The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-08-15
WOMEN PRISONERS ES-
CAPPED FROM SING SING

PASSING OF TEMPLE OF TRAGEDY" RE.
CALLS STORY OF, "YElLEB MURDERS
aaD 0THERROIORlOCs MALEFAcToRs
WHOSE CRIMES WERE exPATEl
II THERE.
Sing Sing Women's prison, where
AIRS. Henrietta Robinson, famed az
the beautiful AEeiled murderess," and
other notorious female criminals ex-
plated their crimes, will soon be
gone. Its passing recalls the adven-
lures OF its. best-known prisoners and
the tragic occurrences within its
marble walls, a sketch OF which il
reprinted from the New York Sun.
The old bastile, which for 70 years
has been pretentfously located on the
crest OF the ridge overlooking the
mems prison and the Hudson river
is slowly being knocked to pieces
Warden Edward W. Brophy has a
wrecking crew tearing it down. But
the memories of its criminals and
some Of their daring escapes will
live after it.
The temple Of tragedy" as 1t was
often called, must make way for the
new Sing Sing prison which is to u
located on the hill. Built of marble
from quarries on the prison premises
i'm 184O, it remained as solid and in
tact until the demolition squad
knocked out the first stone the other
day as it was when it received its
first prisoner 79 years ago. Erected
by convicts, it was patterned after
a Greek temple, with several large
Gothic pillars on the front, which
gave it palatial appearance.
Mrs. Madeline FeroIa, convicted OF
murder in 1915 in the Bronx, and
sentenced to be executed, was the
last offender confined there. She
was removed to Auburn prison after
six months in the old temple" when
the Governor commuted her sentenc>
to life Imprisonment.
The other women doomed to che
electric chair were kept there, but
only temporarily, while a death house
was being prepared for them in the
hospital inside the walls of the mems
prison, Marie Barberi, who, it was
charged, killed Dominica Cataldo, he1
sweetheart, in New York city, was
received there July Is, 1895, by Warden
Omar V. Sage and stayed three days
Eventually she got a new trial and
was freed.
y Mrs Martha Place, who killed hel
stepdaughter, Ida in Brooklyn, ar
rived July II, 1898, and after two
days i'm the female prison was taken
to the mems hospital, Eventually
she was executed.
Save for these three condemned
prisoners Sing Sing has had nc
woman offenders since the female
prison was abolished November 16
1877, under a special law. and sc
criminals, including murderesses
removed to Crow Hill Penitentiary
Brooklyn.
State Detective James Jackson, who
has retired within a year after being
employed at Sing Sing more than A.
years, for more than four years han
died female offenders there when the
wOmen's prison was running fuH
swing. Detective Jackson, whose
marvellous memory for faces and
facts was his best asset for years in
identifying and recapturing escaped
convicts, vividly remembers some OF
them.
Jackson on August %, 1873, took
the distinguished "veiled murderess'
from Sing Sing to Auburn lunatic
asylum after she had been kept in
the temple" more than 16 years
Mary Sharpey, another convict who
lost her reason, was transferred with
her.
Mrs. Robinson came Of wealthy
and prominent Rensselaer, county
family and in a fit Of jealousy com
mitted murder there. So as to con-
ceal her identity from curiosity
seekers she kept her features screen
ed behind a heavy veil during her trial
and always afterward. Whenever
she left her cell in Sing Sing to eat,
work or for any other cause she wore
her heavy veil. Persons visiting the
female prison who tried to geta look
at her were consequently frustrated.
Long confinement overtaxed her
nerves and her patience, and finally
her reason gave out. But she wore
the veil on her way to the insane
asylum. When she went there were
still four murderesses, three Of whom
were poisoners, left behind her. The
total female population OF the prison
then was lis, which was below the
average OF $50.
The most cunning trickster ever
imprisoned there was Mary Brown,
alias Frances Stanley, shoplifter and
swindler.
She arrived, securely handcuffed
June 90, 1865, when Judge :. I'll. John
son was prison warden. The day
she was sentenced, week previously
a deputy sheriff was leading her
along the streets in New York from
the courthouse to the Jail, to be re
moved to Sing Sing. Presently a
man jostled and tripped him. As he
turned to rebuke him the officer left
his female charge standing at the
curb, attired In a blue dress and veil
While the deputy sheriff was wrang-
ling with the passerby another woman
similarly dressed and yelled and
about the same statue OF the prison
er exchanged places with her and
Mrs. Brown walked away. Finally
the deputy sheriff returned to the
yelled woman and ordered her to
come along. When they had walked
a few yards, long enough to enable
the real prisoner to get away, the
bogus prisoner started across the
street. The deputy cautiously grabb-
ed her and started pulling her back.
Expressing indignation the woman he
was escorting lifted her veil and the
deputy sheriff was dumfounded. He
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