The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-13

new CITY JAIL |.
IN PROSPECT
Judge Witt Issues a Rule Against
the City Council.
MUST ANSWER NEXT TERM.
condition of the Present Structure
wildly Pictured by DIR. William
S, Gordon and the Jail
Commissioners.
MUST ANSWER NEXT TERM.
.o,nnonwealth,s Attorney Richardson, in

.commonwealth,s Attorney Richardson,ln
tho Hastings Court yesterday morning,
addressed Judge Witt upon tne questi question:
of the condition of the city jail.
No said that the structure was III
CONDITION that could but be revolving to
tho mind of every citizen. and moveu
that a rule be issued against the CITY
Council in the shape OF manoaHus
recurring them to show cause why tney
should not provide new jail Tor the CITY
of Richmond +h Toll
He submitted the report OF the Jaa
commissioners and a report from Dr.
corlion physician to the jail, and ne
moved that the rule be issued returnaoie
of tbe November term, the 9Th OF the
month.
CITY Attorney Pollard was present IN
the interests of the City Council, and sus-
gested that a day be fixed that "ouio
give to the Council sufficient time to
answer the rule. He thought that the
Council should have a meeting or two.
in order to prepare itself, and he also
thought that a special committee would
probably be appointed to investigate the
matter and report back to the Council.
Judge Witt said that the Council had
been illy-dallying about this matter Tor
twelve years, and that as little time
eho,,l1 be consumed as is absolutely nee
essarv in considering the matter now.
Something must be done at once, he SAID,
and the November term was fixed as
the time for the Council to reply
The rule of the court, as suggested oy
Commemorative Attorney Richardson, is
as follows:
RULE AS ISSUED.
Whereas. the grand jury of this court.
having been charged to investigate the
facts ana circumstances in connection
with the escape of a prisoner from the
Jail of the city of Richmond on the night
of Sept I'd, 1900, reported in writing on
September 18th, 1900. in part, as fol-
lows: AN investigation of the city jail
where Joseph Rapley. alias Topeka Joe,
was incarcerated on or about August
1st. and from which he is alleged to have
escaped on the night OF September I'd, IN
slant reveals condition OF affairs
which. in The opinion of the grand jury,
strongly reflects on the city OF richmond.
The jail is an old-fashioned structure, not
properly protected. Without entering into
minute details, the conviction Of the
grand jury is that it would not be very
difficult matter for a sharp or smart
prisoner to escape therefrom. unless
indeed, he was vigilanSly watched or
guarded all the time and the cell in which
he was confined examined closely and
critically at very short and stated inter
walls"
And whereas. the Jail Commissioners Of
this court, at the present October term
of the court have reported as follows:
COMMISSIONERS REPORT.
Richmond Va. Oct. 4th. 1900
To the Hon. S. B. Witt, Judge of the
Hastings Court;
We. the undersigned. Jail Commission
ers of the City OF Richmond, respectfully
beg leave 10 report as follows: We made
careful! inspection of the jail to-day
m
females. 2; colored males, Us; females, =;
total 1855.
We find that the food supplied to prison
ers is good and wholesome as we'll as
abundant. The jail building itself is in a
NEST deplorable condition.: it is in
very advanced stage of decay The So
called new part, or Hospital section has
verv few window sashes. Inc barrec1
window frames can easily be removed,
and many OF the doors to the cells are
without hinges. Holes in the call walls
aglow prisoners to pass anything from the
size of blanket to smaller articles to
each other The wooden door entrance
to the colored section of the jail is COM
p!etely broken down and the doors on
both the white and colored sides have
,usted away and are left hanging upon
their hinges. The gas pipes have been
destroyed by age and rust, and it is I'M
| possible to light any part of the build
| ing. The steam-heating pipes are in the
same condition and vii! have TO be replaced
| before q fire can be started in the boilers,
| which should be renewed. The plaster
| ing in every room in the jail has peeled
! from the walls and there is only one
| room in the entire jail that does not leak
| N rainy weather. We consider the build
| ing totally unfit for the purpose for which
| it is used. and it is our most fixed opinion
| that it is neither safe sanitary nor st
+. for humane habitation. We respectfully
recommend unat you give this matter your
| immediate attention.
Very respectfully submitted
JOHN NJ. HIGGINS,
| SAM COHEN.
| AND whereas, DR.. w. 8. Gordon, the
| physician TO the City JAIL having made
! an inspection of the said jail, at the re-
| quest of the court, has, at this present
| term reported as follows: