New-York tribune., 1903-01-17
WHY THE OLD AH
Sheriff NeIody's Reasons for Taking
Women Back TO Raymond-st

It has hardly been years since 3 600 worth Of
plumbing put into the Raymond Street wom-
ems Jail" said Sheriff William z. Melody when
questioned to the wisdom of his recent action
in resuming the use of this building. Under Colo
nel Norman S. Dike's administration all women
prisoners were sent to the Kings County Peniten-
tiary, the jail being used merely house Of de-
tention" for few hours before and after trial
TT is true" continued the present Sheriff. that
the building is old one-it has been standing
there sixty-six years and the floors are worn. But
they scrubbed-wals. stairs. rooms everything
every day. There windows and big ones. in
every room. and the ventilation be. If the in
Gividual inmates desire all that is obtainable
in any dwelling house. and infinitely better than
most Of the prisone,s are accustomed to anywhere
else. The plumbing is all open. and the place has
been newly painted and kalsomined throughout It
is there practically Facilities for sep
arating young and old among rhe prisoners, but,
while have SO few-there are only thirty-two
in the building now and it accommodate at
least 6 hundre5 more-we keep the top floor for the
younger women and girls that come to US You
must remember I've only been in Office about half
q month, and women's prison can't be built In q
day any more than could Rome. The Board OF
Estimate and Apportionment has cut down the
appropriation about $4,000 this year. and simply
couldn't afford continue to send them to the
penitentiary. Il costs 28 cents a day there for
every prisoner. whereas by feeding them at the
Jail here, in connection with the mems meals, 1t
averages less than 10 cents apiece.
No the building is not freproof but there is a
freproof bridge leading from each story to the
mems building. which was built few years since
and is practically model place The warden could
have the womens jail emptied in five minutes even
if il were full for the slOes not connected by
the bridge the window gratings unbolt from the
outside. allowing the freest sort of egress. Yes,
the building has been periodically under Indictment
by the grand jury for The last twelve years,
but sending the prisoners in vans to the peniten-
tiary Crow Hill, mile and a half away. isn't
going 10 expedite the erection of prison that
1 can see"
A woman probation officer who has worked for
years among the inmates of both jail and peniten-
tiary said that with the exception of the lack OF
separate cells she considered the old jail a much
more habitabe place than the penitentiary- In
the latter. she said there is sanitary plumbing
whatever. and waste is removed from the cells only
once in twenty-four hours. Also the women are al
lowed TO wash their clothing only once in the week.
whereas in the Jail the plumbing is ample ana S eS
cellent on every floor: and the women can use the
specially detailed city missionary VINO also mas
fun knowledge Of the facts, insists that many OF OF
the women taken TO the penitentiary were IN no
and serious consequences frequently ensued. In
his connection these two missionaries are w0ralng
lyn 10 secure separate vans for men and women.
say. literally unspealIa6le ia -. =. o
NSa4 n1 Winpafe Pfe GSbo %o was ne' With sff HEM
IN Office. gave il as his own opinion that the jan
onion buman beings Colonel Di6e's principal
reason for taking such a radical step as sending
gate was principally as an object lesson. He
yrevy rerfectly well that long prisoners were
lert ir the old building there would never be new
one F3rooklyn needs a new womens jail more
than most things, and that's saving a. good deal
What's the use Of the grand jury indictments II
+ thing Is going 10 stand there from to year?
And 6-oionel Dfkes action accomplished this much
President Swanstrom had plans and specifications
Trerared for new building, and public interest
was thoroughly aroused on the subject In the
peritentiary. black and white, first offenders ano
ld Criminals can at least be separated and In the
ian as ii now stands they cannot be- The big rae
;o-y Ere some time ago in the neighborhood Of the
iaii' was enough TO prove how unsafe such an old
building is and altogether it is my opinion that
the present step is distinctly backward one IN tne
progress OF prison reform