The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-29
REFORMED CRIMINALS.
How Repentant COnyicts Are Reclaimed
and Become Useful Citizens.
MERCY VS.. VENGEANCE.
The American System Of Treating
Discharged Prisoners

The American System Of Treating
Discharged Prisoners
In many respects the administration Of Justice
IN Europe, and especially In England, ia superior
in its practical workings to the administration
thereof In this country. but In the equally i'm
portant item OF mercy. especially OF mercy to the
erring who are likewise repenting and reforming,
the institutions Of the United States are far in ad
vance OF tho older countries.
The ticket Sfieave system pervades the whole
sspenal civilization OF Great Britain ana its
colonies and has become famous in story and In
drama. Yet this system is Q curse instead
OF blessing, or at least it Is very dis
agreeable ana demoralizing result OF the ad-
ministralion OF justice, works badly at the
best, and is liable to q hundred abuses
But In the United States OF America, especially
In the great State OF New York, a system prevails
which Is precisely the opposite Of the ticket-of-
leave system, and which works well and Is one OF
the most creditabe Institutions yet devised by the
intelligence OF generous humanity for the benefit
OF the race This system Is directly the reverse OF
that which prevails abroad. In England the
motto seems to DO "Once criminal, always q
criminal;' and the fact that any persons have
once been In prison, as communicated by law to q
large number OF people, Is made pretext for sur.
rounding them with evil influences, encompassing
their future lives with shame and rendering their
ultimate reformation improbable, II not impossible
But under the American system the fact that man
has been once punished by society for an onence
is made the very reason for every possible effort
to reform him. The fact OF his disgrace Ia kept
secret as far as possible There an "assoclatton.
ready to take him by the hand when he energies
from prison, to support him till he Can support
him, and N for uJov i'm hoc
possible auspices. Certainly the theory upon
which the American system Is founded Is by far the
most creditable to human nature-the more mer-
cifnl, the more Chrstian-and, what is more i'm
portant point 1t Is practically tho prontable
alike to the individual and to the State, to human
tty and to morality. 1t works better. It has been
30 and will so continue for some time, and has been
found to ''pay'' in every sense or the term.
Tho English tlcket-orleave system is practically
impossible in this country. In England the police
OF the land, from one end to the other. Is under
one central head and moves as one body; whereas
in this country each State has it's own indcpen-
dent regulations and each city Its own independent
police establishment Consequently, tho English
system OF communicating the fact OF man having
been prisoner from one part of the land to an
other, and Of keeping watch upon his move.
mens IN all cities, would he practical impossibil-
ity. But outside OF all this, the very idea or
constant spying surveillance kept up year after
year upon any Individual Is hostile to tho spirit OF
our republican institutions. This being the
case, the formation Of an associa-
ton designed for the care Of those
who have iaen under the Just eispleasure OF the
Law, but who are not yet utterly hardened; an
association designed to see exact justice done TO
those who have not the means or opportunity to
defend themselves; to take care Of prisoners,
while serving out their sentences, that they are
rot cruelty treated or abused; an ASSOCIATION
which likewise takes care OF discharged prisoners,
ana, above all, which opens for them avenues OF
respectable empIoyment-such an association as
th.s com1menyis- itself to the American public
Such an association has been In existence and in
active operation among US for several years. under
the oflcia title Of 1.-THE Prison Association or New
the very nature of the case, q great amount OF
good--niore good than IS known to any but the
initiated few.
'EEroRMRp cRIHysAIsn IN OUR MIDST.
1t would surprise the general public IN New
York, If 1t knew wiat-0f course, 1t never will
and discharged prisoners who are living and doing
business unsupported In its midst. In England
such state OF anaIrs would be utterly Impossible
thief or swindcr or brGwlcr, once detected
and punished, Wonld forever be cut of from OIL
America, and its metropolis New York, thanks to
onr American system and the Prison Association,
there are some men who occupy responsible posi-
are working tndus:riouslJ and honestly In humber
calIings, WHO have been In their day .'convicts."
.'fei0na,' who have served their tinle,u and who
In any other country but this would be- to all tn
"dead.r
There are in the city OF New York at the present
tiaic several bookseepers and clerks in insurance
companies several clerks In dry goods stores, sew.
cral statesmen IN other lines OF business, ono pvac
Using physician, two druggists and several mcr.
chants in iair standing among their fellow men,
who haye IN times past been inmates OF state
prisons. There arc fifteen men enjoying over
$4,000 per annum saarles twenty six having sal
aries over $4,000 year. large number OF persona
In smaller positions, ana several 'specrnators
who are at the present time engaged IN extensive
Financial 0perat,ons' wdo have been s.convlcts,''
"IeIons and social uscasts who, In England.
would be ticket-of-leave men and pariahs or go.
thanks to the moro mercilul genius OF American
insttutions-are free men, men not "marked'' in
any unpleasant sense, and who are at present as
respected and as respectable as any other men,
bers 0I the community.
ASSUMED NAMES.
1t Is the policy and the principle of the New
York Prison ASSOCIATION to which the existence or
such state OF things is DUE to help discharged
prisoners ana conyicts wh0 have served their
term to obliteratc all traces ot their diseraccrl
past. For this purpose IL often transfers dis
charged conycts at IT'S own expense to new seen, s
and associations in 0tner parts OF the country,
and ten wlnks ut heir assuming now names IL
stead or the Old titles, which they have rendered
infamous. A considerable number or men in New
York city and State, who are now crcditabiy
formerly known discredtably bS other nainca and
no one Is cognizant OF the change OF appeliton
but the Prison Association. In these cases, as the
'ciyaiy dead" and as the change Of name signifies
change OF liIe Tor the better, there is no valid
objection to the otherwise Objectionable change Of
name.
DESTITUTE PRISONERS
But the good work Of the Prison Association
dues nor conlne itself even to the aoove benedict
arc able 10 support themselves, and thus saves