Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-06-01
CHAPTER kin.

In the very heart OF Manhattan. right
In the center OF the cityH most con
gested district, an imposing ediace
OF gray stone, medieval IN lts style OF
architecture, lowered hiah above all
the surrounding dingy offices and.
squalld tenements. It's massive con
struction steep walls, pointed turrets,
raised parapets and long, narrow, sllt.
like windows. heavily barred. gave Il
the aspect OF feudal fortress incon.
gruously set down plumb IN the midst
OF twentieth century New York The
dull roar OF broadway hummed a
couple % blocks away, In tina distance
doomed the lofty graceful sNans OF
Brooklyn bridge. damned with ,ts op-
posing streamR OF busy interuvban
traffic. The adjacent streets were
filled with the din OF hurrylns crowds,
the rattle OF vehicles, the cries OF ven
doris, the clang Of street cars, the ugh
ushi OF speeding automobiles. The ac-
tive, pulsating life OF the metropolis
surged like rising food about the
tall gray wallis, yet there was no re
sponse- within. Grim. silent, sinister,
the city PRISON, popularity known az
"the TomNs," seemed 20 have nothing
IN common with the daily activities OF
the big town IN which, notwlthstand.
ing, Il unhapplly played an important
part
The present prison Ia vastly diff
ferent place 70 the old fail from
which &c got It's melancholy cognomen.
TO day there IL not the slightest justi.
ncation for the lugubrious epithet ap.
plled 70 &C. but IN the old DAYS. when
mans inhumanity 10 man was less a
form OF speech than cold merciless
fact the "rombs" described an intol.
cradle and disgraceful condition fairly
accurately Formerly tho cells IN
which che unfortunate prisoners were
confined while awaiting trial were sit
mated deep under ground and had mel.
ther light nor ventilation A man
nieht be sOiluess OF the ofense with
which he was charged. vet while
awaiting an opportunity 20 prove his
annocence he was condemned TO spend
days, sometimes months, In what was
little better than grave Literally,
he was buried alive. A party OF for
.eigners visiting the prison one day
were startled al seeing human beings
consined IN such holes. They look
like tombst" cried some one. New
York was amused az the singularly
Appropriate appellatve and Il has
stuck TO the prison ever since
But times change and institutions
with them. AS man becomes more
eivilized he treats The lawbreakel
with more humanity Probably soci
ETY. win always need IT'S prisoners
but as we become more enlightened
we insist on treating our criminals
more from the physiological and psy
choloeicai standpoints than IN the
crsel, brutal, barbarous manner OF tho
dark ages. IN other words the sociol
osist insists that the iawbreal1et has
greater need OF the physician than he
has OF the taller
4 Today the city prison Is toni
! IN name only. Il Is admirably con
xtr0ete6, connaodious. web ventilated
The cells are large and wen lighted
with comfortable cots and all thu
modern sanitary arrangements. There
are roony corridors for daily exercise
and luxorioos shower baths can be Oh
tanned free tor the asking. There are
ehapels Tor the reIisiously inclined
and library for the stadious The
tocd r. wholesome and wei prepared
IN q large. sorapulously clean kitchen
situated on The TOP floor CsgpinS
critics have indeed. declared The
Tomos e be too luxurious. declarins
that habftusl criminals enjoy stay
at the prison and actually commit
crime 40 that they may enjoy some o.
rs hn<eaLtlre cofnfor.fs