The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-23
VISITORS At SNAKE Hill
Warden Ryan Conducts
Bureau Of Information
Touching Scenes.

The National holiday was quietly cele-
brated among Hudson county's unfortu-
nate and erring children living in the in
stitutions at Snake Hill. Work in the
penitentiary and the other buildings was
suspended and many of the attendants
were away paying visits n otherwise
enjoying themselves. The arrival of the
10:45 A. M. train from Hoboken brought
q large number of friends of the inmates
and these were at once admitted. At the
Penitentiary Deputy Warden Fields and
John Mersheimer did the honors in the
absence of Colonel Grimes. The prisoners
were locked up in their cells and those
only who had wives. s~weethearts. sisters,
cousins and aunts calling were permitted
a few minutes freedom.
DR.. King, the medical director of the
Lunatic Asylum, was 1t his post, but
there were few visitors at that institution.
Those who walked through the hand
some new structure had every courtesy
bestowed or them by the matson, Mrs.
Brady, and Misses ellison and OAley.
1.-THE Bureau of information" as
Warden Robert Ryan humorously called
his little office in the Almshouse, was
busy all day and the ever kind and genial
warden was skipping about answering
calls on the telephone, attending to
tradesmen who supply the institution, d.
recting callers to the various departments
and occasionally listening TO a piteous
plea.
please, sir" could you give me a pair
Of boots" whined a hungry looking tramp
with two pieces of leather covering the
upper part of his feet.
My dear man" said the warden. ST
could give twenty-five pairs away a day
if a them, but I can't" hen noticing
the sorry condition of the visitor the con
siderate warden gave him a pair of his
own and n man went away happy.
Well. h is this?" said Mr.. Ryan to
a tall man who was carrying a little
Deserted by his parents and sent here
by the court" was the brief reply of the
man and without a moments hesitation
the warden gently picked up the little
attendant.
Now, Mary" said the Warden to the
next visitor, a woman who had been
brought into the Almshouse a few days
charged yesterday, and now wanted her
two children who had beer taken from
ner. You cant.have these children until
I am sure you will take care of them"
The woman begged, cried entreated.
and went away promising that she would
never touch a drop again. The children
will be restored to her if she shows signs
of true repentance.
These scenes, and some Of them very
heart rending, are so common on the
Hill that only a visitor is 4affected bv
them. Lucky it is that the Warden has
in his amiable wife an admirable help
meet. Mrs. Ryan is a di~sciplinarian, but
rules with the iron hand in a glove of
velvet. Kindly to all the inmates and at
tendants she is justly respected. Towards
nights when the inmates were retiring to
rest the Warden and his family proceeded
to take a well earned recreation. They
had ar informal party, consisting of Mrs.
Fay. Miss Fay, their charming daughters.
Miss Gallagher of Utica, N. X, and Miss
Carrie Hurst of New York city. Miss
Fay played some plano solos in a bril-
liant style, Miss Hurst sang with infinite
sweetness and expression and Miss Mary
Fl. Ryan contributed two pretty songs.
The Warden and the. remainder of the
guests made an appreciative audience.