File:The New York Tombs; its secrets and its mysteries. Being a history of noted criminals, with narratives of their crimes (1874) (14757577386).jpg

Identifier: newyorktombsitss00sutt (find matches)
Title: The New York Tombs; its secrets and its mysteries. Being a history of noted criminals, with narratives of their crimes
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Sutton, Charles Durst, Seymour B., 1913-, former owner. NC Mix, James B., editor Mackeever, Samuel Anderson, 1848-, editor
Subjects: Manhattan Detention Complex (New York, N.Y.) Crime
Publisher: New York, United States Pub. Co.
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: The Durst Organization

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
heirown comfort and render their incarceration less burdensome bya careful observance of all the rules and customs of the prison.The men of the highest intelligence will do the most to screenthemselves from the attention of the public, and generally ask nogreater favor of their keepers than perfect isolation from theworld during the period of their confinement. HOW REFRACTORY PRISONERS ARE TREATED. 591 discipline; and means OF ENFORCLNG- it. As we have said, the Auburn system, adopted at Sing Sing, wasvery strict in its requirements. It gave no privileges to the con-vict. It required prompt, implicit obedience. Under it the manwas a machine, wound up in the morning to work so many hours,and at night laid away to remain silent and motionless until themorning came again. He knew only his keeper in the prison—of his fellows he knew nothing or next to nothing. Of the out-side world he knew only what might be told him by the onerelative that at long intervals was permitted a brief visit.
Text Appearing After Image:
THE CATONIXE-TAILS. So long as there remained any of the old convicts that Capt.Lynds had drilled into obedience, and so long as he was activeand untrammelled, there was little punishment—but little required—for when punishment was inflicted it came with a will and fora purpose. The catonine-tails hung by the side of everykeeper—a visible reminder of reserved power that was ever potent 592 THE NEW YORK TOMBS. to keep in subjection the* fractious spirits by which he wassurrounded. Until 1819, the only punishment permitted by law was solitaryconfinement, with a bread-and-water diet. In that year the Legis-lature authorized the use of the lash, and its occasional use wascontinued until about 1840, when it was prohibited by legislativeenactment. When the law forbid this mode of enforcing obedience, thediscipline soon sensibly demonstrated the necessity for someequally powerful substitute. A shower-bath became that substi-

Note About Images