New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10

half pound Of bread and as much indian meal
porridge and potatoes they could consume
The expense Of supporting the convcts was con-
siderable. as at first trials took place only four
times year. and those held for slight infrac-
tons OF the law had to await examination for
nearly three months. Early in 1928 the day OF
trial was set for the first Monday OF every
month. and the number OF prisoners arraigned
was 10, on an average. The Brideweu was de-
stroyed in 1888, and some Of the stones used
IN building it served in the erection of its sue
cessor, the Tombs prison, on the Elrn-st side
AS 10 the Greenwich State Prison AN extern
slVe convenient and strongly built structure of
the Doric order. situated Greenwich about q
mile and half from the City Hall and occupy
ing one OF the most healthy and pleasant spots
on me banks Of the Hudson" When the act
"ppropFlatIng S2Osp00 TO relieve the crowded
BrldeWell and the New Jail was passed It pro-
Nluea Tor TWO buildings one at Albany and one
al Greenwich. II decided that ALBANY was
too far removed from the city and the entire
fund was devoted 10 the Greenwich building II
was opened for the reception OF convicts in Au-
gust 1890, and seventy prisoners were trans
ferred 10 Il from the other prisons 1t stood az
the head OF Anos-st., row feminist on the
banks OF the Hudson" and was surrounded by
d AIsh wall on which an armed sentry was
constantly pacing Beyond this wall was the
wharf, where convicts were landed from points
up the river Though the prison was situated
in what was then the exclusive village of Green
wien. no resentment offered by the inha BIZ
tdnts to the authorities for placing il there they
idlLer looked on the scheme promising
d future rise IN value Of their holdings and be-
sides, It gave stately air to the rural scenery
however. II was a handsome prison in those
days, and prohts bic to the corporation as weav-
Ing, spinning. shoemaking brushrnaktng lock-
sInithlng and carpentry were carried on The
WORKING hours were twelve. and the convicts
looked forward TO the time Of their release when
they might profit by the knowledge ACQUIRED
OF the trades taught TO them while in prison
The ration OF each prisoner cost about eight
cents day, consisting Of Indian meal mush
and noIasses. pork, black bread OK heads and
hearts. Three persons were lodged in each OF
the hfry-two cells, which caused more com
fnunlcation between them than was safe and
resulted IN attempts to escape corruption of
morals and WEAKNESS among the officials In
thelr attempts 10 maintain discipline. An IN
IerloF class or Keepers supplanted the disheart-
ed ones, and the prisoners were herded together
10 q greater extent. even children being thrust
In with them. Reading Of books was dlscon-
unued, inhuman whippings were administered
and II was said AZ the time that bodies OF dead
conFlcts were buried without ceremony IN Pot
ters Field or turned over TO dissectors. Any
way, chaos reigned in Greenwich Prison and
called FOR Immediate action by the authorities
VINO decided 10 erect another prison 70 reduce
the strain on II caused by oVercrowding Green
wlch served as prison until 1929 when II
was sold. and q part Of IL destroyed. Its later
use was written Of in another chapter OF the
chronology.
The building designed 70 relieve the strain
on the state Prison at Greenwich was called
the Penltentiary. and stood in the rear Of what
was then the Almshouse at Bellevue, ION the
shores OF the East River II was for the i'm
prisonment OF minor offenders. and was opened
on May is, 1926. II was a bluestone building
90 feet in front, with two wings OF 80 feet
IN depth each. In the year Il was opened for
prisoners Bellevue Hospital and the New Aims
mouse were built near by, and the three build
lnss were Enclosed with stone wall. including
t"enty-slX acres. known henceforth as the
Bellevue Establishment. The criminals in the
PeniJentary We're employed In picking GA KUN
works In 1922 Mayor Allen had the treadrnfl
introduced into the prison. but 1t was aban-
doned after few years trial.
The treadmilI was a deterrent from the COM
mltting OF future crimes, and found highly
sanitary IN It's operation 1t was in two story
stone house, sixty feet long near the prison.
In one part Of the building were the wheel and
apparatus and IN the other was the machinery
for working II. The wheel was similar to a
common water wheel, % feet long and 6 feet
in diameter. On the external part OF this
wheel on level with the axle the prisoners
We're obliged TO tread. moving UP together as
the wheel went round, and at the time
edsing of gradually to end. Every two
minutes q bell sounded. and one prisoner stepped
on and was permitted TO sit still for a few min
utes while another took his place In this man
ner the operation continued necessarily for sew
eral hours As well as receiving punishment.
the prisoners ground the corn grain for the
supply OF coarse food to the establishment.
When the wheel was in operation each person
asceEded distance equal 70 $500 feet IN an
hour
The present State Prison at Ossining was
opened in 1928 and 10 it were removed the
harder convicts from the prison at Greenwich
ers from the Bridewel and the New Jail In
1928 the penal institutions OF the city were In
creased by the establishment Of q House of Ref
uge for Juvenile offenders. II was incorporated
In 1924 and opened on January J. 1925 in the
United States Arsenal, In Madison Square with
nine inmates-six boys and three girls. In 1899
the building was destroyed by fire, and the insti-
tuition transferred TO the fever hospital at
the foot Of East TWenty-third-st., where II re-
manned until 1854 when a building was
erected on Randalrs Island, and the inmates
were removed to II.