Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-31
JUSTICE TOMLIN,

istNtil SiNcll tllc SilOhE IL
thought to say where the new building
should be- nor what ii should be like.
but believe Il modern, up-to-date jail
is Il great necessity in u city of this
size. and Norfolk hasn't anything of
the kind now, that's sure. The class of
people that infest our Jail are mainly
not over clean naturally and there is
very little chance To keep clean or get
clean there, and there should be some
arrangement made by which the Jail
would not be looked on by them as an
orphan asylum, where they can go and
Keep warm every winter. or be sup
ported when they are too lazy to work.
The new jail is Il decided necessity.
Ii,E-GIIA1eLES- -ISIZER,
of the Police Department. when asked
for his views. responded as follows:
NO one who has ever given the mat
ter moments thought will deny that
an enlarged Jail ana station house is
very essential. In fact. were 1t not for
the unusual attention given by Ser
Seant Lawler and his able corps OF
assistants there would proba bly, have
long since been serious illness among
the crowded inmates.
Every imaginable sanitary precau-
ton has been taken. but the fact still
remains that the present building Is
not large enough To accommodate the
criminal element Of this city. When
the present Jail was erected II was
doubtless ample to accommodate all
who were sentenced to be therein con-
fined. but now that Norfolk is a city of
$1,000 or 10000 inhabitants. it is wholly
Inadequate. Mayor Johnston has fire.
quently remarked upon this fact, and
have no doubt that he could give some
timely information concerning the need
Of Jail and station house
THE location is. of course. n very
tlAt sts,t, l.
should be built with Il view of accom-
modating the criminal element of a city
of not less than l25 900 or 100 600
In my opinion it should include
police headquarters, Jail reformatory
for boys, Police Justice Court. patrol
wagon house. as we'll as gymnasium
and reading room for officers When
the present police station was built it
was designed TO accommodate about
thirty-ive or forty officers. To-day it
Is forced to accommodate Il force in
excess Of eighty men. The present sta
! ton is wholly inadequate and it is all
most crime to imprison II person in
the Jail. owing to its over-crowdcd con-
dition. This state of affairs cannot he
avoided by officials of the jail. as we
all know that il is not in their power
to enlarge the building
Were the Councils cognizant of the
conditions that actually and of neces-
sity exist believe they would i'm
mediately take steps To correct the
same"
HON. GEORGE L. BOWDEN
Clerk Of the United States District
| ana circuit Courts. and United States
commissioner tni. So. ti-At 1902
on the subject. and gave his opinion as
follows: The prisoners brought up here
from the present Jail complain bitter
~ WIN one accord. of the condition of
the Jail. IL Will be remembered that all
United States prisoners, anterior TO be-
ing brought before this court or before
me as commissioner. whose trial does
not occur Immediately following their
arrest. and who cannot or are not al
| lowed TO give bail. are committed to
thls jan as are also those criminals
sentenced to short terms of inprison-
ment. This matter Of the iails present
crowded and unsanitary condition has
Frequently been called to our attention
and but few days ago Judge WaddiIl
Speaking to United States Marshal
Morgan Treat. advised the marshall to
look around and find some other place
in which 10 keep United States prison
| ers. Norfolk county and Portsmouth
jallS were mentioned even as possible
places for such use
Il think now jail for Norfolk is an
absolute necessity. and that it should
not only be built at once. but also as
near the court house as possible he
cause The United states court house
Will soon he erected much nearer that
locality than ut present. l would suG-
gest. if asked, the corner opposite the
police station or the lot directly in rear
OF the present Jail Something will have
To be done soon. or course. nv oninion
IS based on reports made To mo of the
Jail Personally | know nothing about
the condition of the present structure.
as have managed to keep out Of inil
for several years past Notwithstanding
inc evident desires of some of my past
friends"
DEPUTY MARSHAL WEST.
Deputy United States Marshal ] e.
West said that he knew something
about the present Jail as he had visited
II frequently while Andersen was a
prisoner there. ana remarked, when
ASKED his opinion Of it:
u know that unless Norfolk builds
o proper jail. and that pretty soon.
the United states prisoners frequently
incarcerated there viii he sent to some
other place: and other places are build
ing jals To mako bids for this very
class Of prisoners. The present Jail IS
totally unfit for tho Incarceration of