New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-21
IN THE CONDEMNED CELLS"
WHERE MURDERERs AWAIT THEIR DAY
OF DOOM AT SING SING.

THEY ARE KEPT ALWAYS IN SIGHT AND RE-
CEIvE BETTER TREATMENT THAN ORDG-
NARY PRIsoNERs-THE LAST DAYS.
In that part Of the State Prison at Sing Sing
which contains the condemned cells three men
all negroes-await the day aside for their execu-
ton by electricity for the crime of murder. One OF
the number has exhausted all the usual means Of
delay the last -norts have been made in his behalf
and unless Executive clemency sd"es him he will be
killed according to law next month. The other two
men may. through counsel and friends delay exc
cution for some time.
The place where these people confined is the one
part OF the Institution to which Warden Sage will
admit visitors except those who have permission
10 visit the wretchcs who are confined there The
apartment. which is difficult OF access. contains
eight cells, larger. lighter, better ventilated and
better furnished than any others in the institution
But they are more carefully guarded, also Two
men are constantly on duty there and the cells
so arranged that the occupants always in full
sight In describing them Warden Sage said
The floor of the condemned cells is about six
inches higher than that OF the into which they
look This and the fact that the whole front Of the
cells is open. except for the steel bars which run
from the top to the bottom, make it easy TO keep
a thorough watch on the occupants. In each Of the
cells there cot and table and 1t H. otherwise
arranged that the occupant will not leave it
for retral reseDtence or for some other cause The
inner space Is about seven by eight feet; the sky
lights give perfect light by day and there are many
electric lamps in the place for use AZ night
Besides the regular lock. the cell door is made
doubly secure with a chain held in place by pad
lock During the last few days before an execution
the chain fastening is the only used the cell
of the condemned man. ana 4 heavy iron bar Is
kept the cell door. with which the chain may
be broken in of necessity. This plan was suS-
gested the time when Carlyle Harris stuffed par
tcles of food into the keynote Of the lock I'm his cell
door TO delay removing the chain. well-directed
blow with the iron bar will snap the chain and give
the keepers access 10 the prisoner Even the people
who are allowed to visit the grewsome chamber
not get close TO the condemned because wire
screen high the cells along the front and
separates them by three feet from the man. with
whom they cannot whisper on that account. When
either friend or a spiritual adviser calls on one Of
the condemned men, the curtains on the other cells
ar. lowered so that the visitor can only the one
convict"
The man who comes to Sing Sing to be killed for
his arrival than the whose papers read Muir
der second degree; life" or even the whose
credentials for citizenship I'm the striped community
name nothing more serious than larceny. The ordi-
nary malefactor is Ghorr and shaved, stripped of
every vestge Of clothing with which he may have
come from the sunshine Of free life into the gloom
Of degrading captivity and is hustled away
little dngy CELL where, over piece Of bread and a
dipperful OF bootleg coffee" he may ruminate
over his condition.
The condemned murderer Is neither shaven nor
shorn when he to the prison. He is Invested
OF contraband property but is allowed to retain the