Evening star., 1901-12-28

penitentfary he knows what is before him
and he settles down to make the best of it.
he Is IN building that is better cared for
than the Jail, and he has the securities of
cleanliness and of frequent inspec ction and
medical service. He has empfoyments that
are good for him, no matter how Wiling
| ne is to believe otherwise, and he knows
tnat by Industry and obedience he can
shorten his stay materially. In Jail. unless
ne is serving short term for a slight Of
tense, he suffers from uncertainty and
@1 II ne mas committed serious Of
| lehSe he fears the heaviest punishment. He
reahZes, too, that all his Imprisonment in
the Jail, which often extends for months
counts Tor nothing. but is so much suffering
ana isnomlny added to what he is to en-
dure after he reaches prison. AS men and
women are coming and going every dav
ana as they are allowed to receive their
haei11 tfieHas more often than in prison. it is
laruty possible to bring about the same
cieahtthess as in a state institution and
NTH In a dark, confined pace breeds illness
sooner than elsewhere. The little knick-
knackS that are allowed to long-terno nrjS
oners and that tighten their burdens and
brighten their surroundings have no n'ace
in the Jail The walls are as hare ard
PEAK as stone and whitewash can be- Often
the WhlteWash Is an inch thick and the
warden does not dare remove the old in
crustations, lest d sease germs be set free
TOmbs Fest known of All.
Best known of the jails of this country
Is the Iombs of New York. The structure
that SO long bore that name was fashioned
LIKE an EsyPtian temple, with sIoping outer
walls ana mad dark entrance between i'm
posing columns. One of the lower courts
iieid mere was nearly as well known as the
building, for the judge was one of the
SHOWS OF the town. being oftener drunk
thah SOBER lie was political judge The
original Tombs is in process of reformation
ana na,i OF Ine building has been torn away
ana d larger, lighter, airer, more modern
structure IS to replace it, some time The
sooner the better, for the ancient structure
Is gloomy and crowded and ill arranged
alpelt the majority Of people who go there
are not OF critical turn, for the neighbor-
nood supplies most of the candidates and
the surroundings of the Tombs are among
me most uhhealthful and unpleasant in
Its doors, the New Jerusaiem with fts
horde OF unwashed Poles and Russians. is
around the corner, and Chinatown with IFS
gaming Joints and opium, IS within five
minutes walk. Five Points near hv was
at one time the wickedest place in America
put Is now clean and dull and sober. Re,
forms outside of the Tombs have been more
aggressive than those inside
The old wing of this house-city nrison 10
us omclal nan1e-contains double ranks Of
cels. each four tiers high. The lower ones
are dark, at noon, as cellars, those above
are has nttie better, and on the top tier one
tne purpose of the narrow chinks of win
dows is not clear: Probably the architect
!,nasihed that II they were six inches wide
instead OF three somebody might eyaporate
anroush one of them. But nobody ever did
Inere nave been escapes but not through
the windows. OF these the most taIyed
spout at the time was that of the murderer
onarkey, In the dress of his mistress. Mag,
gle Jordan. She was allowed to enter his
CELL quick exchange of clothing was eff
fected, and Sharkey. yelled and weeping.
descended to the Office. gave up the wo-
iiidn pass and ad to
rms was an cid dodge: at least as old as
the French revolution. Now it is customs
ary 10 keep sorrowing relatives on the out
side of the cell DOORS and they are far
from sorrowing lot, as a rule And the
prisoners are better minded to see cheerful
laces at the grating than faces long drawn
ana deWed with tears Every applicant for
admission who wishes to see a certain
prisoner must submit to an examination.
the men by a warden in the corridor. and
tRe women by matroR in room set
apart Tor the purpose. Lawyers who con-
suit their clients have special rooms for
their meetings.