The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-29
TWO PRISONERS WALK AWAY
NOTHING ar THE TONES POLsCE
COtRT TO PREvENT.


So'f ~ WV
Through the Routine u Arrangement.
Two prisoners escaped from the Tombs
police court yesterday morning. They are
Tomlek Torep and Lissek vasioy, Bohe-
mians. arrested at 1880 A. NJ. in Cliff street
by Policeman Oscar J. Dunn Of the Oak
street station for lettering"
Dunn brought his prisoners at 80 to the
court pen. where they were duly entered
on the books by either Lieut.. Germann or
Sergt. Patrick Hunt. At $40 p. NJ. he took
the men upstairs to the court with sixty
or seventy others. At five minutes after 0
he looked for the men to arraign them
and could not find them. Then he re-
ported to Lieut.. Germann that his prisoners
had disappeared.
Policeman Charles LEM who was on the
gate opening on the centre aisle in the alb
senoe Of the regular man, Jacob j.. Bru sh,
who had a day on. declared hat no such
prisoners had gone out that way. Lieut..
German then began an investigation. He
said he understood that as the prisoners
were TO be discharged. Dunn having no
evidence against them. they were not re-
quired to stand in line. Both were we'll
dressed, respectable looking chaps and
when they asked permission to use the
telephone. which 10 in a room to the left.
one OF The court clerks had granted such
permission, nodding to the policeman at
the side gate that it would be all right TO
let tho men get to the telephone booth.
Whether IL was Clerk Charles Antilles or
Clerk Thomas Church Lieut.. Germann re-
fused to say.
The men, having used the telephone. de-
cided that IL was useless to go back into
the evil smelling cour room and they
stepped out into the corridor through the
Magistrates private entrance and disap-
peared.
Dunn, when he found IL out, hurried
down to the Oak street station, where he
was ordered into plain clothes by his cap
tain and with several detectives went out
to hunt for the men.
The business of the Tombs police court
mas 80 outgrown the capacity OF that tri-
buna and the system Of handling IL is 40
inefficient that 20 those familiar with the
routine the wonder Ia that such escapes
are not OF daily occurrence. Twice last
week Magistrate Cornell disposed OF more
than one hundred and sevepty-1ve prIs-
oners between 0 A.. NJ. and Noon. 2 and 40
=. NJ. This gave an average OF 1s minutes
for each case.
The arrangement Of the room is that Of
the old time police court, a long desk across
one end, at the middle OF which the Magis-
trate sits. with clerks on either side drawing
up complains, bonds. commitment and
discharge slips. Crowded up against this
desk, which ia raised two steps from the
noor, are fifteen TO thirty policemen. law;
lawyers themselves-the great majority
Of the latter having no business in the
limited enclosure ex cept looking out for
q chance fee. Parallel with the long desk
and down O n the floor proper ia the line Of
prisoners. Constantly coming in at the
middle gate are witnesses, prisoners who
were bailed out the night before, police
men In uniform and plain clothes, lawyers
who want 10 see the clerk and reporters.
The policeman on the gate cannot be sup
posed TO know the prisoners and has to
take the word of each policeman for passing
out such prisoners as are discharged and
also for those who have to pass throu gh
that gate and dow the main aisle Of the
court room OF their way to the Bridge Of
Signs.
II frequently happens that a policeman
with one or more prisoners in the line has
to leave them and attend TO the working
OF making out the papers with the clerk.
While such a policeman Is responsible for
fifteen minutes or more.
There is nothing at all to prevent one
policeman from passing out another mans
prisoner II he should feel 30 disposed. The
man at the gate has nothing at all save the
nod OF the policeman or perhaps one OF the
clerks to let the prisoners get by him. Once
outside Of the railing IL is but a step TO the
corridor and freedom
There appears to be no reason why the
cannot be prepared in another
room and why there should not be q rigid
rule compelling everybody inside the rail. |
lawyers, prisoners and all. to remain seated.
The ancient plan OF bringing up az many
as ifty prisoners at once and making them
stand often for two hours in q long line
during some weary examination seems to
no other reason OF justification than
1T has always been done that way 1t 10
incomprehensible 10 one familiar with
other systems, such "a that used in Brook
Ign OF calling one prisoner at a time from
the court pen. why more h ak or az
most ten prisoners should be brought up
INTO the Tombs court at once. A second
batch might be kept in readiness on benches
at the foot of the stairs. one short flight,
and rs per cent. OF tho orowding and con-
fusion thus avoided. Another considera-
ton is the inhumanity OF compelling prison
ers, often women far advanced In years
and nearly always men and women improp-
erly nourished and weak ron dissipation
lack of food, after hours in q cell to stand
in line until they are almost on the verge Of
collapse.
President House Of the Board OF Magis-
trates favors The Brooklyn system or such
modification of it as will admit Of the ex-
peditious handling Of the heavier business
in this borough.