In the early morning of July 4th, 1906, a colored man named Cambridge called loudly for help. A night keeper responded. When he reached the cell door he said, “What do you want?” The sick man replied, “Keeper, get me a doctor, I am very sick.” The answer of the official was, “Go to hell and put a cloth around your head.” In the morning Cambridge was carried to the hall where he died the following day. When I spoke to an official about it he said it was nobody’s damned business. But this was common treatment toward moneyless unfortunates!
Special Privileges
When a West Side gambler was in the Tombs charged with murder, he had a fresh bottle of whiskey brought to him almost daily and he made no bones of the matter. Of course, it could not come into the Tombs without money, of which B. had an abundance. One of the keepers said to me that he saw the warden drinking whiskey with the murderer in his cell. But this was nothing!
Scotty Young, who had spent two years in the Tombs awaiting trial, was another prisoner that had special privileges. Scotty bragged that he had his whiskey daily and none dared molest him. What kind of a “pull” he had, never could be learned, as he was never known to have any more money than he required for his personal needs. That “Scotty” had special privileges none can deny; when a keeper tried to take away a large piece of broken mirror, a pocket knife, a razor and other deadly things from him, he was told that the warden gave him special permission, and of course, that ended it.
The Grand Jury
Every month at the close of the term the Grand Jury pays a visit of inspection to the Tombs. This has been their custom for many years. As the warden knows they are coming he puts everything in a “spick and span” order. They receive unusual attention on all such occasions, the discipline is up to the highest pitch and the warden as a rule shows them around. But to the man who can read between the lines this is all “make believe.”
If the Grand Jury should visit the Tombs like a thief in the night, that is, unexpectedly, they would then see the place as it is and would not be imposed upon any longer. If the Grand Jury came to the Tombs on Friday and refused to be led around by the warden, but by a Court official, their eyes would be opened. Perhaps they could be induced to wait around till the noon hour, when they would have an opportunity of at least “smelling” the stinking chowder which the unfortunate inmates are compelled to eat or starve.
If any of the Grand Jury tried to eat some of this unpalatable stuff they would become so deathly sick that a doctor would have to be called and if they ever recovered we fear they would indict the warden on the spot!
Of course the monthly visit of the Grand Jury is known in advance. They are carefully piloted around through the halls where the floors have been mopped that morning and everything made to look “shiny” and neat for the occasion. As a rule they are taken through the new prison and down into the cellar where may be found the machinery all polished and bright.
I would like to lock some of these gentlemen in one of the cells for an hour or two. As is well known, many of these cells are “reeking” with vermin and filth. Not of the Tombs only, but some of the district prisons. I have seen men in the Tombs and in other prisons of the City, who had hardly become inmates before the vermin would literally be found crawling over them.