The New York Herald Newspaper, May 12, 1872, Page 7

we THE HOUSE OF REFUGE. Startling Disclosures of Its ~~ Wiher Workings. woe" See ry a al -” ki SURE 9 ‘FORCED PRAYERS THE BEST DEVOTION. "The Btiok with Thres Bitape om the Ena-8iz Handred Catholic Inmates Driven to Non-Sec- tarian () Worship Every Sunday—What the Managers Think of Religious Lib- erty—Statements of the Superin- tendent, Chaplain, Father Re- naud and Three Inmates. ‘The House of Refuge is an institution for the re- formation of juvenile delinquents, male and female. Itis situated on the southern extremity of Ran- dall’s Island, and ts supported partly by the State and partly by private contributions. The Board of Managers is elected by the members of the Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents. Police Justices of the city of New York have power to com- mit to this house youthful offenders who may be brought before them. THE RECENT MURDER and attempted homicides in this institution have given rise to numerous inquiries and complaints about the moral and physical training to which the bnmates are subjected. Three desperate affrays be- tween inmates and keepers, taking place within as Many weeks, do not seem indicative of the best relations between the officials on the one hand and the unfortunate prisoners on the other, Neverthe- less, it would appear that the discipline is excel- lent, ifnot salutary; and the very character of the gentlemen who have been elected trustees of the institution would seem to be a sure guarantee that everything is being done to remould the young and depraved minds of the individuals entrusted to their charge. To ascertain whether any grave sources of delinquency really existed there or not, one of the HERALD attachés was commissioned to visit the House of Refuge and to interview such persons as might enable him to lay the true state of things before the public. While in the performance of this duty he received information which must STARTLE THE MIND of every true’ american, every lover of fair play, and every man who admires that provision of our con- stitution which guarantees to everybody the right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. Even the wretched criminal in his prison cell, while preparing to yield up his life on the scaffold, is allowed to choose any minister, whether Christian or Jew, and to get ready to face his Creator according as the voice of his own reason guides him, But herein this House of Refuge—here within a stone’s throw of this great metropolis of the land of free thought and free religion, in the middie of the nineteenth century, six hundred Catholic children are marched 10 A PROTESTANT CHAPEL twice every Sabbath day, and compelled to join in worship in which they do not believe, and to be content with a ceremonial which, however good it may be in the eyes of those who control the house, is nevertheless most obnoxious to three- fourths of all those within its walls. There are 860 persons ther in the House of Refuge, and 600 of these are Catholics. Ifthe Catholics were in a small mi- nority it could be well understood how the interests of the few should be sacrificed to those of the many, and it would not be a source of so much wonder to hear of that few being marched to a religious ser- vice which would conform to the views of the great majority. But this is not all. If any of the Catholic boys should refuse to enter the Protestant chapel, or refuse to sing the Protestant hymns, he would be deemed guilty of A GRIEVOUS CRIME, and Kecooeeing, to the statements below) would be stripped of his clothes, and thrown across a stool, and there lashed by one of the officials with three straps fastened to a cane. Much has been said of Catholic intolerance in past times, but it May well be doubted if ever there existed in any ° age aCatholic institution wherein children of an- other faith would be flogged for not going to a mass. The case does notend here. Never, from the time oftheir entry, until they leave, are the Catholic children allowed to see a priest; never to | receive the sacraments in which, despite the follies of their younger days, they firmly believe, never to receive any religious consolation: except they chance to be taken ill and are IN DANGER OF DEATH in the hospital. There has been one exception, and only one, where a French boy coutinued to crave for a priest, so that one of the fathers was admit- ted to hear his confession. The strangest phase of the case is that the managers of this institution profess to be non-sectarian. “Nothing,” they si “4s to be found in our religious service which be offensive to any sect.” Now, erernow who knows what Catholics are, knows that the very fact of a ritual and service being non-Catholic is amply suficient to offend them, and hence the fallacy of ‘what the managers of the House of Refuge assert; indeed, it is a clear contradiction in terms. Before putting forth more fully the position and the prin- ciples on which the officials vainly seek to justify their monstrous intolerance, we will give in sub- stance an account of THE INTERVIEWS had with the Superintendent, the Chaplain, the riest and three of the boys now confined in the mbs. From 117th street a rowboat conveys the visitor to the southern extremity of Randall's Island, where the House of Refuge stands. The main entrance facing the river soon leads to the ofice of Mr. Jones, the Superintendent. Mr. Jones is a hale and courteous gentleman of medium age and size. His hair and whiskers are turning gray, and he enjoys the peculiar facility of instantly turn- fing a scowl into a shower of most gracious smiles. The reporter announced the object of his visit, whereupon Mr. Jones politely expressed his readi- negs to accord the desired information. REPORTER—I presume, sir, that you recognize re- ion as being a most potent reforming agent ? ir. JONES—Most certainly we do. We have re- ligious services every Sabbath, both inthe morning and afternoon. RePoRTER—How many ‘chaplains come to your aid on Sundays ? Mr. JonEs—Only one, sir. " ReEPoRTER—Then, are all your inmates of one re- ious belief ? ir. Jones—Oh, not at all; most of them are Cath- Olics. REPORTER—Then I suppose a Catholic priest per- forms the services? Mr. JonES—By no means. We are not at all sec- tarian in this institution. We allow nothing which any sect can take umbrage at. EPORTER—Is your chaplain, then, a non-sectarian clergyman ¢ Mr. Jones—Oh no; he is a Methodist minister, Dr. Pierce is. REPORTER—And the great mass of your inmates don't object to this service ? Mr. Jones—Well, I have never known them to make objection to it, Revorrer—Are all the Catholic inmates com- pelled to attend these religious services ? Mr. Jones—Certainly they are. Dr. Pierce never teaches anything sectarian. We even invite clergy- men of all denominations to come and preach here. We've had Father Duranquet preach here once. REPORTER—How 16 it that you’ve had a priest ba! once ? ir. JonEs—Well, I suppose he did not like to preach again, as we could not allow him to preach any Catholic doctrines here. HeronrEn—But would you not let a priest say mass or hear confessions here ? Mr, Jones—Certainly not. I am not permitted to 80. ReporteR—But don’t you think that Catholic children ought to have Catholic service, and would be benefited thereby ? Mr. Jones—Well, you see, in this institution we believe the Sermon on the Mount to embody all that is necessary for