ouaI CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARV The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924080788643 In compliance with current copyright law, Cornell University Library produced this replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992 to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. 1997 Cllatnell HtntoetHtti) Sibtatg 3ti|ara, Kern fork FROM THE BENNO LOEWY LIBRARY COLLECTED BY BENNO LOEWY 1854-1919 BEQUEATHED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY U Jbu bo ^^^^^-^-^ ^^'^^ ^ **^ ^-i-*^ ^. vtiti.'l'U-v'--^'.**^ Ex-cliaplain of the Tombs. TI "^ 1 1 IL,' ■ ■ New York loiiibs Inside and Out! Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present. — A Stoiy Stranger Than Fiction, With an Historic Account of America's Most Famous Prison. By JOHN JOSIAH MUNRO, Ex-ChapIain of the Tombs. (IllustrateJ) BROOKLYN. N. Y. Printed and Published by the Author, at 186 Ainslie Street PRICF, $1.50. Copyrighted, 1909, by John J. Munro, Brooklyn, N. Y. rnoH^ J. Blaih, prihter, PORT CHESTGK, HEW YORK. INTRODUCTION. By Rev. Madison C. Peters, D. D. I have known the author of this book for many years. He was once associated with me in my ministerial work. I know all about his work as Chaplain of the Tombs, and have often spoken with him about the conditions prevailing in that institution, and have again and again urged him to tell the public all he knows about its inside workings. I have every reason to believe from what I know of the author, that he has written a true story, one which every citizen of Greater New York should read, and which ought to arouse the red-hot blood of every lover of his kind. The book ought to be in the hands of every clergyman, lawyer, physician, and of every good citizen. It will fur- nish material for sermons and addresses, and give impulse and impetus to all the workers for social betterment, and bring to us the blessings of Him who said: "I was in prison and ye visited Me." THANKS. In the preparation of this work, I feel I am under last- ing obligations for discriminating advice and kindly sugges- tions tendered me at different times by many friends. But I am under special debt to Mr. George H. Sandison, Man- aging Editor, and J. A. Belford, Art Editor of the Christian Herald, for valuable suggestions. I also express my sincere thanks to the Rev. Madison C. Peters, D. D., whose clarion voice against wrongs and abuses of various kinds has been heard all over Greater New York, for many helpful suggestions. I am also thankful to many of the New York magazines and papers for kind words and much interest in articles of mine on Prison Work that have appeared from time to time. These maga- zines and papers include Harper's Weekly, Success, Van Norden, Intelligencer, Christian Advocate, Examiner, Press, Presbyterian, Witness and many others. I extend my thanks also to Messrs. Harper & Bro., for the use of a cut, and to the Evening Journal for the loan of photographs. The Author. ILLUSTRATIONS. The Author, Rev. John J. Munro Children's Court General Sessions Judges Criminal Branch of Supreme Court Ex-Police Commissioner Theodore A. Bingham Police Commissioner Baker at His Desk New Tombs Prison Corridor of Women's Prison Old Tombs Entrance on Leonard Street Davis, Who Pardoned Himself Out of Prison Sing Sing Prison Entrance Sing Sing Chapel The Death Chamber at Sing Sing New Police Headquarters Sunday Morning Service in the Old Tombs Old Police Headquarters Justice Blanchard of Supreme Court Justice Goff of the Supreme Court The Bridge of Sighs Hon C. V. Collins, Superintendent of Prisons Hon. John F. McIntyre, Criminal Lawyer Scene in the Tenderloin Station House Mrs. John A. Foster, the Tombs Angel Putting a Crook Through the "Third Degree" at Po- lice Headquarters Roll Call in a Station House at Midnight Men's Prison Women's Prison ■, CONTENTS. FOREWORD PERSONAL EXPERIENCES The strange circumstances of a visit to the Tombs on an errand of mercy. — Early impressions more than thirty years ago. — Recollections — Humane Overseers. Page 11 CHAPTER I. WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE TOMBS A modem Prison Barracks — Personal Experiences — Amaz- ing stories of corruption — Ruth Howard's bomb — Charges pigeon-holed — Commissioner Hynes' Admin- istration — Bissert in clover — Drunken prisoners — The gamblers' paradise — Lawyers and clients — Privileges for the few — Abusing the unfor- tunate — The food — Tammany Poli- tics — City Prisons in charge of State authorities. Page 17 CHAPTER II. