahdeu
70 tho witness and ne Identified 1t as MS manu-
writing The letter written In jail. II contained
tho following:
The keepers around have got 50 rcd headed that
NE ere Obliged to take them In hand. and we ala u
very gallan,ly too right from tho shoulder az II
were Rumpf Bauer. Bennett, buchanan ana hoche'
and the whole Ave have got 10 60 in the soup
Mrs Lena Kuensler tho next witness. She
s,id TIA, she had made deposition IN tho case ana
then sho was permitted 20 step aside
Sheriff Tauisen was recalled TO the witness stand
uo was asked Y no had moro dispositions than any
,~s,,.-, IN his poscess don Iio said: There IL no
other deposition IN my possession. don't know
whore Il IS"
WOMAN'S TESTIMONY.
General Tracy and Mr. Haserouck had an arsu-
mont about the papcr which General Tracy SAID ne
had In his possession. and Intended 10 keep ms u De
longed TO tho defence. Commmissioner hooertHoh
took time AZ rocc-s 10 consider tho question raised
IN Tho dispute and after recess he compecd the de-
f.nc, TO produc, tho paper. MIRA kuenstler who
signed the paper. then began 70 testify tn earnest
She aid prisoner In Ludlow street JAN for
I'VE months FOR the alleged Illegal drawing OF pen
aon She saw the assault made by Keeper buchanah
upon Isiior Isaacs Isascs shouted Il want 10 see the
Wardcn" She also saw the assault By Keeper Ben
nett upon Friedman. TWO keepers singcd prison.
.r's whiskerS She did not know II the slngeing was
In Fun or not. Keeper Rumpf. she said. came into
her cell She had an apple and gave him piece OF
H. He locked the door she continued, and re-
maincd In the cell a little whle lie put his arm
around me and said night need a friend and that
no never forced his friendship upon any woman
never again attempted 20 put his arm around me.
Thcyc was no IMPROPERLY. lie was In FUN and didn't
The witness pointed out Rumpf who SAL among
tho spectators and said 10 Commissioner Robertson
cs..ly saw whskey In the jail. She heard Rumpf
say there was no pFoht N Drinking whlskey ior 70
Two weeks after Rumpt had been 80 disagree
The Warden. Rumpf was suspended for week
changing her fr,m her cell TO another one less
desirable. She objected, and was not worried be,
no power to- cnanse her quarters Che warmed her
coffee on mo restst,r ana gave eonee TO other pris
further "monkeylng' about the coffee one keeper
Plait man" Rumpf. the witness said thought he
could not be removed because he belonged to
II complained the Sheriff" the witness said
and he Laughed or rather smiled lie smled-sort
pleased. as l was not very well acquainted with
m"
| Robert j. Irwin was recalled 10 the witness chair
He list OF prisoners who paid for their meals
| They were II. j. Hessmer. Robert Steiner william
Gray. benjamin Shea. l.. J. Moore. and others
Irwin paid SIS week to the Warden for board
That was part Of the game" he said. "T the
word game because there was so much said about
cards"
Robert Steiner then took the witness stand He
was examined regarding the "GonzaleZ' letter. and
he said the letter never went out Of his custody
while he had IT, No Sheriff's officer ever ATTEMPTED
buy the letter. He said no cut the signature from
the letter: He was not certain that he did not tell
the Sheriff the contents OF the letter. He had talk
with the Sheriff about the letter. He cut the sig
naure OFF In the Sherns presence.
Kucnstler's affairs and other happenings In jail
The witness could not remember II ne told the
Sher ffthe contents Of the letter He had in