Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-12-21
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
THE LIFE WORK or LINDA olL,
BERT PRISON REFoRMER.
Her Mission. Zeal and success-The Prison
70 Be for Reformation and Not for Ven.
seance-Her Winning Ways. Success and
Future Aims,

geance-Her Winning Ways, Success and
Future Aims.
Especial Correspondence)
NEW YORK. Dec. l0.-As the name of
Florence Nightingale has for many years
been associated with the hospitals of the old
world, and philanthropic work in connection
with them, so that Of Linda Gilbert has dur
ing the last fifteen years been identified with
the cause of prison reform in this country;
cause which aims at giving force to the
elements of humanity and justice in the ad-
ministration of prison rules and regulations.
Instead of allowing the prisons of our land
to be schools Of vice. where depravity will
become, from contamination and associa,
tions, more depraved, and the perpetrator Of
crime capable Of committing darker deeds
when he shall have served his sentence and
again be permitted to emerge from the dun
geon cell into freedom, she would transform
all prisons into reformatories, where the
criminal shall be taught, If possible, to real
ize the extent of his crime, and have incul.
Gated into his mind the desire for reform:
thus Transforming, as far as practicable, the
dangerous, criminal element of society into
useful and respectable citizens, when they
shall again mingle with the world
Miss Gilbert's idea is that imprisonment
should not have for its aim 90 much the pun
ishment of the criminal as the safety of So
c1ety against the perpetrators of crime Since
1T IS not revenge that our government should
seek in confirming its criminals as reforma-
tion); hence the reformation of the criminal
accomplishes the object.
Although much remains to be done in this
respect, it is astonishing what this noble wo-
man has accomplished in the time in which
she has been engaged in this humane aud
philanthropic work.
Like the angel visiting the prison of olden
time. the beautiful face and gentle presence
of Linda Gilbert has lightened up the dark
cells of thousands Of this unfortunate class
ameliorating their condition, placing the
means Of self improvement within their
reach, speaking kindly words of sympathy
and advice, thus preparing the way for the
assertion of self respect and the desire for q
better life. She may very appropriately bs
called The Angel of the Prison, for she has
been the means of bringing light and freedom
from the debasing effects of crime to thou
sands of darkened souls and minds During
the last fifteen years she has procured employ
ment for 6.0a0 ex-convicts. Six hundred Of
Individual aid established in business in q
small way. She has presented twenty two
libraries to prisons in six different states,
and has in these and various other ways ex
pended large fortune in the good work in
which she is engaged, thus parting with her
own private property, while she devotes her
entire time to labor for the cause
In speaking of the result of her ventures in
assisting so large a number by establishing
them in business, she says:
II am happy to state that not 10 per cent
OF the number thus aided have turned out
unsatisfactory. To keep my aims from fail
ure, have been obliged to impoverish my
self in this cause, and my work is now
greatly crippled for want of means" She is
at present in the west delivering addresses tn
awaken an interest in the public mind with
regard to the subject, inspecting prisons, etc
Among the subjects Of her most impressive
addresses are Causes and Effects of Crime"
"Who are Criminals" ETC.
In recent letter to the writer she saws.
referring to q certain county prison in Illi-
nois: .'lt is disgrace to civilization.
want to arouse the politicians here to put up
new building that shall be made refor-
natory in every respect. I will then pre-
sent the prison with library. Two Of the
libraries formerly presented by me were de-
stroyed in the great Chicago fire. lexpect
to visit the prisons throughout the west and
do what can for the ex-convicts and their
families. and return to New York early in
the spring" Linda Gilbert was born at Ro.
chester, N. Y, and educated in Chicago, but
has made New York city her home for sew
eral years past, although considerable Of her
time is spent in travelling in the pursuance
and prosecution of her plans Of work
She was born philanthropist From
mere child she has been interested in the un-
fortunate, and her sympathies keenly alive
to suffering humanity. When little girl of
8or 9years of age she used to VISIT Of her
own accord, prison nearest her home in the
west, and take some little gift, if only few
flowers to cheer the prisoners, who learned
to look upon her visits to their dark abode as
they would a stray sunbeam from heaven.
She frequently loaned them books from her
fathers library, even at this age. AS she
grew older this interest increased until she
decided to devote her life and fortune to this,
cause She was after time appointed in
spector of prisons, which official position
greatly increased her opportunity of useful
ness in this direction. Many loathsome
cell was transformed into comparatively
comfortable quarters through her efforts. In
this connection she says: Il have been called
visionary by some, most unjustly, as think,
for all of my work has been Of the most prac-
tical description II go into prison and
find the cir insult Rerably foul, and see dirt and
vermin everywhere, with bed bugs nearly al
large as rats and as numerous as autumn
leaves, say to the prison officials, you have
no right to compel human beings to live in