The sun., 1919-08-24

not earn them he must get them by
burglary and robbery, and since he
must make getaway he must make
i haul large enough to provide re-
sources for a long journey and living
expenses wherever he chooses to go
as his hiding place. He usually has
about four plans, one to rob bank.
another to rob a jewelry establish
nent. another to rob a loft and as a
last resort to knock down some well
dressed citizen and rob him Of his per-
sona1 effects, dead or alive
How the Criminal Works.
The real criminal is usually a man
OF brains. His philosophy Is that
when he is taking a chance he must
make 1t worth while and therefore he
goes after big game. The most des-
perate criminal Is the escaped criminal.
II he is compelled to do so he will
kill. He works usually at night, since
he dare not show himself by day. One
such criminal could cause losses to
citizens and business men in money
and property in amounts ranging from
one to q hundred thousand dollars a
haul"
Such is a picture of the significance
of an escape from the Tombs, Ray
mond street, the workhcuse, the peni-
Tertiary or any of New Yorks many
| jails to the man of property in this
| wealthy metropolis.
To bear out this statement one has
only to pick up a newspaper and read.
The other day. July %, 1919, I OBJ
served headlines in a prominent eve
| ming newspaper reading TINS: "Es-
capped Convict Caught in $4,000 Theft
| OF Jewels. Giant Negro Enters Bed
! room as Julian e. Ullman and Wife
| Slept"
The department which keeps such
| men in prison is one Of great impor-
I, lance to every citizen who values his
life and every banker and business
| man who values his property. With
| this In mind, a picture of present con-
| ditions of contro! and restraint as they
! actually exist in our jails, particularly
| In the Tombs, should be of interest to
| every banker, jeweller, merchant and
taxpayer in New York city.
Feeling of Security.
The banker and business man feel
| quite safe with blue coated policemen
ratrolling everywhere. AS he Observes
the Tombs and other prisons he feels
satisfied that they are strong and Sc
cure enough to hold all whom the
vigilant police detect in the commits
sion OF crime. Heavy steel bars pre-
sent formidable appearance, but as
heavier steel vaults have not thwarted
the burglar and saved precious money
and valuable effects the steel bars of
our prisons are not an absolute guar
antee that the burglar who breaks in
cannot also break out.
have seen one desperate criminal
brought to the Tombs handcuffed by
four detectives. After he was turned
over to Warden Hanley he was placed
on tier with fifty or sixty others,
! thirty of whom perhaps were equally
as dangerous and desperate. but only
| guarded by one keeper. 1t seems ride
| ulcus to turn over to one man who has
| sixty other criminals to guard on the
| inside criminal whom the police felt
| IL required at least four husky detec-
| tives to guard on the outside, and It Is
ridiculous.
It is a miracle that the city prison
has not had many more turnouts be-
cause of the conditions which exist
| there. conditions which neither the
warden nor the Commissioner OF Cor
rection is responsible for, conditions
created by gross stupidity and neglect
on the part Of the bankers and bust
ness men OF New York; yes, and the
taxpayers, too, to see to II that the
proper number OF men are employed In
our city prisons; that the men so en-
ployed are not compelled to work more
than eight hours, and that their morale
is kept up to such a point that their
vigilance Is always keen and efficient
Our prison buildings are as good as
any in the country, but the human
agencies of restraint within, factors far
more important than the steel bars and
powerful walls, are weak and worn as