The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-11
WILL VISIT THE JAIL
CHATHAM CoUNTY'S BASTILE TO
BE INSPECTED.
COMMITTEE OF GRAND JURY
WILL SEE HOW THE HOURS ARE
EMPLOYED BY THE PRISONERS.

Jail. of which Number 100 Are Ne
groes Six Alleged Murderers
Await Judgment-ReguIa Rules
Are observed-UnrnIy Ones Are
Locked in Pitch Black Cell
and Confined to Bread and water
Diet-JaiI Hospital Is "a ServiceabIe
Adjunct.
The committees of the grand jury
will in few days, enter ac-
lively upon the work in their re-
spective departments, in order that they
may make their reports, to be incor-
porated in the general present.
nents one of the committees
whose duty it is to examine the re-
cords of the magistrates of the coun-
ty has already completed it's labors.
The most interesting work performed
by any of these committees is that
of the Committee on County Buildings.
This committee, which is composed of
A. A. Aveilhe, A. Ehrlich and John Q.
Hodges, will pay a visit to the Jail
next week. al which time they will
make a thorough inspection of that
building and examine into the manner
in which the institution is kept and
the various classes of prisoners cared
for.
The duties devolving upon the super
intendent at the Jail are more onerous
than one would think, unless he be
acquainted with the management of
such an institution. The Jail has a
set of rules which are strictly
enforced. Each of the prisoners is
assigned some task to perform and al
most every class of criminal or prison
er assists in keeping the Jail in a sani-
tary condition.
Regular hours are observed. The
classes of prisoners are divid-
ed and inducements for good behavior
are offered. Those who observe
all of the rules are allow
ed to walk about the corridors through
out the day, may receive company at
stated hours and are always given such
food and delicacies as are sent to them
On the other hand, those who do not
observe the proper decorum are denied
these "extrac," as they are called, and if
If they continue to refract the rules,
and become unruly, are summariIy
dealt with.
Ah dungeon.
For such prisoners the dungeon is
used. The dungeon, an underground
apartment, is as black as Stygian
shades. 4 single ray of light per-
meates the darkness, and serves
as the only ventilation. A diet
of dry bread and aqua pura suf-
fees three times a day for bodily
nourishment. 1t is seldom that two
or three DAYS incarceration in the
dungeon does not bring the most un-
ruly and obdurate malefactor to time.
Jailer Arnold Seyden is in charge of
the prison. Besides him there is
turnkey just inside the great iron
entrance, who never unbolts the door
until he has aseertained through the
peep latch who desires admission. On
each of the floors there are two
TRUSTEES Such prisoners as prove
themselves worthy of the confidence of
the authorities are delegated to keep
watch. These are the TRUSTEES.
Breakfast is served at o'clock. aft
er which the prisoners are let out
of their cells. They are each re-
quired to clean his own cell, While
certain class of them is required
to scrub the corridors and do
any other work to which they are dele
gated by the authorities. In this way
the Jail is kept in a sanitary con-
dition. The ventilation is excellent
The committee from the grand jury
invariably commends the cleanliness
and sanitary condition of the Jail.
AT 1880 O'Clock, the prisoners are
locked up for dinner until l o'clock.
AT O'Clock they are required to be
in their cells again, and the turnkey
goes around and locks them in for
the night. Such is the daily life of
the prisoner at the Chatham county
Jail.
The percentage of white prisoners
is very small Out of 11S now in
carcerated, but eighteen are white.
The average is scarcely above sixteen
per cent, OF the number now in the
Jail twenty-five have been sentenced
to the gang, While the others are either
awaiting trial in the Superior or City
Courts, or are awaiting the disposi-
tion of the cases by the court of last
resort.
Six Charged With Murder.
There are six alleged murderers in
the Jail, of which number three have
already been condemned and three are
awaiting trial. OF the three who
have been sentenced, two have been
condemned to die, While the third has
been sentenced to life Imprisonment.
Abe Cohen, the murderer of Susie
Rogers, and Willie Calvin, the muir
cerer of Rosa Pace, are remarkable
criminals. The motive for the crime
in each case was jealousy, and the
deed, in each instance, a fell one Co
hen brutally kicked the dying form of
his victim after having riddled her
body with bullets, while Calvin slayed
his defenseless paramour in the most
brutal manner conceivable placing
her mead over his knees and severing
her neck from ear to ear with a razor.
Both men are awaiting the decision of
the Supreme Court, to which their
cases have been appealed, with incon-
ceivable stoicism.
W. j. Potter Is the third of the con-
demned men. The crime for which
Potter is held is too familiar to the
public to require comment. Potter c.
cupies cell on the upper floor He
spends his time walking about the cor
rldors, smoking his pipe, or in read
ing. He is regular subscriber to the
Morning News, and spends some time
in perusing it every morning before
breakfast. He is patiently awaiting
the action of the Supreme Court in
his case.
Isaiah Washington, alias Bum"
Boise Bacon and Fortune Walker are
the other three men who are held for
murder. All three are negroes. Wash
ington is charged with the murder of
William Holmes on Nov. Is, last. I'm
mediately after the commission of the
crime he betook himself to parts nm
known and was not again heard of un-
til he was apprehended by Chief Swee-
ny on March 25, in Jacksonville.
Fortune Walker and Boise Bacon
held for the murder nf he