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS PRISON The Collect Pond of three generations ago — King Wil- liam's Experience — Agitation to fill up — How it came to be called the Tombs — Size of the old Tombs — Retrospect — ^The New Tombs — When Opened — The semi- official characters. Page 29 CHAPTER III. MODERN EXCUSES FOR CRIME Criminal instincts — Moral defectives — Inducing men to commit crime — Examples — The fair sex as temptersr-^The irresistible im- pulse — Drawing the line. Page 38 CHAPTER IV. HOW CRIMINALS ARE MADE Increase in crime — Fierce modem temptations — Strong drink as a crime maker — Immigration — Glad- stone's dictum — Finding die causes — Is there a remedy? Page 45 CHAPTER V. THE SCIENTIFIC CRIMINAL The criminal product of the 20th century — A crook's out- fit — Criminal character — Beating the law — ^An- thropology — Lombroso as an authority on crime-^rime and the Nation — Repressive measures. Page 50 CHAPTER VI. SOME FAMOUS TOMBS PRISONERS The irony of fate — ^The innocent and guilty — Monroe Ed- wards — Murderers' Row — Scannel, Crocker, Erastus Wyman, Ferdinand Ward, Buchanan, Carlyle Harris, Patrick and Thaw. Page 57 II CHAPTER VII. THE DANGEROUS EDUCATED CROOK The fallacy that education cures crime — Moral training necessary — John Howard and education — In- dustry and crime — Elmira's experience — ■ Where the educated crook is dangerous — Examples. Page 62 CHAPTER VIII. LEAVES FROM THE HISTORY OF A CHECKERED CAREER The remarkable confessions of one of the brightest, brain- iest and smartest crooks of his day. How He Pardoned Himself Out of Prison Admits total depravity — His prayer — Serving time in a Coal Mine — Impersonating a clergyman — Feigning to be deaf and dumb — Be- moaning His sad condition. Page 67 CHAPTER IX. THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CROOK How a Yoang Life Was Wrecked A New England. ancestry — ^An indulgent mother — Idleness and bad company — The feelings of a guilty con- science — Work or crime, which?: — State prison — Liberty — Again arrested — A new career in crime — ^any burglaries. Page 75 III CHAPTER X. WANDERING STARS AND BUZZARDS OF THE TOMBS Thrilling Experiences The study of human nature — Deception of the looks — ■ Chronic liars — ^A deserter from Russia — Chump of Harlem — Many dark records — Four years for tell- ing a lie — Capt. Jack — Crooked Kahn — The Panel Crooks — Wilson's career — ^The dress slasher — ^Amazing cheek. Page 81 CHAPTER XI. BRILLIANT FORGERY CROOKS Forgery as a fine art — A skilled crime — Forgery experts — ■ Becker, the King of Forgers — His career — Three of a kind. Page 100 CHAPTER XII. CHANGING THE GRAND JURY INTO A BOARD OF CRIMINAL EXPERTS A New Classification of Criminals Popular demand to abolish the Grand Jury — ^Judges ask for legal indictments — ^Too rapid work in Grand Jury room — The weakness of the system — Rich men on the Grand Jury — Under the control of District-Attorney — Board of Criminal Experts — Save the county millions of dollars — Cases — An original classification. Page 108 IV CHAPTER XIII. SCHOOLS OF CRIME How Yonng Crooks are Educated Crime both infectious and contagious — Importing crooks — New York prisons, crime breeders — Modem Fagins — Breaking up Faginism — Best remedy morality in the public schools. Page 120 CHAPTER XIV. YOUTHFUL DELINQUENTS AND THE CHILDREN'S COURT The cause of temptations — Reasons for children in crime — Evil resorts — Conversations with child criminals— The German boy — The Children's Court — Its origin — Crime among poor children the result of social conditions — Incorrigibles — The good work of the Children's Aid Society — Foolish "cod- dling" of lawless children. Page 126 CHAPTER XV. THE ROD AS A REFORMATIVE AGENT IN THE EDU- CATION OF YOUTHFUL LAWBREAKERS A recent ruling on corporal punishment — Favored by best prison reformers — Horace Mann — School Principals and teachers — Supt. Brockway — ^What they do in England and Germany — Rights of parents — Law- less homes — Crime more demoralizing than pain — An experienced probation officer — What others say. Page 133 CHAPTER XVI. CRIME AMONG WOMEN (1) The Social Evil. (2) Felonies. (3) The Shoplifter. Causes of crime among women — Reasons for moral leprosy — ^The Cadet system — How carried on — Examples — The celestials of Chinatown — Women of the Tombs — Mother Maundelbaum — Queen Ber- tha — A belle from old Kentucky — Others — ^The modern shop- lifter — Examples. Page 139 CHAPTER XVII. THE STEAL OR STARVE UNFORTUNATES A great omission — Poverty and social conditions the cause of crime — The unemployed — Hungry children — Poverty homes and crime — What ex-cotivicts say — Hungry men commit crime to be sent to prison — Want food. Page 151 CHAPTER XVIIl. HOW YOUNG MEN BREAK INTO PRISON Startling facts — Save young men — ^The way of the trans- gressor — How yoimg men go down — Example — Per- centage of young men — Opinion of Supt. Brock^ way^