New-York tribune., 1874-01-27
MUNICIPAL STUDIES.
CHEAP REFUGE FOR DRUNKARDS.


T1E INEFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT LAW AS AN
AGENT OF REFORM Observation-Disclosures TINES
As MANY WOMEN AS MEN COMMITTED To THE
woRKHousE.
An interesting and important report upon the e&-
traordinary increase of habitual drunkenness was
presented by Commissioner Stern at the last hee'
ing of the Board of Commissioners of Charities anu
Correction. The neffciency as reiormator! "eon'
of the law by which drunkenness was maoe d pun
ishsble oilense is established by the iact tna' ooo
men and eOO6 women have been committed for
habitual drunkenness from to 100 times III tnree
yesrs. The Commissioner makes several pointed
recommendations for speedy legislation
IHE REPORT.
To ne Commissioners Of Charities and CorreeHo"'
GENTLEMEN: The large number OF persons committed
for ntoxcatiou, which is constantly on the increase
calls for serious Investigation by this Board ana recon-
mendstions for speedy legislation on the SUBJECT
especialv as the overwhelming portion OF those COM
ted TO our care for that offense are women The in
tepton OF the law making iutoxication punishable
oneuse was beyond q doubt TO effect reform In the
habits of persons inclined TO intemperance. That it
signay failed, however to accomplish that purpose is
best proved DY the official statement furnished from the
records of the workhouse according to which from
Jan l. 1870, to Jan. 1874. $50 men were com
mted habitua drunkenness FROM to lOO times Tor
repetition Of the ofense and 9OO6 women TOT
the same cause have not embodied IN this statement
workhouse. committed for the same cause for less han
six times The figures themselves $50 male habitua
drunkards TO 90O6 confirmed female drunkards, are
appalling 10 contemplate. The degradation ana con-
tempt attendant upon commitment TO the WorKhouse
crushos every spark of serespect that may still exist
tu a woman who had yielded TO the temptation OF in
temperance, and instead of beneficial erect her
commitment TO the Workhouse where she is thrust into
the society OF fallen women OF every grade VIII eHect-
uaIy accomplish her moral ruin beyond the hope OF
resurrection They not all abandoned characters that
are thus consigned to the tomb of vice. number OF
them are mothers destined to become mothers
Others are the victims heartess seduction many OF
saved from hopeless perdtion IL the proper
means are employed and the measures taken
to effect permanent reform OF their habit In the an
DUAL report the Commissioners for 1870 attention is
already called to the unsatisfactory working OF the law
regarding the treatment of persons committed Tor IN
toxcaon The Commissioners there already questioned
whether be just punish by Imprisonment occasional
or accidental intoxication 1t is certainly more than
punishment is dire cruelty to tear away persons male
or female from their families. relations or friends and
crowd them with habitua drunkards and vaGabonds for
what may have been an ndiscretion committed at an
onguarded moment.
Instead OF leading them on the right path, they are
thrust with rude hand the downward road to crime;
they their sespect and often are lost to society
beyond retrievance 1t wisely and correctly sug
gesed by Commissioners in the report already al
iuded fortified by experience thus far, that the cause
Of suffering wholly ncOmmensurate with the ohense,
Involving the loss Of character and often the means OF
support The removal of any person found intoxicated
to the staonhouse and his detention there until sober
would be sufficient punishment for the ofense. com
mment for 10 days Is either punishment too great,
bordering cruelty, unjustiaabe IN the cases jnst
stated, or, as in the OF confirmed intemper-
snce that ia. OF reform correction, commit
ments length Of time for the OF habitua
drunkenness hayeno other meaning than to restrain
afncln In
hoo drinks II they can be cured OF habit which IN
most cases is so strong as to obtain entire eontro OF
their will. energy, and faculties society conters
benef upon them and upon itseli; every member OF
ia gain TO humanity and society must least make
the attempt to make the rescue Our present pracce,
however a complete failure in that respect, of which
90 better proof is required than the statistical account
OF commitments for intoxcaton made during the past
That account speaks volumes for itself The tale it
tells OF male drunksrds being feeommea si @ 10 pTsUm n
ISL offenders recommited ten times, Is dreadful TO
se sbaae is lost sight Of II placed side by side with
the statistics OF female arrests While 900 male persons
years there arrested 1905 femaes-sixteen times
the SAME ofense of the female 2s had TO be
100 times and this fearful proportion Is oD
deplorable defect in the present law, and which We
must by all means try Oremedy
There another point which must be taken into seri
Gus consideration The present system entails upon the
county vast expense which, with the unsatisfactory
result attained becomes waste OF public funds These
drunkards are mostly apprehendea IN uty htny con
dtion clad BY tue time they reach the Island.
after having locked in the stationhouses and
confined the "bulnmer" prison at the Tombs, they
are full of vermin. The consequence is that tine So
called clothing they wear tafter the body has been
washed) must be burned and new suit OF clothing fur
oshed In less days they released, to be sub
jected the operation. These offenders are con-
tinuons and in ton account or the
sbortness of Imprisonment at any one tme
can e made to anything toward the defraying of
the their After mature eonsldera-
tion n seems 10 me that the problem OF reform this
OF department Is not very difficult.
There two classes OF people arrested or intoxlga-
ton that under supervision One class Is the
casual offender, the victim OF cnanee indulgence
simple reprmand slight fine by the Judge before
whom she is brought Is su1cen ADDED 10 the nu-
stion OF station house for night.
Ghs other is the habtual drunkard with whom n
toxcaton has become chrome vice. In ths case de-
tenton OF a few days weeks leave impression,
ohers no remedy Is benefit neither TO the individual
nor society cruelty TO both They are rather sub
ieots OF sympathy than OF punishment, and society
undertakes reform them ought to be done efee tu
ally and lastngly They ought 10 be handed over suf
cent 9Th Of time to the care OF the a-
thortes n which they could be weaned OF their habits
and I'm the mean time they should be made TO perform
some work which would not only contribute toward
their support: but at the same ume aceustom thsn M
law might either the number OF times that per-
son ust be apprehended for ntoxcaton before he or
sbe can be sent WOrkhouse the Commissioners
be clothed with discretionary powers 10 dispose OF these
persons so apprehended according to their best
Judgment and the merits OF the case The time OF COM
ynitnent ought 10 extended TO Of course
either going the Commissioners for the
necesssry authority grant discharge, whenever IN
their Judgment, the prisoner shall be able TO assume
contr,, over his or her person. Annexed will
dnd the detailed statement OF Mr. Keen the Warden OF
the Workhouse taken from the RECORDS OF tne number
Of men and women committed SIX times and over, from
Jan l. 1870 to jan J. 1914 and hope and trust Ihat
the necessary steps will be taken Immediately to effect
the necessary reform In ms ssd sate OF Isct
COMMITMENTS TO woBKHoUsE DURING THREE YEARS
gs::: s;iS:: time: $ss ss::::::: .: i tune: tune: