St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-13
LES MISERABLES."
Criminals and Paupers Whom the
Public Must Care For.
Growth of Prison Reform in This
Countrywide Conference.

The coming gathering Of those interested
in corrective and charitable work has Gre
ated an unusual interest in topics relative
to reform in prisons and the proper care of
unfertunates who must depend upon the
cold worlds charity. In connection with
this topic, Rev. DR.. Dana says:
Few people realize how recent are the re-
forms which have shed such luster upon the
present age. Slow End difficult has been the
progress of the race. Barbarities we hardly
deem possible were but comparatively brief
period since, perpetrated with the sanction of
law, The criminal code of less than century
ago was brutal in the extreme. Two hundred
and twenty-three crimes were punished with
death. Nor were these the legacy in the main
OF the dark ages, for 156 of them bore no re-
moter date than the reign of the Georges. IF
a man injured Westminster bridge: or ap-
peared disguised on the public road: or cut
down young trees: or shot rabbits; or stole
aught from bleach field; or wrote threat
ening letter to eXt'ort money; or returned pre-
maturely from transportation, the penalty
was hanging. Edmund Burke said he could
obtain the assent of the house Of commons to
any bill imposing the punishment Of DEATH
PRISON REFORM
dates from John Uoward'S efforts began In
1878. In his day jRilers received no compen-
sation and often had to pay considerable
remunerated himself in turn by the fees he
exacted, often by brutal violence, from the
unfortunates who fell into his hands.
He sold them all the food they had, the very
stand on which they slept, and even when ac-
quilted, the prisoner could not regain his
liberty until he had paid certain imposed
fees. After an interim, which ensued upon
the death of Howard, Mrs. Fry took up the
work in 1917, and from that date on constant
progress was made. Between 1749 and HI,
or twenty-five years, ], III persons were con-
demned to death in London alOne. Among
these was young woman with bale at her
breast. She was rendered destitute by the
carrying off to sea by the press-gang Of her
husband, and for stealing piece OF cloth OF
the value of ShillingS, she was hanged. She
stole to keep herself and child from starva-
ton and the country that had stolen her hus-
band and readWiuner executed her for this
crime Crukshank, the noted caricaturist,
waged battle in behalf of the poor wretches
who were swung upon the gallOws for pass
ing forged notes on the Bank of England.
He represented large gailowS from which
danged eleven criminals, three Of whom were
women. In the upper corner was Britannia
represented surrounded by starving, wailing
creatures, surrounded by hideous death S
head, etc. Juries sometimes failed 10 con-
vcu even when the evidence of guilt was con-
elusive, so reluctant were some OF them to
execute this Draconian code,
THE INSANE,
were treated till 1915 on the supposition that
they were possessed of devils. They were
chained in darkness, beaten starved, eXhiD-
tied for money to n cruel, jeering rabble
Not till twenty-five years later were the
Observation-Disclosures abolished and a humane
treatment $dopted. The barbarous applian-
ces of chains and straight waistcoats and
chairs of restraint were abolished and gentle
and reasonable methods prevailed,
The growth OF modern cDarltleS begins with
this centuary. Associations with philan-
thropic purposes sprang into existence and
rapidly multiplied. The temper of society
was ameliorated and forbearance and toleri-
ton grew apace Lord Cockburu writing at
the close Of the last century of Edinburg.
said the frightful thing was the personal
bitterness. The decent appearance of mu-
tual liberation was dIspiSed, and eXtermlna-
ton seemed Il duty Christian missions
generated a spirit of devotion and heroisIn
which affected the church, aud gave new
vitality to personal religion, and new Gg-
gressiveness to the Christian faith.
THE COMING CONFERENCE
brings to ST. Paul the successors of Howard,
the devotees of the unfortunate and depend
ent. In it are found sweet charitys knights
and conSecrated servants, The noble women
who have won such a proud place in modern
philanthropio undertakings. The specialists
who have given themselves to the study and
care of the insane, a class numbering 81, $50.
Hither come those who with Jan-devoton,
have made the idiots and detectives their
charge; of the former there are 1896
of the latter, such as the deaf and dumb and
blind, there are 81, S06 Here, too, in this con-
ference, will be met those engaged in doing
for juvenile deinquents in reformatory 1nsti-
tutions who count in all 11,468, and largely,
too, will be found the wardens and trustees of
penitentiaries, warehouses, houses of correc-
ton. etc., within which are confined more
than So, 500 persons. Then come the repre-
sentatives Of the more recent domains oecu-
pied by the charftably inclined, such as pre-
ventive work in behalf of children. and the
systamatized efforts for the wise dealing with
the dependent poor. What auaohronsip of
modern times-at once a nuisance anu non
descript-the trap,
Its reception will be made complete and