salvation. All we wish is that our boys may become good citizens—that they may not lie or cheat, ‘This answer implies what is repugnant to Catho- lic teaching—namely, that honesty and truthfulness are of themselves sufficient for salvation. The HeRaLy commissioner hareupon bade the Superin- tendent adieu, and repaired to the residence of the chaplain, Rev. B. K. Pierce, D.D. The reverend gentleman was found in his studio, sur- rounded by cases of He is appar- ently a man of high culture, and re- ceived the commissioner like a courtier. The Doctor was asked about the religious services, and he answered substantially what Mr. Jones had al- ready stated. In addition, he stated that he never administered any sacraments to the juvenile delin- quents, lest it might excite bad fecling on the part of the Catholics. He never knew the Catholic chil- dren to regard the Sabbath services with disrelish, He was on as good terms with them as with the other inmates. He had a great esteem for Father Duranquet, but could not permit hiin to say any- thing sectarian to the Catholic children. No objec- tion was ever made to an official on account of his mn. All sects were represented in the Board of Managers. REPORTER—Don't you think, sir, that the Catholic ow would like very much to have Catholic ser- Dr, PreRcr—Well, Perhaps so. I knew one Cath- olic boy who was sent away to work for a respect- able Episcopalian in Connecticut, and the employer sent me word that the boy would not Ling | with him, but wanted to see a priest. FE wrote to the gentleman, telling him to let the boy sce the pricst aga choose for himself, 1 was once asked by a NEW French boy here to confess him _. tola har not believe in the right to worship God without rettraigt: se col ace Oertainiy: na" te ke psf — ‘Dr. ‘Prence—certainiy 3} and as faust 1 would be most happy to have cle.gymen of other Cc jinations come here and a J am bound by thg rules of Up mmutution 400 Gentleman then kindly pointed ont 9, vat r the building in which in the room of ¢ Catholic priest on that part of the island which B under the control of the Commissioners of Chari- ties and Correction, This priest, Rev. Father Renaud, is a Jesuit, who attends the sick and dying inmates of the House of Refuge. He is the chap- jain on the upper part of the island. He was not to be found in his room, so the reporter walked toward the ape in quest of him. ther Renaud Was sitting in the midst of a group of some two hundred little boys on the common, who thronged eagerly around him, asking uestions and utteri! cries of welcome. ‘ne father was distributing little pictures of the crucified Christ and of various saints to the chil- dren, and was entering their names in a little book. The supper bell had tolled, but the little ones ori oe oe ae a Someone to ies ut the priest, rubbing coat and shaking hands. When the reporter introduced himsel Father Renaud arose, and on pee asked about the restrictions against the exercise of his functions he hesitated for some time, and then replied:—‘As an individual I have always been received in a most gentlemanly manner by all the officers of the House of Refuge ; but as a Catholic priest my ministry was coniined to the sick. RerorreR—I understand, sir, that you are not allowed to celebrate mass or to administer the sacraments to the healthy inmates? Father Renaup—Far from it. Iwas not allowed to give the boys printed slips of paper from which they could learn their prayers, RerorTrer—Are you often called upon to attend to patients ? Father Renaup—No. From November, 1871, to the present I have not had a single call in the girls’ department and only nineteen in the boys’. Two of them were 80 sick that they might have died without seeing me. I was not sent for, but I chanced to go there, and attended them. As to the healthy Catholic inmates—deprived of Catholic edu- cation, they are in deep ignorance of the tenets of their faith—I asked the superintendent to allow me to give them Catholic books and papers, and he thought proper to refuse me. I was requested by a Rewer to see her boy, but I was denied admission to him. ReEporTER—I am told that the institution is unsec- tarian. Do you think that the Catholic children are nina in any way by this so-called unsectarian service ? Father Revavp—The Catholic inmates never have any Catholic ‘vice. On the contrary, they are marched every Sunday to the Protestant vhurch and the Protestant Sunday school, The books and papers placed at the disposal of the young inmates are Protestant. With all this the institution pre- tends to be unsectarian. REPORTER—What plan would you suggest as fair and practicable that would insure equal religious righfs to all? Father RENAUD—The one adopted by the Commis- sioners of Charities and Correction, namely, that the Protestant minister would not interfere with the Catholic children, nor the Catholic priest with the Protestant children, and that equal facilities should be given to each denomination to hold its own service, REPORTER—But would not this plan give rise to debates and discussions on the part of the inmates? Father RENaAUD—Most assuredly no. It has never given rise to any on this side of the island, and lam sure it wouldn’t in the House of Refuge. But sup- posing it would give rise to such debates, is that any reason why the right of every individual to deb God as he deems best should be taken away ‘om him? ‘The reporter thanked Father Renaud for this in- formation and took his departure from the island. ‘The three boys now confined in the Tombs—one for the alleged murder of Warden Calvert, another for stabbing Sprole, principal of the school of the House of Refuge, and another for striking a warden named Maleady—were then interviewed. The names of these risoners, in the above _ order, are Justice Dunne, Michael Ryan and Edwards. Each corroborated the statement of the other. In reply to the interrogations of the HERALD representative, Ryan said :—‘Myself and Dunne are Catholics, but we were never allowed to see a riest. We are treated in a brutal manner by the ee) . For talking in the shop you will be sent to Mr. Jones; he immediately seizes a big club that he has in his office, and beats you unmercifally with it. When I first went to the Island, I stood on the stairway on Sunday morning, and would not go in to the Protestant worship; soon the keeper rushed atme witha club and beat me untill wentin. If aboy refuses to sing the Protestant hymn he is considered guilty of an awful crime. I have seen Catholic boys who would not sing the hymn; the keeper took them out and ordered them to take off their clothes and lie across a stool. Then with three straps fastened on a stick he lashed them in a horrible manner. If they dreaded to take their clothes off they would be stripped forcibly and beaten with a club. The keeper slaps you on the ear for the slightest thing. Ifyou put up your hand to stop the blow he will give you a kick and put you on the line. Two-thirds of allghe boys there are Catholics and would love to seé a priest, but they are afraid to ask to see the riest lest they might get fogged. If you bd Enew half of it! Edwards here (pointing to Ed- wards) was stripped in the middle of January and put on bread and water. Now he has got the con- suinption. He has been spitting blood ever since.” At this juncture Edwards arose crying, and said:—“I once jumped into the river to escape from the House with two other boys. The