The New York herald., 1872-07-12
THE HOUSE OF REFUGE.
Law az to Admission Of Inmates-A Curious Fl.
nancial Exhibit-Radical Cause Of Diff
culties-Fair Promises Unfulflled

For proper understanding OF the management
OF the House Of Refuge, on Randall's Island, OF
which Mr.. Israel G. Jones Ii superintendent, tine
following particulars In reference to 1t are given:-
In accordance with the petition OF several inhabl-
tans of this city, desirous OF establishing society
and mouse for the reformation OF juvenile deln-
quents, the Legislature in March, 1924, passed an
act constituting such persons ana others VINO
should become thereafter subscribers to the assoc
alton body corporate for the purpose mentioned.
The institution on Randals Island is the result OF
that law According to the charter 1t receives boys
and girls, under the age OF sixteen years, commit
ted by magistrates as vagrants disorderly or crim
nal Offenders nom the city andcounty Of New York
and from Richmond, Suffolk Queens, Kings, West
chester and eleven other counties. The House OF
Refuge has provision for $50 boys and 250 girls The
present number of inmates Is about 500.
FAIR PROMISES.
The managers number thirty, among whom Is
Mr.. Charles p. DAILY and the President Ia Mr.. oliver
s. Strong. They are invested with power to place
the children committed to their charge, during the
minority Of such children, at such employments as
they may deem proper, and bind .iiem out as ap-
prentlces Inspectors OF State prisons are directed
to convey any convicts under the age OF seventeen
years to the House OF Refuge, and whenever any
person under the age Of sixteen years shall be con-
such person to Imprisonment in State prison,
may send them to the House OF Refuge. The ages
OF denquents are inscribed II necessary in
commitments either by magistrate or the
managers. The managers, In their printed
circulars to parents, state that the institution
Is not q place OF punishment nor prison,
but reform school, where the inmates
are instructed and trained with the view to form
and perpetuate virtuOus character; to establish
habits OF industry, and to advance them in those
branches of knowledge which are taught IN the
common schools. "They are accordingly provided"
continues tho circular, "wtth home every way
pleasant ana comfortable; are furnished with
steady employment OF a kind to enable them to
appropriate seasons OF recreation; arc well fed
ana clothed, and when sick are attended by the
house physician and are carefully nUraed; are regu-
lary gathered into school at certain hours on five
days OF the week, and on the Sabbath are furnished
with suitable religious and moral instruction."
NOT FULFILLED.
Not one of the promises of the managers is
Carried out except that OF "steady employment"
The hours allotted to school arc unusual and in
sufficient to be of any service; the suitable reli-
gious' instruction is gross outrage on the con-
sciences Of large number OF the inmates and pro-
motive OF scandalous evils the "mOral nstruc-
ton" we know from the testimony given by super
intendent Jones at the trial OF Dunn consists OF
good food the boys deny on oath that it is either
sufficient or agreeable: The ''honse physician"
practice. The whole system at the Refuge tends to
make the boys worse, and instead Of reforming
them, converts them into hardened ana desperate
characters.
DIRECT INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC.
The public IL directly interested in the manage
ment or this institution. 1t Is supported entirely
by annual allowances from the state and from the
Board OF Education, but the largest item comes
from the labor of the boys. The managers do not
contribute single dollar towards its support,
though the act establishing the society distinctly
states that they must be subscribers. The Treasur.
er's exhibit, published January !, 1872 gives the
following 0gufes:-