Wichita eagle., 1889-01-06
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
THE LIFE WORK OF LINDA Gill;
BERT PRISON REFORMER.
Her Mission, Zeal and Success-The Prison
70 Be for Reformation and Not for VEN
geance-Her Winning Ways, Success and
Future Aims.
Especial CORRESPONDENCE

Florence Nightingale has for many years
been associated with the hospitals of the cid
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; a
cause which aims at giving force to the
elements of humanity and justice in the adj
ninistration 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-
tons, 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 bis 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 GiIberts idea is that Imprisonment
should not have for it's aim SO much the pun
ishment of the criminal as the safety OF So
ciety against the perpetrators Of crime Since
it is not revenge that our government should
seek in combining its criminals as reforma-
tom; hence the reformation of the crimina,
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 and
! philanthropic work.
Like the angel visiting the prison Of olden
| time the beautiful face and gentle presence
of Linda Gilbert has Hghtened 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 a
| better life She may very appropriately be
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 5000 ex-convicts. Six hundred of
the better class of these she has by her own
individual aid established in business in
small way She has presented twenty-five
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:
Il 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 il this cause, and my work is now
greatly crippled for want of means" She is
at present in the west delivering addresses to
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 Criminalsg' etc.
In a recent letter to the writer she says,
referring to certain county prison in Hi
nois: ''lt is a disgrace to civilization. l
want to arouse the politicians here to put up
a new building that shall be made refor-
matory in every respect. | will then pre-
sent the prison with library. Two Of the
libraries formerly presented by me were de
stroyed in the great Chicago fire. | expect
to visit the prisons throughout the west and
do what [ can for the ex-convicts and thelr
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 III travelling in the pursuance
and prosecution of her plans of work.
She was born philanthropist. From a
mere child she has been interested in the un-
fortunate, and her sympathies keenly alive
to suffering humanity. When a little girl Of
or 8 years 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 ct 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 q 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,
teal description. II / go into a prison ard
find the air insuferably foul and see dirt and
ve1-nlin everywhere, with bed bugs nearly as
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
such place as this, no matter what their
crimes have been; and if persevere until
get them to convert this den into a habitabls
practical, and | have found that after the
reform has been effected none are more proud
Of it than the prison officials, from the sheriff
TO the turkeys"
Miss Gilbert is of medium height, with well
rounded figure. She has very progressing
face, face upon which intelligence, phil
snthrophy and sympathy have lefs
their indelible stamp. She has broad fore
head, quite prominent in the perceptive and
inventive faculties, abundant dark hair,
beautiful dark eyes and regular features
Hers is a face Of the type which, subjected
20 the ANALYSIS of features. viii convey but
very indefinite idea of the true beauty Of the
combined expression IL must be seen in its
varied expression TO be appreciated.
Among other projects which she hopes to
accomplish in the near future is the estab
lishment OF national home for e1-convicts,
somewhere near New York city, which viii /
be tho GROWING effor, OF her life work X viii |
necessitxte the purchasing Of about 400 scres |
of land, where home and employment viii !
be given both men ard women Of this class, |
comprising farm and its appropriate build |
ings, a hennery, facilities for light manu- /
featuring work, laundry, etc.
Il am hoping 10 achieve this she says, |
'Sbut life is SO short sometimes fear that I |