Connecticut western news., 1878-01-24
IN THE BOYS' PRISON.
Mrs. Hnl's Family of fYOungsters--HOw She
 Keeps them Employed.

Mrs. Hill's Family of YOungsters--HOw She Keeps them Employed.
 The boys prison in the Tombs of New York city, says the Sun, is one-story little brick structure. The windows and doors are well ironed, and not yet has 8 boy escaped. The average number of boys confined there is eighteen. The prison is in charge of Mrs., Hill, and has been for seven years. Mrs. Hill de- votes herself to Cher family" as she calls the boys, with an interest other than to do certain service for stipu- lated sum. f.... ....... r.
 The cells number thirteen, but if the prison contained cell for every boy, Mrs. Hill would place twoin cell. The boys become, afraid if alone, and no threat has such effect as one that boy is to be placed in cell all night. They are afraid of ghosts, they tell Mrs. Hill, and even with two in 8 cell the woman who watches at night is ire quently called upon to allay fears. Mrs. Hill arraigned the boys before the re- porter, and bade him ask any questions he liked. Joseph Tochner, about three feet high, was asked: .-----
 "How old are you ?''
 "Eight years"
 "What are you here for?"
 "'Spicion of a pocketbook.
 "Who taught you to steal ?"
 'Nudder boy."' f
 How long had you been stealing be- fore you were caught ?'
 "Don't know" ."' '.' '-..' ! Alexander Kiernan and four other boys, whose ages combined numbered sixty -four years, were ln for fifteen days, on "splcion of two hats" The little rogues always qualify any charge against them as being made on suspicion.
 The boys arise at eight in the morn ing, and are washed and combed by women serving terms in the city prison. They go to bed at five. .a ..i..}t .'" How do I keep them out of mis- chief ?'' said Mrs. Hill. "Oh, have solved that problem. tried books and games and pictures, but found them all to fail. I came to the conclusion the boys should be kept constantly em- ployed at some intricate, as we'll as ln- teresting labor. I decided to put them at bead work. appealed to & gentle man for beads, and he has been supply ing me gratis for the last six months. He gives me all want. I taught the boys to make rings, crosses, necklaces. and such things, and just see some oi their work Mrs. Hill displayed some I articles worked in various colored beads. "In my experience the boys brought l in here have no home influences, and, as q rl11e. they are devoid of moral sense. A boy may come in here with sore toe the others will amuse themselves by stepping uponit. They seem heartless. Very, very few have any real good in them to start with, so that find 1t most difficult to start them in the way of doing right. Once get them employed, and show them that i take on interest 1T their work by praising it and showing il to others, they bristle up and gradually change to something humanized. There is no charity in dealing leniently witt them. This thing of sending boys here ten and fifteen days, instead of sending them to refo-matory, is doing them positive hurt. It only makes them care less about getting into the big prlsor over the way when they grow up. Every day brings new boys here, some with ai thorough @ knowledge of wiekedness ane crime as graduated criminals, and every hour spent in here only strehgthen' their liking for the criminals life. cannot understand why the boys are no tried more rapidly but itwouldn't mat ter much, anyhow, for the most come back for matter of few days, going out only to return in time. have many boys who return almost at regular inter vals,. always with How do you do Mother Hill 2 Those who remain witt me tune would profit, I think, were I not for the influence of their fellow coming in from day to day. Keep then employed, is my motto, ," and away wen Mrs. Hill to settle dispute about som' beads one boy had bet with another.