keepers ran towards us and began to throw in big rocks at us. One of the boys was struck and came nigh being drowned. I swam back, afraid I might. be killed.” This was quite enough to hear of such details. The boys may have exaggerated them, but the stories do not look like inventions, Ryan was asked if he could make an affidavit to those state- ments, and he answered in the affirmative. The reporter then laid some of these particulars before a few prominent Catholic gentlemen of New York, whose names it is needless to mention here, and they seemed to have been in utter ignorance of the real state of affairs in the House of Refuge. Nothing could be more astound- ing to them than the account of the manner in which the religious liberties of the inmates are trampled upon. Many and varied are the pretexts ou which the executive officers and managers of the institution vainly seek to justify their arbitrary conduct. But supposing that the inmates were slaves, and the Nineteenth century were not yet upon us, would the most absolute master have a right under our constitution to force upon his enthralled wretches a system of religious belief and worship which they would believe insuf™l- cient if not OBNOXIOUS AND INJURIOUS ? No prison keeper throughout the broad extent of our country has or dares to exercise the right of dictating to his prisoners the form of religious ceremonial to which they must conform under pain of punishment. It seems to be an accepted opinion with the authorities of the House of Refuge that the introduction of Catholic worship for the benefit of Catholic inmates would obstruct the discipline and welfare of the institution. The association for the reformation of juvenile delin- quents numbers in its ranks many philanthropists, men of eminence and culture, and it can well be doubted if these gentlemen are really conversant with the unequal workings of the institution. An- nual reports are laid before them, and these re- ports abound in such LUXURIANT DESCRIPTIONS ofthe House of Refuge that, judging from them alone, one would almost wish himself young again that he might have an opportunity of becoming an inmate of the House of Refuge. In them we see nothing of the Noggings for not assisting at Protestant wor- ship. In an admirable work recently written by Chaplain Pierce, he says:—‘Boys can only be re- formed by that sanctified power with which God endows His chosen instruments—that awakens the inward being, that enthrones conscience above the assions and suffuses the whole nature with the love of its Saviour.” Look on this picture of refor- mation, and then on the one above; for certainly itis not the straps and the clubs that Dr. Pierce alludes to as “the power that awakens the inward being,” &c. The State of NEW YORK PAYS FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS per annum for the partial maintenance of this insti- tution, and this money certainly was never in- tended to be used in robbing Catholic chil- dren of their most cherished rights. It is too far past the days of feudalism and intolerance to permit the long continuance of such a state of things. There is too much of the spirit of fair Ce in the mind of every true American, too much of the free and hi edie ae mind of the age is in existence, too much bi and treasure has been expended in the purchase of freedom, to admit of the prolonged existence of such an anomalous state of affairs in the House of Refuge. At one tim similar state of affairs existed in the institutions he other part of the island, until the late Rev. |. Monroe, 8. J., nephew of President Manroe, 80 agitated the affair that religious liberty was soon established there. The readers of the HERALD will be duly informed as soon as the managers of the House of Refuge pursue a like course. A HOTEL THIEF CAPTURED, Friday night a well-dressed young man called at the Grand Hotel, and, registering his name as William J. Barkley, desired to be shown to a room. A room being assigned him, he shortly afterwards retired. The night watchman employed in the hotel, while going his rounds a few minutes before seven o'clock yesterday morn! ng, discovered Bark- ley coming from the room of John H. Morrell of the gucsts, and securing the services of Detective Hagan, of the Twenty-ninth precinct, who was in the vicinity, caused his arrest. Upon searching him a diamond stud, valued at $50, which he had taken from the room, was found in his pos- session. The wallet, containing a small amount of money, was found at his feet in the hallway. There were also found on his person a pair of nippers, used for unlocking doors, and a number of skeleton keys, After sitting for his picture to be placed in the Rogues’Gallery, yesterday morning, he was ar- raigned before Justice Cox at Jefferson Market and committed for trial, a) OUR CROTON. Causes of Ite Scarcity—A Reckless Waste of the ‘Water by Consumers—The Perpetual Es- cope Through Small Vents in Stores “and Barrooms—The Flooding of the Streete—London’s Water, ‘The article which appeared in yesterday morn- ing’s HERALD was 80 apropos and needful an ex" pression of the interests of the public that it is immediately responded to through a score of sensible and thoughtful letters addressed to us by citizens who read these columns. One of these letters we publish below, as it presents many in- teresting facts that show in what way the supply of Croton water has become insufficient and how its consumption may be regulated so as not to ex- ceed the real demands of necessity, The truth of the writer’s remarks is so plain as to need no argu- ment, although ina large metropolis it is doubt! if the best remedy of the evil would not be in devis- ing or discovering some inexhaustible means of sup- ply that would be sufficient for a thousand years to come, even should the city grow with twice its present rapidity. Too much of the pure, sparkling water of the earth cannot be had, and “Adam's ale” is, after all, of more stable value to the human family than the most costly wines that ever grew on the banks of the Rhone. Its free use should not be discouraged. Its waste is reprehensible, and so thinks the writer of this letter. The Supply and Waste of Croton Water. To THE Epiror or THE HeRraLp:— Laxity in the use of water now pervades every class and condition of society to such an extent and isa habit so deeply rooted that it cannot be remedied unless stringent laws and penalties are enforced against it. No matter how urgent the ne- cessity, nor how repeated the representations of the evil, neither conscience nor interest seem to operate in checking this useless and sinful extrava- gance. Should such a necessity of life, comfort and health which costs so enormous an amount of labor and eat eg to Leer be thus wickedly squandered by careless and malicious persons, thereby depriv- ing the community of what in emergencies may be of the most vital iinportance? THE MEANS OF SUPPLY AMPLE ENOUGH. There is reason to believe that the present means of supply are ample to furnish the city with a sufliciency of the Muid for all necessary purposes, | if the reckless extravagance in the misuse of water was prevented. In the year 1867 Mr. John H. Rhodes, Water Purveyor of this city, testified fore the Legislative Fire Investigating Commit- tee:—“New York, with a population of 1,000,000, consumes 50,000,000 gallons of water, while London, with a population of 3,000,000, consumes but 60,000,000 