The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-11
ANEW YORK WOMAN'S X-RAYS.
A DESCRIPTION OF A VISIT TO THE
TOMBS.

A reference to ex-Capt. Carter-A
Luncheon in "a Fifth Avenue Man
sion-A Description of the House
and the Table Furnishings-Why
Mrs. George Gould Is Not a Lead
err of Society-Ifer Home the Finest
of the LOt-HideOus Faces Women
Make in the Streets-An interest
ing Philippine Letter-A Touching
Scene in Chambers Street.
New York, Feb. "a sudden desire
seized me the other morning to go and
visit the Tombs. What sights! What de-
spairing faces 1 saw! 1t seems to me if
a law was enforced compelling everyone.
children, and men and women, to visit
once a year the jails of our cities, so we
could have the suffering and discomforts
of the criminals brought straight home 10
us, there would be fewer inmates in these
inhabitable asylums of vice.
do not advise any of you to visit the
Tombs in New York. 1t will give you the
blues for weeks.
The authorities are constructing hand
some Gothic jail to replace the old Tombs.
! could not make up my mind at first to
enter. I had a criminal lawyer with me
who laughed at me because I walked
around the block twice before could mus
ter up the courage to enter and witness
the melancholy sights within. 1 uncon-
sciously raised my eyes to the coping over
hanging the big entrance, to see if Dantes
inscription was carved there. GAN we who
enter here leaveth all hope behind" You
could never imagine anything human liv-
ing inside those poorly lighted walls. 1t
looks like an uncouth place for storing ice
meats.
We were ushered into small hall by
swo policemen, who stood guard just in
side the gate. The lawyer with me gave
his name and business. We were locked
in a diugy reception room, to await The
coming of the prisoner. He came through
Il long corridor, the door was unlocked
again, he entered and again it was lock-
ed and stayed so until our visit was fin
ished. Then the policeman led out the
poor crushed despairing unfortunate, we
were set at liberty also and the room was
again locked. 1 suppose all this precau-
lion is to prevent anything being secreted
in the visitor or counsels rooms, as
they are called
At the desk Just at the end Of the hall
was standing a long line of miserable peo-
pe, just brought in by the police They
were being put through a searching exam
3uation.. Every pocket was examined, ana
every place wherein anything could be con-
cealed, knives, pocketbooks, alas, invaria-
bly, empty. Pictures Of mothers and
sweethearts fathers and brothers; il was
all heartrending AS passed out, an Of
fcer. recognizing one of these poor broth
crs of ours. called out in a kindly voice.
hapL m pla n
see you" and poor Tom smiled broader
and broader as the warmth kindled in his
heart by this little word of kindness, AMI
sent the blood of gratitude rushing to his
cheeks. J got out as quickly as possible,
into the open air and thanked God that
had seen Tom smile for there was one rag
Of happiness left in the Tombs.
Why should civilization produce such
fruit? Barbara nations never did.
l for one firmly believe that poverty is
not only akin to crime, but is the cause of
most of it.
On my way home in The car my thoughts
naturally turned TO 'ex-Capt. Oberin Car
ter who is still confined in Castle Will
Hams on Governors Island. man who
loved the flesh pots of Egypt. and all the
graceful Injuries of life, a man hand
some, magnetic, brilliant, ambitious, the
greatest favorite in society, with the dis
West Point ever had A man possessing
everything but wealth, but sacrificing all
for the lust of money. In his profession
as an engineer officer, he could not hope
10 acquire riches as quickly as he de-
sired, so, according to the verdict of his
fellow officers, he swindled the govern
ment that had educated and supported
him.
He was so beloved, so respected so adj
mired that 1t was only too easy. No one
ever suspected even when The govern
ment limited at an investiga ton, such
storm of Indignation swept over Savan-
nah as to nearly render it an impossible
ity for the judge advocate to proceed.
For over a year after the army brought
in a verdict of guilty" he enjoyed his
luxurious apartments in a sweTl New York
athletic club.
But the day of reckoning had to come,
and one morning he was ruthlessly torn
from his comforts, and roughly hurried
TO Castle Williams, where he has spent
four months Of his life. in a narrow stone
cell, spider webs drapng his window in
stead of silk curtains. A hard pallet and
rough brown blankets in place of laven-
der-scented sheets and silk down quilts,
plain prison fare to reproach him for the
epcurean waste of the past.
His LIE, his hopes, are a an end. His
career ruined. After he serves his sem
tence, Oblivion is all that awaits him.
The rough touch OF sordid ambition has
broken the cobweb of his life, and no
artist in the world can ever mend it for
him.
That same day that visited the Tombs
] went to a luncheon on Fifth avenue,
which was in every respect the antipode
Of the scene In the Tombs l will nos
attempt TO describe the white marble
house and its interior embellishments but
] will describe the dining room, and
may be able TO give you q few new ideas
Tor your next lunch party.
We had to walk down four white mar
ME steps. with handsome palms on each
step, to the magnificent dining room. 1t
was octagonal and had six windows with
The bright sunshine peeping in from the
nacomingly lowered lace-trmmed shades.
The walls were wainscotted nearly half
way in white marble ana the remainder
icing hung in red silk The floor was COW
cred with white marble tiles and red