The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-05-29
VOL. XII.
TIE CRIMINAL and THE UNFOR-

TIE CRIMINAL And THE UNFOR-
TU.VA1E.
The recent report of Secretary II. II.
Hart, of the State Board of Charities
and Corrections, is certainly Il very
suggestive document, showing among
other things, ~ that the creation of the
Board was wise and humane measure
and that it should be continued; (2)
that some of our jails are disgrace to
the State and that reform in individual
instances is demanded not only by
justice but by common decency, and
that the whole system needs reforming;
(3) that the system of poor houses,
poor farms and poor relief, (if that can
be called i system which has no uni
formity,) demands reform almost as
urgently and as thoroughly as the Jail
system of the State. These are con-
clus,ons drawn from reading the re-
port rather than suggestions made in
the report.
The Pioneer Press supplements the
revelations of the report by some facts
concerning the Kamsey county Jail,
where young woman accused Of at
tempting to fire hotel and a man held
merely as a witness, were huddled to.
getler, with insane men and hardened
criminals. all within seeing and hearing
distance of each other at least.
If we remember correctly, Secretary
Hart, after his tour Of inspection in
the past, reported that he found i'll d
Chica-o Jail Il young woman who had
been held year as 4 witness i'll an I'M
portant case. Here was an innocent
party deprived of her liberty, put in
loathesome confinement, herded will
criminals for year. simply because she
was needed rs witness to the crimes
of others.
The city or the State Which permits
All outrage Of this kind commits crime
itself. The machinery of the law, We
know, is cumbroLs and crude, and the
execution of the law is difficult, but
when those against whom no crime is
charged are treated as criminals anC
subjected to Imprisonment and torce6
association with criminals, the State
commits crime.
We invite the attention Of our Coun
ty Commissioners to that portion Of
Secretary Hart's report relating tt
Poor Relief In some counties tl,'
town system prevails and the Secretar!
says lie is net prepared to pronounce
either for or against it. Here th'
county system prevails and there j:
always more or less complaint as tt
expenditures and management. ON
Of the greatest evils, OF which Worth
ington complains, is that outside fam
lies coming upon the county are ap
to move to town, where the Commits
sioners rent them Il house and issue
them a monthly allowance. They are
apt to be large families, lily controlled
and the children are not kept in sclioo
and are ION the town. in itera
sense. Ihe question has thefe1or'
been raised whether or not WOrti,ing
ton is to became Paupcr house or ;
Poor farm.
YIIE RIILROAL LANDS BOOMING.
Land Commissioner Drake of the St
Paul and Sioux CITY line has been on
on II trip over the road looking up it
rea' estate and preparing Tor June immi
grafton boom. lie reports that ut leas
fifteen hundred land seekers are; nov
visiting the lands of the company will
Il view of making purchases from farms
to colony locations. The prospect fo
large sales to bona-fide settlers wa
never better than at present. Seeding
along the line is about finished, TIN
weather is first class for Il rapid growtl
| and farmers are ellted over the spring
prospects of u bounteous harvest.-
Slayton Gazette.