gallons of water. I think about four-fifths ofthe water here is wasted. The present pressure of water in this city is about ten pounds at the hy- drants. It formerly was some forty pounds, which might still be obtained if waste were prevented. On the high grades of the city everything is at the mercy of fire at present. An additional main is about to be laid, at the cost of $1,000,000, Did not think there was safety for water works anywhere exc by measurement of water. If water was met anew main would not be required for ten years yet.” Here we have aburden entailed upon the taxable community ten yéars belore it is actually necessary, all owing to THE RECKLESS WASTE OF WATER. If it continues unchecked how many more new mains, dams, reservoirs and aqueducts will be re- quired to provide for our legitimate wants and waste’? Is not this feature of the case well worthy of the consideration of the community? The facility of leaving faucets open and the water running is probably the greatest source of waste, and precisely where lies the root of the whole evil, as will become apparent on perusal of the following extract from the CROTON AQUEDUCT BOARD REPORT FOR 1851, page 1,419:—“There are in the city a great number of small jets, with basins beneath, on the counters of groceries and barrooms, confectioneries and bakeries, the discharge from which is generally either carried into sewers or passed to the street gutters, beneath the wagging of the sidewalk. These, viewed separately, seem trifling affairs, and incapable of producing any marked influence upon the general supply; but under the pressure of a head of more than a hundred feet, which in many cases is the fact, a small orifice will discharge ‘A PRODIGIOUS QUANTITY OF WATER in the course of a year. A systematic effort has been made to ascertain the number of these and to collect from them the revenue which the ordinance has defined. The free use of these, as in all cases where privileges undisturbed have been long en- joyed, is now claimed as aright, and payment for them’ has been met with opposition and grumbling, In one case, where a party was charged $9 for a jet ‘upon his counter, he paid it with such strong expressions’ of the im- position practised upon him as__ induced the writer to .visit his place and gauge the quantity of water actually lowing from it. It was found to discharge half a pint every ten sec- onds, and, a8 it was admitted that the flow con- tinued throughout the entire year, it follows that 197,100 gallons annually is thus wasted, equal to furnishing a family of twenty persons each with twenty-seven gallons of water daily for the whole period. The jet referred to 1s not larger, perhaps smaller, than the average of those used for similar purposes, It is thought to be largely within the truth to assume that there are in the city 500 ofthem, discharging as much water as the one above described; if so, an annual waste of 100,000,000 of gallons is shown from this source only! It cannot be long before necessity will compel the passage of an ordinance abolishing these jets alto- gether, or compelling the payment ofan annual oon at least five times as great as that now im- posed. The great outlets of waste are, however, to be sought for in other quarters; among these, street washers are still prominent, consuming in- calculable quantities of water to no useful purpose whatever; millions of gallons are worse than wasted in FLOODING INSTEAD OF SPRINKLING THE STREETS, ruining the pavements and leaving them a mass of mud during the summer months; and to these add the hundreds of streams kept running in stores and warehouses, communicating with sewers in the lowgr wards, throughout the year, and the cata- log fe will begin to show its enormity. In the cause of waste last specified, it is not unusual to find written in conspicuous characters over water closets and urinals, “Leave the water ranning.” To stay these accumulated abuses the department is at all times exerting the power and influence it possesses ; but without the aid and support of the consumers themselves its progress, in so herculean a wo must necessarily be slow and unsatisfactory. Whether such aid will ever be extended to it, by an economical use of water, short of the suffering produced by a deficient supply, is, perhaps, not tobe expected. Bad habits are ‘already too thoroughly rooted, and privileges for which a daily thanksgiving should be offered are so commonly and 80 constantly abused as scarcely to find a rebuke in the best rega- lated families, Would these families tolerate a like waste in other and less necessary supplies? If it were possible to circumscribe the use of water to Dana nercn crete only, furnishing for these the most liber pply, no addition would: be re- quired to the works?for THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS except to guard against accidents to the aqueduct itself, by having the means of storing an increased uantity on this island. In this is found the reason for @ new reservoir, a prudential measure only, indicated by the possibility of such accident. REPORT OF THE CROTON AQUEDUCT BOARD, 1852. The Croton Aqueduct Board’s report for the year 1862, page 77, in speaking of the arrangements for the distribution of Croton water in one of the modern hotels in Broadway, remarks :— “The total number of faucets gives more than four hundred openings through which water is de- livered and discharged into public sewers, so that if left running at all times no damage can happen with such arrangements, for the consumption of water, under the control of a little army of careless servants and irresponsible guests, how is any rea- sonable economy to be expected ?” These statements, made twenty years ago, clearly expose the enormity of the waste aris! nF from open faucets alone. How stupendous must be THE INCREASE OF THE EVIL since then! The faucets now used are not only larger, but also the water is more generally used than at that time. Competent judges estimate that ordinary faucets, exposed to average hope ae will discharge about three thousand gallons of water per day. If there are in each house in this city a dozen faucets capable of delivering only one-half of the above amount of water daily, it can be estimated how enormous a quantity of water can be wasted through careless- ness in leaving faucets open. It is thus clear that if every faucet was left Me ge the waste would be so enormous that no supply would be sufficient for absolute want. As it is water has to be stored in its transit from the original spring to the consumer, in reservoirs, dams, mains, pipes, &c.; and, there- fore, the greater the number of faucets closed the greater the benefits that will accrue towards the storage of water. OPEN FAUCETS. It having been clearly demonstrated that open faucets are the chief source of waste, this demon- stration is further confirmed by THE WATER DEPARTMENT OF MONTREAL, in its report for 1868, page 37, which says “there has been an average decrease of 625,623 gallons per day, a3 compared to the consumption of 1867, and the principal cause of this diminution is that greater vigilance during the last year been exercised in repressing undue waste of water, by Rd | special men to visit premises for that purpose, and parties naving their fixtures in bad order, or found wasting water, were brought up before the Re- ‘This had the effect of Cag: greatly the consumption of water.” From the