#don jail

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Don Jail - Toronto, Canada (2017) Leica M4-P • Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron • Kodak Tri-x tumblr in colour - website - facebook

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"CITY FATHERS PAY JAIL SURPRISE VISIT," Toronto Star. May 14, 1943. Page 2. --- "Laundry Unfit to Work In," Says Ald. Innis ---- Taking up the invitation of Ald. John Frank, members of the civic property committee made a surprise inspection tour of the Don jail today.

"We found a number of things on which we will make recommendations," said Chairman John Innes, "but we would rather not discuss them until details of costs have been obtained.

"I can say, however, that ventilation of the laundry and some form of occupational work for prisoners on remand are two of the things we will suggest. You get young lads down there, some in trouble for the first time and only awaiting trial. Right now they have nothing at all to do. I think if we put in work-benches or other occupational suggestions we might save some of them.

"The laundry is not fit to work in. It is entirely too hot. There are other suggestions being made by members of the committee," he said.

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“Four Escape From Don Jail - One Recaptured by Police,” Toronto Star. March 21, 1930. Page 2. ---- REMOVE BAR FROM WINDOW - SLIDE TO FREEDOM WITH BLANKET ROPE - DROPPED LETTER LEADS TO ARREST --- Four men in the Don Jail, awaiting removal to Guelph Reformatory to serve various sentences, made a break from the prison by removing a bar from an upper window and dropping to the ground by means of a rope made of eight blankets tied together. A letter dropped on the ground led to the capture of one of the quartet at a house in Anglus Pl. and the near capture of another. The photographs here show: (1) Tilly Desjardins (Standing) and Ruth Desjardins at whose house in Angus Pl. Basil O’Donnell was captured by police. Letters from Tilly to one of the quartet found on the ground outside the jail led to his arrest. (2) Artist’s drawing showing window with bar removed, through which the escaped convicts squeezed and from where the blanket rope led to the ground. (3) Outside view of Don Jail showing window from which the escape was made and artists’ illustrative sketch of blankets tied together, down which the convicts slid. (4) Basil O’Donnell, one of the jailbreakers, who was recaptured at the Angus Pl. house by policer officers under Sergeant of Detectives Mulholland. (5) Albert Murphy, another one of quartet, still at large. (6) View of Desjardins home in Angus Pl., where O’Donnell was captured and where Kemp only narrowly avoided arrest. (7) Fred Kemp who was nearly re-captured at the Angus Pl. house, when he dropped at a shot fired by Sergeant of Detectives Mulholland zipped past him. (8) Hugh Barclay, other member of fugitive quartet, who is still at large.

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“Toronto To Have New Jail, Can’t ‘Patch Up’ Don Jail,” Toronto Star. November 20, 1930. Page 01 & 02. ---- Structure Obsolete and Unsanitary in Some Regards, Hon. Leopold Macaulay Reports ---- MANAGEMENT GOOD --- The old Don jail will be replaced by a new building.

Hon. Leopold Macauley provincial secretary, in a letter to Mayor Wemp, accompanying a report made following the inspection, says thta the city and government authorities are agreed that the present building cannot be patched up and that a new structure must be erected.

In his letter to the mayor, Mr. Macaulay says: ‘This (the report) covers the various activities as a going concern, but I think we are all agreed that the present building cannot be patched up or put into shape to carry on the work which centres around such an edifice. Therefore, the inspectors, in addition to their recommendation with respect to details of the present building, are unanimously of the opinion that a new building should be erected.

‘I would be glad to have officers of this department co-operate with your officers so that the most modern plans and specifications of jails in every part of the province might be made available for comparison and study.’

The report of the inspectors, while complimentary to the discipline and management of the institution, is not so much so to the building as a modern house of detention.

‘Owing to the crowded conditions,’ they say, ‘proper classification is impossible. The jail is secure as a place of restraint. Plumbing in the jail is inadequate and antiquated. There is only one toilet and wash basin.

‘The method of cooking meat and potatoes,’ say the inspectors, ‘is open to question. Adjoining the kitchen is a large room, the upkeep and sanitation of which os open to question. There is a toilet, another antiquated slop sink referred to above and a number of garbage cans. The kitchen garbage is removed only twice a week.

