St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-11
PRISON AID SOCIETIES.
Secretary Hart Secures the Opin-
ions of Men who Are Handling

ions of Men who Are Handling
Criminals.
A tall stack of letters was found yes
terday at the office of Secretary Hart,
of the state board of correction and
charities, and the light they throw upon
the subject of prison aid associations is
worthy the attention of the legislature,
and the public, whether or not they are
favorable to measure now before the
lawmakers is question. The majority
of the correspondents confess their in
experience upon the subject of Prison
Aid associations, and some of them
positively oppose such institutions. The
measure which is referred TO is for the
appointment of a state agent at the
option of the board of managers of the
state prison and refOrmatOry, said agent
to conduct such work as comes under
the scope of a Prison Aid association.
The correspondence resulted from the
following circular sent out by Secretary
Hart last month:
Dear Sir: have been requested by Secre-
tary Wines of the Prison association, to pre-
pare a paper for the National Prison associa-
ton on prisoners aid societies. Please favor
me with an answer 10 the following Ques-
tons:
1-Haye YOU had any observation of the
workings Of such societies; if SO, what?
2-Do you regard the organization of such
societies as practical method of Keeping
discharged convicts out OF crime:
3-If you favor such organizations, what
do you consider essentia TO their success?
4-If you do not favor such organizations,
what plan of aiding discharged conylcts
would you prefer?
A brief answer to the foregoing questions
will be of great assistance, as l wish TO make
the paper practical rather than theoretical.
Very truly yours, II. II. HART. Secretary.
E. J. Russell, warden of penitentiary,
Charleston, Mass, answered to the first
question, that his experience with pris
oners' aid societies had been mil" He
added: write to Capt. Daniel Russell,
our state agent. [ think he is doing
good, but his powers ought to be en-
larged."
j. W. Whip, of the board of public
charities, Springfield, ILL.,, says: The
1884 is the latest l can give you,
as follows: Prisoners Aid associa-
ton of Illinois, Chicago, estab-
lished in 1884. Present managers = :
and board of twenty-seven direct
ors. Object, to benefit released convicts,
who desire to lead lives of honesty and
industry, furnish home for few days,
and secure employment and helpful as
sistance for them. Number aided by
this society and its predecessors, 534.
Annual expenses about $500" a
E. c. Watkins. Warden State House
of Correction and ReformatOry, Ionia,,
Mich.-I know nothing practically OF
their workings, as we have none to my
knowledge in this state. l am not,
however, fayorably impressed from
what l have heard from other states. |
am in favor of the state doing some
thing to assist discharged prisoners.
The state takes away their liberty and
deprives them of the chance to earn a
living, much less maintain others, and
when they have Cancelled the obligation
| by serving their term, the state should
put them in a position to live homes tly,
| if they will. do not favor asking for
| charity for these men. but Justice
Justice from the same power that made
| them comviets.
! Charles NJ. Koehler. st. Paul Work
house.-St. Paul. April 8. Supt. John
| Fitzgerald has received your circular
| concerning prisoners aid societies, and
wishes me to say to you that he is not
| able to answer the same at present, but
! will do so as soon as his health per
mits.
Rev. W. c. Gum, chaplain of the
| penitentiary at AnamOSa, Io.-While
chaplain at Fort Madison. Penn,
began finding places for discharged
convicts. OF course, chose the best
and most promising convicts. die
that as an experiment, to see what
could be done. / found places for 4S9
and out of the 4S9 only two left the
| places 1 found them on &C
count of dissatisfaction. One of
| these convicts represents the larges