foregoing it must Saal evident what course should be adopted forthwith, PRO BONO PUBLICO. New Yor«, May 11, 1872. The Chief Engincer of the Croton Department Explains About the Bad Water. Mr. Van Nort, Commissioner of Public Works, tates that the regular inspection of the interior of YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, MAY 12, 1872—QUADRUPLE SHEET. the Croton Aqueduct was recently made by the Chief Engineer, who passed through the aqueduct and personally examined every foot of it from Croton Dam to Manhattanville. The aqueduct was found in general good condition. At a few points some slight repairs were needed and made, To make @ proper examination it was necessary to entirely empty the aqueduct. The water was for this parpon Shut off at Croton Dam for forty-eight hours. During this time the supply of water for the city was drawn from the reservoirs located in the city, which were, of course, drawn down seve- ral feet by the operation; but they have since been led up, and are now full to high water line. Since the reservoirs have been filled a systematic clean- ing out of the entire system of mains and pipes has been going on by scouring them out by means of blow-offs and hydrants, In time more or less sedi- ment is collected in the bottom of the pipes, which not only impairs their capacity, but may slightly affect the taste of the water. This scouring out of the pipes is now nearly completed. The Chief Engineer says that the reports that dead fish or other putrid matter is in any of the res- ervoirs is entirely untrue, and that the writers of all such statements have been imposed upon by de- signing persons; nor is there any truth in the state- ment that the water in its passage through the aqueduct is atfected by bad gases. The aqueduct is not now and has not been even entirely full of water, nor are any of the ventilators of the aque- duct closed up, but all of them are open and are as free air passages as they ever were. THE EIGHT HOUR MOVEMENT. Strike of the Carpenters to Lessen the Hours of Labor and Success of the Painters and Bricklayers. The impetus given to the movement in favor of eight hours as the maximum of a workingman’s day’s labor by the successful issue of the painters’ strike has stimulated other trades to increased and energetic efforts in the same direction, among them one of the strongest bodies of artisans in the city— the carpenters and joiners, The question of labor and eapital has begun to assume very formidable proportions, and from every indication of the present time it is destined to be one of the most dificult questions that the statesmen of the future will have to contend with. Strikes of late years have been so frequent and so successtul that in busy times the members of any trade can leave off work with almost a certainty that their demands will be complied with, Since the rise of the International Society, and its extraordinary development, a kind of universal union and system of co-operation has been established between the workmen of different countries, by which they are bound to stand by and help each other in the hour of need. The strikers endeavored to obtain two objects—in the first piace to increase the rate of wages, and in the second to decrease the hours of labor, Some years ago (and in many parts of Europe yet) the hours of labor were twelve, which was only another name for slavery, but by long and continued etforts the wo! ingmen had the time reduced to ten hours per day. A further decrease of this time is now being sought, and a number of the trades have been very ssful in their struggles with the bosses, Two or three weeks ago the painters went on strike with this object, and after a short resistance the employers were forced to accede to the demands of the men, The stonecutters had, previously to this, been working eight hours a day with the reluctant but inevitable consent of their employers ; so had the plasterers; the bricklayers by peaceable consulta- tion and action have been promised that two hours will be taken off their day's labor on Tuesday; and now the carpenters, the strongest organization of them all, have notified the sag ws builders that on and after to-morrow morning their hours of labor must be reduced, without any reduction of pay, or they will not resume work. On Friday, to the number of 900, they held a meet- ing in Masonic Hall to consider the advisability of striking. The meeting was held with closed doors, none but members of the society being admitted, but it was understood that the consulta- tion was a stormy one. ‘The debate was lengthened, and every argument that could effect carefully presented and studied, and after intense excitement it was finally resolved to adopt the course which was put in operation last evening. It was resolved that no compromise with the “bosses” would be entertained, and no reduc- tion in the rate of wages be allowed as a set-off to the eight hours ultimatum, The society numbers 1,800 members in good stand- ing, who are a unst in the movement, and it is ex- pected that they will be sustained and assisted by large numbers of non-union men who have not had an opportunity to become enrolled. Among the leading employers who have been notified are Gar- drien & Co., East Twenty-third street; E. Bogart & Bro., Bank str Henessy & Gilsey, teenth street; Van Nostrand, West street; C.F. True, West Eighteenth st Rtceman, Thompson street. Of Sy Co. have notified the men employed by them that they can resume work on Monday morning and thelr demands will be complied with, and with Riceman & Co. it is not expected there will be any difficulty. The summer season is the busiest time of the year, and the strikers have timed it accord- ingly, and, so great is the emergency for workmen, they do not expect to have any difficulty in achiev- ing their object. The reasous the carpenters give in justification of their conduct, in conversation with a HERALD reporter yesterday, are as follows:—They say that the length of the present day’s work precludes all thought of intellectual improvement, a man, after a hard and long day's toil, having neither inclina- tion nor ability to sit down at night and read. W. t, and John Henessy & They say they want to have some culture = and keep up with the = spirit of the age; that the strike is not entered upon from any selfish motive, but has a higher object. In addition their trade compels them to gofrom any one part of the island. Like other mechanics, they have no stationary work- shop; to-day they may be working at the Battery, the next at Harlem. It is impossible to have a change of residence every time their location of labor is altered; so, in order to get to work at the prescribed time in_ the morning, they are forced to rise atan extremely early hour in the morning without having the rest they require. If their demands be complied with it will lengthen the period of every job they are em- ployed on one-fifth, thus preventing the crowding of avast amount of labor into a single season, and thus making it in the end better for both employers and men. They expect to be joined in their strike by the Amalgamated Soctety of Carpenters and Joiners, whose headquarters are in England, and who will be sustained by the parent society, which has thousands of pounds at its dis- posal for the support of strikers. Other trades also will co-operate, and the movement will doubtless become so formidable that it cannot