In the women’s section, the inspectors say: ‘The plumbing equipment is antiquated and inadequate,’ and the ‘surgery’ ‘very unsatisfactory.’

‘In October 75 prisoners had to sleep on the floor,’ the report states.

‘There are a number of rooms in the basement formerly used as dungeons for the purpose of discipline,’ proceeds the report, ‘which occasionally are used for the temporary accommodation of prisoners. These are very dark, but as far as ventilation is concerned are satisfactory.’

‘While the cells are clean and well ventilated they are very narrow and there is barely room for a prisoner to undress in his cell. The doors of the cells are fitted with individual locks, which in case of fire would be a serious hazards as it takes about 60 seconds to unlock the cells in each corridor, that is, providing the guard does not become excited, and all the locks are in good working order.

The bill of fare at the jail varies slightly from day to day. The Monday menu is: breakfast, 1 pint of oatmeal porridge wit syrup, 8 oz. bread, 1 pint of tea; dinner, 1 int of vegetable soup, 4 oz. of meat, 8 oz. of bread and 8 oz. of potatoes; supper, 1 pint of boiled rice; 2 oz. of jam, 1 pint of coffee, 8 oz. of bread. On some days rolled oats replaced oatmeal and coffee is served instead of tea.

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“Board Asks Probe Into Toronto Jail,” Toronto Star. May 30, 1919. Page 09. ---- Puts Responsibility of Refusal Up to Provincial Government. --- By a unanimous vote, the Board of Control to-day sent on a recommendation that the Provincial Secretary order a public investigation into the management of the Toronto Jail, especially in respect to the escape of McCullough and Vera de Lavelle. The motion was introduced by Controller McBride.

The Mayor: ‘Has anyone else escaped while I was away?’

Controller McBride: ‘Joking aside, there should be an investigation open to the public.’

Controller Cameron: ‘The poor guards are so overworked that they are utterly fagged out.’

Controller Robbins: ‘We have no power to make any alterations at the jail.’

Controller McBride: ‘We can make a request for a public inquiry.’

Controller Maguire: ‘The Government will never agree to a probe that will reflect on themselves.’

The board sent on the request to be approved by Council.

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“Sheriff To Hold Probe Into Affairs At Jail,” Toronto Star. April 21, 1919. Page 02. --- But It Will Be Private and for Department’s Information Probably. --- An investigation will be held tomorrow morning at ten o’clock in the jail building to find out the nature of Frank McCullough’s escape. It will be under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Secretary’s Department, and the inspector of jails and prisons, Mr. W. W. Dunlop, will preside. Sheriff Mowatt will be present, and evidence will be heard from Pte. Currell and other guards relative to the affair. It is stated that the inquiry may be held in camera. ‘It will be held for the information of the department,’ said Sheriff Mowatt.

The police state that there are no new developments in the sensational escape and no more letters have been received.

Pte. Currell, the guard, who was let out on $3,000 bail through the efforts of C. T. Lacey and other members of the Earlscourt G. W. V. A., is resting at home after his strenuous week, according to the veterans of that branch. At a dance held in the Belmont Hall on Saturday night, the sum of $9.80 which was taken at the door, was handed over to the family of the guard by the Distress committee of this association. The Ladies’ Auxiliary is assisting in every way possible to make the family comfortable. A subscription list was opened in the hall on Saturday but so far very little money has been subscribed.

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“Escape From Police.” Toronto Star. April 17, 1919. Page 05. ---- While being taken to the Toronto Jail in a hack by a county constable, Harold Robertson escaped when the vehicle was proceeding along Gerrard street east. He was being removed to the jail pending trial on an alleged charge of shop breaking. He is still at large.

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“Postpone Murder Trial,” Toronto Star. December 3, 1918. Page 05. --- Frank McCullough Injured Playing Football, Says Counsel, May Be Insane. --- T. C. Robinette, K. C., moved before Mr. Justice Latchford yesterday in the Assize Court that the trial of Frank McCullough, who is charged with the murder of Constable Frank Williams, be traversed to the sittings of the assizes in January. The motion was granted.

A member of Mr. Robinette’s firm has been down to McCullough’s home in Ohio and found that he suffered some very serious injuries while playing football when a boy. Mr. Robinette says that he may find it necessary to offer evidence along the lines of insanity. The McCullough family are a very well-known and prominent business family in Ohio,