Evening star., 1901-03-19
BETTER CARE OF PRISONERS
EMPHATIc INsTRUCTIoNs ISSUED BY
MAJOR SYLVESTER.
Half Hourly Visits Must Be Made to
Occupied Cells i'm Sta
Ntfon Hoases.

AS result of Major Sylvester's recent
inquiry into the matter of the treatment
and care OF persons who are intoxicated to
maximum degree when they are arrested.
an emphatic order was issued to the de-
partment today. The inquiry was prompt
ed by the death of an Intoxicated man in
cell in the first precinct station some
days ago. Speaking Of the affair Major
Sylvester said to Star reporter today that
failure of the police to give such a man
medical attention is violation of the rules
Of the manual, and officers who violate the
rule will be punished in some way.
Major Sylvester found from his inquiry
that the present system is not complete. as
he has always contended. A station keeper
who Is charged with the keeping of records
and has valuable property intrusted to his
care should not be required to leave his
desk and pay frequent visits to the cell
room to serve water ana look after the
wants of the prisoners For this reason
after the LIST of July, when there will be an
increase OF the present force.
1t Is Major Sylvester's intention to de-
tail the Older officers In these positions
and men who are slightly disabled so that
they are really unfit for street duty. In
the estimates submitted next year Con-
gress will be asked to appropriate money
to pay the necessary number of men for
this purpose.
Half Hourly Visits to Cells
The order issued to the members of the
force today reads as follows:
The attention of the members of the
force-especially the lieutenants, those act
ing for them. station keepers, and others
who may be detailed for duty in the sew
eral station houses-is called to paragraph
1S1 of the Metropolitan Police Manual, to
order of January IA. 1899, and to the fol-
lowing
Whenever case Of apoplexy is brought
to q station or falls into the hands OF the
police. or case of extreme drunkenness,
or a case in which there is a doubt as to
whether 1t Is apopleXy or drunkenness, as
well as other emergency cases, a surgeon
should be sent for without delay, or such
subjects taken directly to the nearest hos
pital. The police surgeons and surgeons
to the poor are subject to call at Sucn
times.
1t ought to go without saying that a
case of total collapse from drunkenness
needs attention more than a case of ordt-
nary drunkenness; and that in extreme
cases of this character they partake of
dangerous illness and should be cared for
in conformity with the above instructions.
Cells In which persons are confined should
be visited by some one of those in charge
of a station house at least every half
an hour, or at shorter intervals, as the
situation may demand. to ascertain the
condition of those who may be incarcerated
therein.
Detective Hartigan Transferred.
After issuing the order Maj. Sylvester
announced a number of transfers. Police
man Stenhouse of the first precinct and Po-
liceman Coghill of the sixth exchange
places in charge of the patrol wagon. Po-
liceman HoughIan of the first precinct goes
to the house of detention in place of Officer
Wertz. who goes to the South Washington
precinct.
The vacancy at the frst' precinct caused
by the transfer Of Policeman Houghlan
will be filled by Policeman Sanford of the
fourth precinct. Detective Thos. Hartigan
goes from the detective Office to the sixth
precinct, where he will be in charge of the
police service. This transfer is a temporary
one