be resisted. The carpenters are a fine, in. telligent set of men, and in conversation they state their views calmly and temperately, with an air of sincerity in the justice of their demands that cannot fail to inspire respect for them in those who listen, The plumbers, it is said, will also work to seénre the eight hours in a few days, and they also expect to be as fortunate as the agit have been and as the carpenters expect to be. Trade associations are being organized in New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and all the bot cities of the Continent, having for their object the drawing together of the members of every branch of industry into one grand organization, which will be able to cope with the power of the capitalists and employérs. Nor is the movement confined to skilled laborers, as was shown by the strike of the stonecutters for an increase of wages a few weeks ago, and although these had no union or orgamza- tion, in most instances they got the increase. In England, for the first time, the agricultural laborers have gone on a strike at a season when their services are most required—among others Mr. Disraeli’s laborers in Warwick- shire—and so strange is this action considered in England, that it has been made the subject of hice aug | discussion, and the leading papers in London have sent special correspondents to investigate the origin, extent and natnre of the difficulty. The carpenters disclaim all connection with the International and state that they wish it to be distinctly understood that this movement is entirely independent of it. The indications are that all other trades will go for the eight hours, and so strong have these unions become that in a short time there will be no resist- ing them. The capitalists have become alarmed, both here and in Europe, and a council of arbitra- tion has been suggested as the best course to adopt toplace the vexed question upon a satisfactory basis. This is recommended by such men as John Stuart Mill, Mr. Mundella and Professor Fawcett, in England, and Wendell Phillips and other leading thinkers in this country. The workingmen also fa- vor the scheme, and it is likely to receive attentive consideration. Whatever may be done, it 1s cer- tain that the relations between capital and labor stand upon a very insecure basis, and their treat- ment is one of the most interesting problems of the di HIGHWAYMEN ARRESTED. On Friday night, as Daniel Kerison, a boy resid- ing at 361 West Forty-fifth street, was passing through Forty-third street, near Eleventh avenue, he was attacked by five highwaymen, members of the notorious Tenth avenue gang, who struck him on the back of the head, knocking him on the pavement, and held him down while they rifled his eae of fen er cents, all the money he ad about him. r the thieves had taken their departure Kerison proceeded to the corner of Forty-second street, and meeting Officer O’Hal- loran, of the Twentieth precinct, A eg & descrip- tion of the parties who had robbed The ofcer subsequently arrested Michael Rodgers in Thirty- ninth street, between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, and upon confronting him with Kerison the latter fully identified him as one of the party who had at- tacked him. Officer Bohen, of the same precinct, yesterday morning arrested Robert Reilly, who was also fdentified as one of the party. The prisoners were arraigned before Justice Cox, at Jefferson Market, yesterday morning, and committed for trial jv the General Sessions,” ’ | THE STATE CAPITAL. PASSAGE OF THE ELECTION LAW. Bee ee Organization of the Court of Impeachment. THE REGISTRY LAW PASSED Ex-Judge Cardozo’s Successor Confirmed by the Senate. The Street Cleaning Bill Passed and Sent to the Governor. ALBANY, May 11, 1872, THE NEW ELECTION LAW. Mr. Palmer, from the Committee on Cities, re- ported the Election bill, with certain amendments, dnd it was passed by a vote of 19 to 4, The amend- ments are simply the elimination of the naturaliza- tion clause and the clause compelling a voter to give his exact age. THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL. The Senate had a little talk over the question of adjourning over to Monday evening, just before breaking up for the day, and it was finally decided that the members should reconvene at ten o'clock on Monday morning, as the Court of Impeachment is to organize at four o'clock on that day, There has been a good deal of comment concern- ing the composition of the Board of Managers to conduct the trial elected last night in the Assembly, The defeat of Mr. Tilden is regarded as a blow to im- Peachment, because the ticket elected was pre- pared and electioneered through by the friends of Judge Barnard, As the Board of Managers stand it is understood that five out of the nine members are at least friendly toward Judge Barnard, THE BAR ASSOCIATION, as represented here by several of its active mem- bers, is greatly disappointed at the personnet of the Board of Managers elected. It was whispered through the Assembly Chamber this morning that an effort would probably be made to add two more members to the Board, in order to have on it Tilden and either Tobey or Strahan, all of whom are strongly in favor of impeachment; but those who are strongly opposed to any such change went round among their fellow members and talked to them, and the result was that the idea of attempting to increase the .number of the mana- gers was abandoned, The Board of Managers visited the Senate Chamber in a body to-day, and through their Chairman, Mr. Alvord, formally noti- fied the Senate that they appeared with articles of impeachment against Judge Barnard and were prepared to maintain them, The President of the Senate replied that the necessary steps would be taken to convene the Court for the trial. The Managers then returned to the Assembly Chamber and informed the House of the answer of the Senate. STREET CLEANING IN NEW YORK. The result of the investigation which Mr. Healy inaugurated into the subject of street cleaning in New York is the following bill, which, having passed both houses of the Legislature, was to-day sent to the Governor for his signature : Ax Act in relation to the cleaning of the streets, avent lanes, alleys, gutters, wharves, piers and heads of si in the city of New York, and the removal of all ash Kurbage, rubbish and Sweepings aud all dead ani ood, offal and other refuse matter, and all bones, fish thi for human tood, and all diseased, tainted and im er like matter arrangements in resp The people of the Senate and Asser York, represented in ily, do enact as follows jourd of Police in the city of New York, ime to time be constituted: shall have full power and authority, and ts here and exe! as rubbish, kind, dead horses animals, blood, offal and other refuse matter, and all | bones, all fish hot fit for human food, all diseased, tainted or impure meats and all other water or nuisances of & similar kind wh order to be remo ubbish shall be re Jed, except sach dirt and ashes a tid Board of Health, may low or sunken nd whieh may'bi ed for such purpose, 2.