The New York Tombs Inside and Out!: Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present. A Story Stranger Than Fiction, with an Historic Account of America's Most Famous Prison. — John Shaqi
The New York Tombs Inside and Out!: Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present. A Story Stranger Than Fiction, with an Historic Account of America's Most Famous Prison.Munro, John Josiah
History
The New York Tombs Inside and Out!: Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present. A Story Stranger Than Fiction, with an Historic Account of America's Most Famous Prison.
Munro, John Josiah
Crime -- New York (State) -- New York; Halls of Justice (New York, N.Y.)
Richard Croker, all round Tammany Hall leader and politician for many
years, alderman and at the time of his involuntary confinement in the
Tombs a city coroner, shot and killed John McKenna at Second Avenue and
34th Street, November 3rd, 1874. The shot that killed McKenna was
intended for Ex-Senator James O’Brian, a brother of Inspector Steve
O’Brian. It is said while an inmate of the Tombs Croker had the
privilege of leaving the building and returning when he pleased. How
true this was nobody could tell, but others who were able to pay for it
had the same privileges since that time. Money and other influences have
always been a tremendous power in the Tombs Prison.
Ferdinand Ward, bank president and bank looter, who stole no less than
$2,000,000 from the Marine Bank and eventually ruined General Grant,
spent some months in the Tombs and was finally sent to Sing Sing for a
term of years.
Erastus Wyman, a well-to-do Staten Island Real Estate operator, lay in
the Tombs for many months. He had a hard fight against a horde of
persecutors who sought his ruin. His case went to the Court of Appeals,
where he received a new trial. He was never tried again.
Another rich banker—I well remember him—was Cornelius L. Alvord. He got
away with more than $700,000 from the First National Bank.
He was in a cell in Murderers’ Row, in the old prison. While there he
ate the best food and smoked the finest cigars till he took up his abode
in Sing Sing. His sentence was seven and one-half years.
Roland Burnham Molineux, a popular young man, was arrested February 2nd,
1899.
He lay in the Tombs about nine months before the first trial. Mr.
Molineux was plucky, courageous and optimistic. It is needless to say he
made many friends, all of whom were glad when he received his liberty.
In manners he was a perfect gentleman, courteous and obliging to all.
While in the Tombs he was very kind to his fellow unfortunates and
frequently fed, clothed and shod needy prisoners at his own expense.
Then there were Fritz Meyer, Carlyle Harris, Doc. Kennedy, and Patrick,
besides, lawyers, doctors, bankers, insurance agents and walking
delegates without number.
Harry Kendall Thaw, a native of Pittsburg, Pa., a multi-millionaire,
shot and killed Stanford White while in Madison Square roof garden June
6th, 1906. He lay in the Tombs over ten months. His first trial lasted
nearly three months. His immense wealth brought around him an army of
friends who flattered him night and day—for his money. While in the
Tombs he had unusual privileges, all of which he doubtless paid for
highly. Physically his imprisonment made him a new man. His defence is
said to have cost him a million dollars. He came from a first class
family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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