Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-06
'rence in asking legislation from Congress on

ference in asking legislation from Congress on
the subject.
A committee. consisting of one member from
every delegation present, was appointed to Sc
lect the place for the next meetin gof theconfer-
ence.
WHEN THE DISTRICT DELEGATION WAS CALLED
UPON
to name its member of the committee Mr.. L. s.
Emery gave in the name OF Rev. VIM. A. Bart
lett. Mrs. Spencer subsequently, spoke to the
president of the conference who, rising said
that he was informed that Judge Macarthur.
the chairman OF the local committee, Knew
nothing of the meeting at which AIr. Bartlett
was not authoritative.
One of the members of the delegation said no
tioe had been given to Judge Macarthur, but he
had not attended. The president said that he
could not recognize the appointment until it
was approved by the local committee.
society of the Garfield memorial hospital, in.
vltlng the conference to visit the hospital, and
also to attend the Quantico high tea Monday
inform the ladies that the program
arranged for Monday evening would prevent
Announcement was made that meeting would
be held at DR.. Sunderland's church tomorrow
evening, in the interest OF prison reform. The
until evening.
This afternoon many members of the con-
ference carried out the uncompleted program
o! yesterday and visited the Government Hos
pit;ai Tor the Insane, at the invitation OF DIR.
Godding. On the way they stopped at the Cap
ltol, and were photographed on the steps of the
east portico.
The District Jail and Reform atOrfes.
JUDGE SMELL READS A PAPER BEFORE THE CON.
FERENCE OF CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS
Judge Smell read interesting paper before
the National Conference OF Charities and Cor
rectfons last evening on the penal and reform
atory institutions Of the District He referred
nf tn
of the Jail and its sanitary condition, noting the
fact that the prison has been free from epidem-
les and but five deaths have occurred there in
ten years. The daily average OF prisoners is
stated about 200 during the ten years.
"The separation of the sexes,' continued
Judge Smell, ais now secured as completely as
is possible when the two sexes are allowed in the
same prison. But We emphaticauy condemn
the mixed system, as We are convinced that no
amount of care IAN prevent abuses"
A matron, Mrs. Russell. kind and efficient
Christian lady, has been placed i'm charge of the
female prisoners within the last two years and
demonstrates that no female prison should be
wholly left to the supervision OF men. While
come the advent of the matron well timed
recognition of the demand for improved
methods in prison discipline"
The system of confinement in this jail. the
paper said is the "Separate or individual" 1t
is not strictly solitary imprisonment, since con-
versation in the presence o guard l. permit
from this indulgence, and much benefit by allie
Walton OF the well-known evil which the purely
solitary system develops.
ENFORCED 1DLENESS OF PRISONERS.
"Aside from what is incident to prison
DUTIES" Judge Smell said, "no labor is per
formed by jail convictS, and it will be observed
that the power to make rules for government
and discipline OF the prisoners does not author
lzed OF require labor Consequently there i. a
constant average OF about 200 prisoners sup
ported by the government in condition of en-
forced but comfortable idleness. The pscuniary
loss 10 the community by the non-emnloyment
of these conricts is easily established. The
daily average OF jail prisoners being placed at
200, ana the working DAYS in the year GS :iI:;,
We have the number OF days work ot the pris-
onerS for one year G2 GOO The average OF work
house prisoners in 1854 was just about the came
Worlihouse reports their labor as worth TO the
District tp. Com. Rep $50, 1880. This valu-
alton by the superintendent, the District Com
mlssioners in their report to Congress endorse
as correct. Assuming therefore, the value Of
the labor OF the Jail prisoners to be the same,
viz: $40, $500, we have a net annual loss of
that sum from the unemployment OF Jail con-
VIcts, saying nothing of the delnoraizng influ-
ence of absolute and prolonged idleness upon
the prisoners themselves.
Does such idieness under the best prison dis
c1pline, have a Tendency TO create a love for
honest labor, stimulate ambition, promote or
prevent crime among the ignorant and vicious
ciaSsee?''
After referring to the futile efforts of the Dis
trict Commissioners s., to obtain legislation on
this matter, the paper continued:
but the questions Involved are such pc
culiarly address themselves to this distin-
gulshed body for satisfactory solution. Shall
the honest man and taxpayer be compelled to
support the criminal class in idleness: Is 1t un-
just TO laboring men, represented by labor Or
ganIZatlons, to give employment to convict
labor in any form which makes it competition
with other labor? Is It just to the criminal
units them for liberty and honest livelihood
after their discharge? It IS TO be hoped that the
wisdom of this body may assist the thinkers of
to a wise and early solution of the problem
and the passage OF a bill that shall meet the
exact wants oi this community and the justice
OF the case"
THE WASHINGTON ASYLUM.
After giving the statistics from the official
reports Of the Washington asylum, Judge Shell
said the experiment OF utilizing the labor the
prisoners has not only been profitable peeuni-
narily, but has been found a wholesome re-
straint upon the tndolent who would be glad
to seek shelter and food in the asylum much
more than they now do if support could be had
by the healthy and robust without work The dis
clptlne consists OF solitary confinement on bread
aud water, in a we'll ventilated room. in full
view OF the other prise at liberty and abolu
their work. 1t is thus constant invitation to
them to return to full ratons and free
dom upon terms OF simple submission. The
effect OF the treatment must be saiutary,
ana IS found adequate to maintain order. No
corporal punishment is allowed by the laws of
tha District. Judge Smell after referring to the
efforts made since $50 to prevent street beg
ging and all iorms OF vagrancy, said that very
few street be.garS can now be found. He attrib-
uted the extinction OF street beggary largely to
the system OF investigation and registration in
troduced by the Associated Charities. With a
population of 2O3, ,459 it Is apparent that there
is very small nulnoer in Washington abso-
luteiy dependent upon charity or incapable of
sclt-supporL Numbers are attracted to Wash
tngton because IL is the capitol for the prosecu-
tlon OF personal claims, Tor pensions or losses of
for Office and various other fancies or
they come as the genuine tramp. All these cir
cum,tance tend to give the capital more than
its share OF cosmopolitan vagrants.
Much credit is due, Judge Smell thought to
the inIendant and his associates and the Conn
for the attention which has been be-
slowed upon this important department Of the
affairs.
THE REFORM SCHOOL.
After presenting report of the operations Of
the reform. school, Judge Smell said: "The pop
ulation OF the District is so rapidly Increasing,
having advanced from 13l, 900 In 1870. the
o3,459 in 1885, that Congress has failed to en-
large the capacity OF the school correspOndingly
with growth of the population, and to-day we
can SEND boys from the courts only upon permit
should not be- Congress should always pro
vide for any possible excess OF boys to the
OF the school. In concluding this |
paper, gtvin. but u brief summary Of our |
prisons" said Judge Snel 'it is to be regretted
that no reference can be made to an existing |
successful reformatory for girls Notwithstand- |
ing many appeals have been made to Congress |
Tor this most meritOrious object, il has SO far |
been Impossible to obtain the passage OF bill |
giving the District this much-needed institu-
tlon. While admitting the Importance Of the |
measure IN general. no sufficient agreement |
upon the details has been attained to insure /
success in body constituted like our Congress-
especially as the District is without representa-