—The said Board of Police is hereby vested with full and exclusive power and authority to superv is hereby cl i duty of supervising the exe. cutton ol cleaning the streets in said city made on LY of June, 1965, betw Mayor, Aldermen and Gommonalty of the’ city ¢ York, of the first pai John L. Brown, William H, Shepard F contractors, of the second garbage ani “fitst a8 col judgment of part, is found to be a valid ft, and to see that said uted on the purt of. said contractors, who, by assignment or otherwise, have succeeded to the rights, interests and du- ties of said contractors, and to arrange by agreement tor id urrender and canci lation of sald oc and to declare the same ¢ r the sald contra ‘sor their suc- cessors in interest. therein shall fail or omit to perform: substantially all the stipulations or cov- Cnants therein contained on the part ot said contractors, and to be by them kept and per- formed. Whenever the said contract shall be cancelled, asin this section provided, either by agreement or by reason of the failure of said contractors, or their succes- sornin interest, to perform the same. or thelr part, the Board of Police shall proceed to exercise the powers and erform the duties, and shall thence continue to exercise fhe powers conferred and perform the duties enjoined by the first section of this act, in respect to the cleaning of the streets In said city, and the removing of ashes, gar- bage, rubbish and sweepings. no. &—Whenever the existing contract in relation to the removal from said city of dead animals, blood, offal and other refuse matter, made on 8th of April, 1865, between the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonaity of the city of New York of the first part, and the Long Island Hone Laboratory of the second part, shall be termin: the said Board of Police shall proceed to and thence con! tinue to exercise the power and authority conferred, and erform the duties enjoined by the first section of this act, in respect to the removal from said city of dead animals, blood, offal and other refuse matter. Src! 4.--The department, bureau, or city official or off- clals, authority or authorities, having from time. to time the management and control of the public docks, piers and slips of said city shall designate and set apart for the use of the said Board of Police, suitable and suilicient docks, piers and slips, or berths'in slips, and so located as terests of said cit; determined wh to be adapted to and meet the wants of said board in. ex- eonting the varigus duties imposed by this act, without interruptions or delays. Sxc. 6.—The sald Board of Police is hereby authorized to contract for the sale of street manure, dirt, sweepings, ashes and garbage, any or either of them, to any person or persons, for such price or prices as to them shall seem expedient, and so.as that the same shall be promptly re- moved from said city, or so disposed of axnot to be offen- sive or detrimental to health, and to use the moneys thus obtained in defraying the expense of executing the pow- ers conferred by this act. All moneys received under this section, and all contracts made under this act, shall be Feported to the Comptroller of the clty of New York semt- mont! a Suc. &—The said Board of Police is hereby author- ized to ay ich officers. agents and employes as they may 'y in executing the several provisions ot this act, to perform such duties as cannot be advanta- eously performed by members of the police force,and fx reir ‘compensation, and also to employ laborers, and purchase or hire’ horses, carts, and the neces. fary boats, and other ‘materials, matters and things necessary to enable the’ said board to erform promptly and efficiently all the duties Imposed fy this at; and the moneys necessary for the full per- f-rmance of said duties, and to defray the expenses and make the pavinents authorized by tlils act, during-the hall be included in the tax of that year, and nd collected as by law in such cases provided. ‘The said Board of Police, within thirty days neing to exercise the authority conferred and rm the duties enjoined by the first section of this act shall make an estimate of the sum of money which will be required to defray the expenses and make the payments to be paid during the year 1872, in executing the several provisions of this act; and shall, on or before the Ist day of December, ‘1872, and’ the ist of December in each subsequent’ year, make an estimate of the sum of money necessary to defray the ex- penses and make the payments tobe made for ihe year hext ensuing in executing the several provisions of this act, and shall submit every such estimate to the Mavor, Comptroller and the President of the said Board of Police, who shall, within fifteen days thereafter, consider an revise such estimate, and shall fix and’ determine the amount which suid Board of Police shall be authorized to expend during such the several provisions of this act, and such amount, when so determined by suid Mayor, Comptroller and President of the Board of Police shall thereby become appropriated. The amount thus established shall be certified to the Board of Bupervisors of the county of New York by the Comptroller, and the last said Board are empowered and directed annually to cause the amount thereof to be, according to law, raised and collected b; the estates, real and personal, subject to taxation within the elty and county of New York. ‘The Comp- troller, from time to time, is authorized to borrow upon reventic bonds, in anticipation of the said taxes, what- ever sum may be necessary in each year for the use and purposes of the said Police Board In executing the seve- Tal provisions of this act, notexceeding in any one year the amount which may be appropriated for said year as herein provided, and shall place such moneys to, the credit of said Police Board from time to time, on tte writ nm requi ion, as ey ma} heede in executing the several provisions ofthis act. The Senate, in executive session, this Byenteg confirmed the following nominations :—William H. Lenard to be Judge, in place of Albert Cardozo, re- signed; the following to be managers of the Hud- son River State Hospital at Poughkeepsie :—Amasa year in executin tax upon J. Parker, Edward F. Beadle, James evelt and Frederick D. Smith. NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. SENATE. ALBANY, N. Y., May 11, 1872. ‘The bill to amend the charter of the city of Rome, ‘was passed; also the bill to incorporate the Roches- ter Water Company; also, the Annual Supply bill. ‘The resoution to print the American Institute Re- ports was taken up, reopening 4 discussion which was started yeaterdans and it was finally adopted after adding a restrictive amendment, requiring the work to be let to the lowest bidder, if the Comptrol- ler decides that it does not come under the con- tract for public printing. Mr. Patmer, from the Committee on Cities, to which was referred the New York Registry law, reported the bill with amendments made to meet the views of the Governor and upon consultation with him, The bill was then passed, The Senate went into committee and ordered to @ third reading the bill directing the audit and payment of the ciaim for sprinkling in New York, under the contract of 1871. Also the bill to author- ize the Harlem Railroad Company to extend their tracks through Madison avenue 1or the use of small cars, Recess until four P. M. Afternoon Session. The Senate went into committee on the bill to provide for the settlement of certain claims against the city and county of New York. After considera- ble discussion the bill was ordered to.a third read- ing. After disposing of several local bills the Senate adjourned till Monday, at ten A, M. ASSEMBLY, ALBANY, May 11, 1872, BILLS PASSED, To extend