The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-28
Large Number Of Murderers
Lodged There Awaiting
Appeals or Trials.
YHg MEN AND THEIR CRIMES.
improvements introduced by
Sheriff Heller Into the
Prison Management.

b principal one Of these five is Ed
ward T.. Clifford, who killed Superintend-
ent Watson In the Weehawken depot two
years ago. He has been tried, condemned
and sentenced to die on the scaffold, but
has carried his case to the United States
Supreme Court, which body will consider
his appeal at the October term of court.
Then comes Robert Quale, who killed
old man Lynch, In Lafayette. He was
convicted of the lesser degree of murder
and was sentenced to twenty years i'm
~prisonment. He, too, has appealed and
wants d new trial.
The remainder are:-sW. F.. Hugh, who
killed Abraham Curtis In Jackson's sae
loom on Montgomery street, a few days
ago; w. Nefll, who slew Thomas Drew,
a bartender, at Coles street and Clark
places and William Reed. the murderer
Of a young man. named Henry, in Hobo
ken recently. All Of have yet to
be tried and two of the three have not
yet been indicted. Their trials will take
place in the fall.
In what is known as "Murderers' Row"
these five men are confined. 1t is Ward
No. 8, In the jail nomenclature. and is di-
rectly under the eyes of the keepers. All
the Warden has to do to look at his
charges is to open a door in the small
room at the rear of his office and he
can see everything they do. Murderers
have only one privilege in the Jail and
that is they are allowed the freedom of
the corridor, but In everything else they
are like other criminals confined there.
Food sent into them is closely examined.
Keepers are always on the lookout for
files and any tools which might effect
the prisoners freedom. When the man
is soon to be executed he is removes
to the small room on the upper floor and
the death watch is set. Keepers never
leave him, night or day, and the doomed
man cannot make a move unnoticed by
the vigilant death watch, always the
most experienced men In the jail. No
food Is allowed to be received for the
murderer, for 1t would be an easy mat
ter TO put poison among the edibles and
thus cheat the gallows of a victim and
defeat the inexorable demand of the law
that he should "be hanged by the neck
until dead.'' In cases like this the Sheriff
always gives the wretched creature per-
mission to order what he pleases and
pays the bill himself. The Sheriff's kind
ness is sometimes misunderstood, as wit
ness a case which came recently under
the notice of a News reporter.
1t was that of Paul GEM, the murderer
Of Clara Arnim, who has since gone to
his doom, and the rope which hurled him
into eternity is hanging in the gruesome
exhibits displayed in the glass case in
the Prosecutors office. Paul. the day
after he was brought to the Jail. on see
ing the newspaper man at the grating,
came up and said, angrily:-
Look here! ! van you to show up
the JAIL
why, what's the matter2" he was
asked.
Matter! Why. 1 am not getting what
food I ask for
"Yon get the regular prison fare, do
you not?''s
ooh. yes; but I thought that murderers
could order what they please: chops, kid
neys. oyster stews. soft shelled crabs, and
all that"
sOnly condemned men may do that, and
it is only because of the Sheriff's kindly
nature, who pays for it out Of his own
pocket. The law gives him no directions
In tha matter, and he could, if he
pleased, furnish them with the ordinary
food"
"AH right said Genz, walking away;
wait until I am condemned, and then
won't / rave a feed every day"
GEM was as good as his word. He took
a great deal of pleasure in framing his
bill of fare every day, and Sheriff Heller
paid the amount, which. by the way, was
no very light one.
Mackin, the young man who killed his
wife and mother-in-law in Lafayette,
and who was hanged on the same day as
GEM, didn't care h food was given TO
him. He never knew what to order, but
followed GEMS lead, and at all times ate
sparingly. Equally indifferent as 10 his
food was "Fish'' John Czech, hanged
some time before the two mentioned. The
ordinary prison fare was good enough for
him, and on the morning of his execution.
when asked what he would like to eat for
breakfast, he said:-
Nothing; what's the use?"
Since Sheriff Heller took charge of the
jail a great many improvements have
been introduced. 1t has been the fashion
in certain quarters to criticize the conduct
of affairs in the Jail, and condemn every
thing connected with 1t, but the most
captious cannot deny that it is clean, free
from vermin. well ventilated, light and as
model a county jail as any in this or the
adjoining States. Under the watchful
eyes Of the matron, that universal favor
lite. Miss Rose Murray, thed domestic econ
omy Of that grim house on Newark ave-
nue., where Hudson's erring children are
confined, is as perfect as it could be.
Warden Lennon and his equally efficient
assistant, Ambrose Lynch. have removed
many Of the causes which led to the
scandal In the jail management during
the last administration, ana the Grand
Jurfes which Have visited the institution
since Sheriff Heller's administration have
un~hesitating1y declared that the manaye-
ment Of the jail is admirable. The Sheriff
like to see many more improve
ments; for instance places exclusively
for Witnesses and particularly those of
tender years who. he believes. and en-
perts on these matters praise him for 1t,
Should not be herded with criminals.
but he has no power to.talxe the Board of
Freeho1ders by the throat and compel
I hem sna e n, disgoTTg / r t. II irn IRE nm 5ne 5ai Il ne
IAN lis also looked after. Every Tuesday
and on the second Sunday in the month
members of the w. 81 z. u visit the
various wards and hold services. Mem
bers Of the Salvation Army go there
every Wednesday and second Sunday,
and the attentions OF these good people
are much appreciated. More than one
downward career has been
by the ILLUSTRATIONS of these
faithful workers among the jails OF our
land.
BOY STRUCK BY LOCOMOTIVE.