The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-04
new YORK ClTY'S PRISONS
UNSAVORY OF THE MOST
NOTORIOUS ONE, THE ToMBS.
How 1t Differs from Most Prisons
The New City Prison Is
CIassed as Luxurious"
New York Evening Post.

New York Evening Post.
The First district prison, popularity known
as the "Tombs," situated on Center street,
between Leonard and Franklin, is at pres
ent in a transitional stage, a portion of the
old building, built in 1898, having been torn
down to make way for a new one. This is
now rapidly nearing completion and will,
when finished, be one of the most complete
and perfectly equipped prisons in the world.
The old prison, Of which a portion is still
heavy-browed structure. built in the mas
sive Egyptian style, and had become Of
late years so begrimed and saturated by its
sixty years association with the criminals
of a great city that it almost seemed to
exude a sort of concentrated criminal es-
sence from its dirty old walls, and the
neighboring streets are malodorous with it
and the lawyers ii has bred.
1t is said that in the early days of the
city the ground now occupied by the Tombs
was a frash-water pond, around which the
Indians set up their wigwams when they
came to town, and there are legends of
treacherous murders committed on the
spot. Whatever its early criminal record
may have been, it has certainly rarely
lacked distinction in this respect since the
swamp into which the pond had evolved
was filled up with the city prison. A long
list of the worst criminals in the country
have passed through it; many to the scat
fold or the penitentiary, but more perhaps
to be turned loose on society again through
the genius of our criminal law.
The Tombs at present has a capacity Of
500, the cells being large enough so that
many of them accommodate two inmates.
The census. Of course, varies greatly, but
the daily average IN the winter is from go
to $50. During 1901 there was a total of A.
952 prisoners cared for, OF which 2,lp were
women. The prison is in charge OF a war
den. William Flynn, who has been con-
nected with it for twelve years. Under him
are tw~enty-four day and nine night keepers
ants for the womenS quarters. The entire
prison pay roll consists of seventy-nine
men and fourteen women. the remainder. of
them being clerks, helpers, cleaners, cooks,
etc. There is a large kitchen, where all the
food used in the prison is cooked The
prisoners eat in their cells. The inmates
of the T0mbs come largely from the other
district prisons and the police courts, where
they have been held by the presiding
magistrates for trial. They are kept at the
Tombs until this occurs. On Feb. 19. for
were there awaiting trial. The prison hos
pital consists of a large cell, containing
six beds, but in case of any serious illness
the patient is sent TO the prison ward at
Bellevue. A physician is In attendance
every day. There is. however. surprisingly
little sickness among the prisoners.
A DISMAL PLACE.
The cells are built on the prison-within-
a-prison plan, which is used in all modern
houses of detention, so that an escape i'm
plies breaking through two walls. The
homicide cases are kept in a particularly
~well-guarded portion of the prison. The
women's quarters contain forty cells in
three tiers. The cells are the same as those
used for men. but are rather better kept
and furnished. The women are let oUt into
a sort of pen on one side of their room
from noon until 5 o'clock. In a room above
the women prison are the boys quarters,
containing twenty-four cells. They are