the time within which the taxes to be raised in the city and county of New York for the general fund of said city and county for the year 1872 may be fixed, set apart and apportioned, and to provide farther regulations in respect thereto. Mr, Fieips stated that the bill amending the act providing for the audit of claims against the clty of New York, to which he objected a few days since owing to the broad scope of its provisions, having been amended so as to contine the audit to judg- ments actually obtained against the city, he would now withdraw his objection to its having a third reading. Mr. Movron renewed the objection. Mr. Prince asked consent to report the New Police Court bill, but Mr. CAMPBELL objected. OTH ILLS PASSED. ‘To authorize the Kings county Courts of Record to sentence prisoners to the Penitentiary the same as to the State Prison, Making provision for the improvement of the parks, squares and avenues in New York. Lost, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table, ‘The Board of Managers of the impeachment against Judge Barnard appeared at the har of the House and announced that they had informed the Senate of their appointment, and the President of the Senate had stated that the Senate would adopt the necessary measures for a Court for the trial of the impeachinent. The Annual Supply Bill was reeelved from the Senate amended, Mr. ALvoRD, moved a @sagreement with the amendments, and that a Conference Committee be appointed. Carried. ‘The following bills were also passed: Amending the charter of the National Burglar Insurance Compan; Amending the ¢ ‘tor of the Binghampton and Port Dickinson Railroad Company. Amending the charter, of the Syracuse to Onondaga Hill. Amending the charter of the Troy Young Men's Association. To incorporate the New York Construction Com- railroad from any. ‘To amend the charter of the Industrial Exhibition Company of New York. Adjourned until Monday evening, seven o'clock. at half-past HORSE NOTES. The monthly statement of the National Trotting Association, giving a complete list of persons and horses against whom penalties of suspension or ex- pulsion were in force April 30, has been issued by the secretary, Mr. George H. Smith. The only addi- tional names observed since the last publication are :—Owner or driver John Dalley, expelled April 4, 1872, and his bay gelding Hotfoot, same penaity, ‘The Maryland Jockey Club has been reorganized, At a general mecting held at Baltimore recently the following oficers were elected:—President, ex- Governor Oden Bowie; First Vice President, Wash- ington Booth; Second Vice President, Colonel Ed- ward Lloyd; Secretary, J. D. Ferguson; Treasurer, Henry E. Johnston; Executive Committee, J. D. McLane, J. Hanson Thomas, William Young, E. A. Clabaugh, Alexander D. Brown, Frank M. Hall, Louis McLane, Edward Patterson, Jr., E. Law Rogers and John Lee Carroll. Mr. McLane, in de- ining a re-election as secretary, stated that the society was in a prosperous condition. It was out of debt and had a surplus on hand, after it had paid $10,000 to the Agricultural Society. It had built ad- ditions tothe grand stand and had also erected a new stand capable of holding 1,500 people, besides forty-two stables and the necessary quarters for stable attendants, and that the club numbered 228 members. ° Mr. John M. Clay's chestnut filly Squeeze ’Em, by Lexington, dam Skedaddle, by imp. Yorkshire, has gone amiss and been turned out of training. The old and time-honored Metairie course at New Orleans has been sold, and will no longer be de. voted to the sports of the turf, but become a de- pository of the dead. Itisa sad change. Here it was that Reel, Miss Foote, George Martin, Josh and Jim Bell, Lecomte and the trreproachable Lexing- ton won their brightest laurels, and here it was that Lexington made his celebrated time race, four miles in 7:19%%, which has stood since 1855, and promises to stand for a long time to come, as the fastest and most remarkable performance of the American turf. At an informal meeting, held on the 4th inst. at the Merchants’ Hotel, this city, the following named gentlemen proposed to form a “Gentlemen's Driv- ing Club,” on the grounds of the New Jersey State Agricultural Society, at Waverley Park:—N, Norria Halsted, William G. Schenck, F, A. Page, John Bris~ bin, C. A. Sprague, A. W. Dimock, George Richards,/ William PD, Bruen, Amos Clark, Jr.; John C. Litteil,, E. G. Brown, Phineas Jones, James W. Boylan,) Isaac B. Kilburn, Augustus Canfleld, William Hy Cleveland, J. C. Beardsley, W. A. Morrell, A. Hop~ per, J. Blanchard Edgar, D. D. Buchanan, W. W./ Stearns, J. Harvey Halsey, P. W. Vail, J. 8. Myers, John Boylan, James Bell, Allen B. Palmer, George4 R. Dunn, ¢ TROTTING IN MEDFORD: Mystic PARK, MEDFORD, Mass., May 10, 1872,.— Purse of $200, for horses that never beat 2:40—$120 to first, $60 to second and $20 to third; mile heats, best three in five, to harness, J. Dustin entered ch. g. Mystic Boy.....1 1 2 2 1 J. Golden entered b. mn. Lady Allen....4 4 1 1 23 S. Hayes entered g. g. Marblehead.....2 3 3 3 37 A. W. Worcester entered b. g. Northern i Cilthnerarene cad 2 4 4dr) B, Mershan entered br. m. Lady Norris.3 dist. Time, 2:40—2:40—: 2:46 }4—2 260, DESPERATE FIGHT BETWEEN GAMBLERS, At a late hour on Friday night Michael Murray, of No, 12 Pell street, and Albert C. Oatman, proprietor of a gambling saloon at 698 Broadway, met in the hallway of the latter’s place and began to dispute about about some checks Oatman accused Murray of stealing. After indulging in a war of words for some time in the style peculiar to their class Mur- ray claims Oatman drew a knife from his pocketand stabbed him in the face three times, inflicting painfol and ugly wounds. The police surgeon attached to the Fifteenth precinct station was compelled to take thirteen stitches in one of the gashes in Mur- ray’s left cheek. Oatman was arrested by Omicer: Henderson, of the Fifteenth precinct, and arraign before Justice Cox, at Jefferson Market, yesterda} morning, He stated that while standing in tha doorway of his place on Friday night Mur- Tay came up to him, and, seizing him by: the ear from behind, said he wished to have some~ thing to say to him. Oatman replied that het did not wish to have anything to say to him, which,, it s alleged, so enraged Murray that he claims he put his fist to his (Oatman’s) no: and remarked, “Pl bu'st your crust for you!” and, thinking he would do as he had promised, he drew his knife and stabbed him in self-defence. The prisoner, upon be~ ing arraigned before Justice Cox, at Jefferson Mar- ket, yesterday morning, was committed, in default of $1,000 bail, to appear for trial. THE WINDSOR LOOKS MURDERERS. Scott and Cherest Sentenced to the State Prison for Lite. HarerorD, Conn., May, 11, 1872. David Scott: and Mitchel Cherest, the men who murdered three inmates of @ house of ill-fame at Bull Run, near Windsor Locks, in January last, and who were subsequently arrested in Van Nort, Ohio, ‘were to-day found guilty of murder in the second degree, and sentenced to the State Prison for life, ‘The testimony was all circumstantial, and tho, conviction was under a recently Fi me statute which gives the jury the right to find a verdict of murder in the second degree where there is any doubt in a case of indictment for murder in the first degree. The statute virtually abolishes capital punishment in many cases where hanging would inevitably follow, j