New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-11

Although the women's prison f. an ancifs,s
structure. II Is like a fancy boarding hozse In
comparison with the mems section The lima sa
here number less than fifty. as a ru1A They ara
placed IN dormitories and have considerable fres-
dom OF movement A number OF DADA IN
blankets and sheets are IN each room and sev-
eral rooms open on each hallway. This ian was
once a combined fail and courthouse, bzs shaa
was long ago. The interior OF the structure -
arranged much the interior OF an ordana-y
house. except that the end OK each hallway In
blocked with iron gate.
Special arrangement Is made for pF4scnars whs
evidently untitled TO be thrown among TIA
rousher persons in the regular dor1nfeor1e& such
prisoners are placed IN pleasant Hxhs roorns-
pleasant, at any rate. for a prisOn-An6 ara all
lowed special privileges, Passing from ehe raen's
TO the wOTnen's prison seems like passing nDra
night to day
Every grand jury OF Kings County snr sfx o.
seven years past has Condemned the Rayraonf
street jail as dirty. uusanitary and gsnsraIIy ~
fitted for it's present uses. The Boards OF T7saf-
rnate and ApDOrtionment have carefully over
looked the cOndemnaCiOns and have continued
from year TO year 70 give the Jail author1tiss
such small allowances that they have been
Handicapped at every point The appropriated
for 1906 for feeding and taking general care OF
average OF three hundred prisoners The - =
round. repairing the buildings and providing for
me vans which carry the prisoners TO and fro.
etc. IS q little more than S29.O00-rn1oh less
than 800 year a prisoner.
There are some peculiar features abous the
prison which visitors do not readily understand
Just outside the gate leading from the recap
ton" room into the prison proper q number %
large black bottles marked Poison and an
agate cup attract the attention. They coaeuin
cordial for the DRINKS who are brouxhs IN
on the verge OF delirium tremens. The hot
drops and the cholera mixture do not stave or
the attacks IN every case BY any means and tia
cells on the lower right hand side Of the build
ing are often occupied by as many as six vio-
Tins at a time
Some Of the inmates OF the prison are locked
UP so often that they have come to be consid-
cred fixtures. Warden Carmody saws that IL
seems TO him that they can Scarcely have
walked a half dozen blocks from the Jail before
they are arrested again
The dean of the prison is an:oId coEorsd man
His right name. ne says. is Nathan Graham.
but the guards know him as IT, 'A6edictne
Man" He is so well posted on the rules OF the
establishment that at recreation periods he
makes IL his business to stand on the platform
near the exit and give orders to hts colleagues.
He won his aDpeuation through his preternat-
uraI power 70 tell when prisoners are sick. The
reporter found him by the little tobacco stand
where the prisoners buy their supplies.
I hear that you can always tell when man
has delirium tremens. Mr.. Graham he re-
marked
''Oh. vas sah." the old man answered. with a
wise shake OF his head. "Ah kin always tell 'errs,"
He explained at length that his woman had
called nm an eVA name, and that he had up
with his hand and slapped her down. where
upon she had secured his arrest for assault. Ha
attributes his pleasant relations with the prison
authorities TO one attribute OF his.
It's mammals and behavior. sab" he declared
folding his arms. Just muffin but mammals and
behavior"
While the prison may lack IN worldly wants
it has no dearth Of religion A Protestant ana
q Catholic clergyman visit the jail once a
week and on Sundays hold services under a
canvas screen that IS calculated to ward on the
missiles contributed by the unrelIgfous element
in the cells above. and talk Individually TO tha
men and women. Churches and societies also
send in large quantities OF periodicals to thu
prisoners. so they do not lack reading matter.
The friends Of the prisoners may VISIT shsrn
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. and e
they can get passes. on any other afternoon be-
tween and o'clock. The visitors are chiefly
wonen-many appearing highly respectable,
some carrying babies and all carrying bundles
OF food or clothing. They pass IN nounrul
line through the matron's room. where they are
searched. and thence into the prison. They ara
allowed TO go to the cells OF their husbands and
brothers and talk 70 them through the bars fou
an hour or so. The bundles are pushed into tbs
cells through openings under the doors.
II Sheriff NJ j. FIaherty has MS way TIE SEN
fenced prisoners OF both sexes VIII soon be r.
moved from the Jail 70 portion os the Co.nxx
Penirentiary on Crow Hill He Is also anxious
have the jail placed under the care ~ tia
Department OF Correction, 3 IN Manhacra-A
leaving him charge OF the half dozen s1v1l pr4s-
Oners only He has now q bill before the Legs
lature providing for increasing the cleaners and
the keepers and for the Introduction OF other r.
forms He believes particularly that the CITY
should raze the womens prison before 4 Is
burned 20 the ground. perhaps with considerable
loss OF life