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 magazines 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 POLICE HEADQUARTERS ROLL CALL IN A STATION HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT MEN’S PRISON WOMEN’S PRISON ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS. FOREWORD PERSONAL EXPERIENCES Page 11 The strange circumstances of a visit to the Tombs on an errand of mercy.—Early impressions more than thirty years ago.—Recollections—Humane Overseers. CHAPTER I. WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE TOMBS Page 17 A modern Prison Barracks—Personal Experiences—Amazing stories of corruption—Ruth Howard’s bomb—Charges pigeon-holed—Commissioner Hynes’ Administration—Bissert in clover—Drunken prisoners—The gamblers’ paradise—Lawyers and clients—Privileges for the few—Abusing the unfortunate—The food—Tammany Politics—City Prisons in charge of State authorities. CHAPTER II. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF AMERICA’S MOST Page 29 FAMOUS PRISON