Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-06-17
enmlKat RssOFm.
MEETING OF THE PRISON nEFoRx AssocIATToN,
LAST EVENING.

MEETING OF THE raIsoN nEFoRM AssocIATToN, |
LAST EVENING.
meeting of the Delaware Association TOR the
Moral Reform of Criminals, was ho.d, last eyen-
ing, in the Central Presbyterian Church. 1t had
been called as public meeting, but tho attend-
ance other than the members Of Of the association,
was very small The meeting was called 10 order
by the President, DIR. II. +. Askew, a0d opened
with prayer by Kew. Fielder Israel. committee
which had been appointed at previous meeting
ing, presented report, which was read by Mr..
Israel The report embraced brief sketch OF the
Association, from its organization until now, and
the charter, constitution aud By-Iaws. 1t also
contained statistics from all the Aims Houses Of
the State, and ali the jails, excepting the Kent
County Jail. The 9th Hall cells were referred to
as having been somewhat improved IN condition,
SINCE they were made the subject Of discourse by
the Rev Chas. Shaw. But still it is disgrace to
the city that there is better place for the recep
tion of prisoners and lodgers The practice of
confirmed vagrants 'ering the Ams Houses in
October and leaving them in May was also deplor-
cd, and the report urged the adoption Of measures
to remedy this evil. The great needs Of the State
were set forth, as: lst-A Penitentiary 2dA
House OF Refuge; 3d-That the criminal institu-
tions should be self-suppoTting; 4th-That the
profits OF crime shou Id DO reduced below those Of
honest industry 1t Is those ends that the Assicia-
ton proposed to bring about
On motion of MIR. BENZ. Nieds, the report of the
Comnittee was adopted, unanimously.
Mr.. Nicids, being called upon, then made
brief address. He deplored the existence of 80
/ much crime in our Safe and said there we're more
offences committed IN Delaware, with 125 600 pop
ulation, than in Philadelphia with over 700,000.-
This increase he attributed to the severity of our
modes of punishment. The gal.ows, pillory and
whipping-post, he said tended rather to increase
than decrease crime, and the man who is whipped
and pillOried, 10 always more callous and harden
| ed in crime than lac was before. He was not op-
posed to the punishment OF crime, il it was there
by checked, as society mutt be protected But, as
| crime iS constantly on the increase, other and
more ehectual, though less severe and humiiiating
modes must be adopted. Mr.. Nields then spoke
of the objects of the Association and the good they
might accomplish.
A gentlemen from Philadelphia, who an
/ nounced himself as Mr.. Latimer, arose aud
asked leave to say few words. He disagreed
with the remarks made by Mr. Nields in rela-
tiOn to the punishment OF ctime, and stated
1 that long experience among criminals and
crimes had proved to him the efficacy Of
/ prompt and severe punishment as preVen-
ton of crime. But still he was an advocate Of
1 the humane treatment of prisoners and believ-
ed in making all efforts for their moral reform.
He was q member of q Crimiual Reform As
sociation in Philadelphia, and was therefore
well acquainted with all the prisons Of that
city. He gave the meeting some interesting
statistics connected with them some useful
hints as to the treatment of criminals, and
II wished the Association God speed in its eff.
I
listened 10 with evident interest and attention
, Anthony Higgins, Esq, was next called
upon, ana made brief reply. He said he did
not see how society was to be protected, unless
crime was recognized as crime and punish
ed in such q manner as to prevent crime
! MIR. II. then reviewed some Of the modes o.
} punishment, the great need Of criminal re
form, in many respects, the good accomplish
E ed by Reform Associations, and wished tht
Association all success in their efforts to pre-
vent crime and ameliOrate the condition and
s reform the morals OF the criminals ofour State
a A short address was then made by Rev. +
Israel, after which the audience was Waite'
upon by a COMMITTEES who solicited their name
Il for membership. Nearly al present becam
members of the Association.
The meeting then adjourned.