New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-09


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HOME INDUSTRY.
"Among the criminal class, to be sentenced for :
month is much the same matriculation In collegs
for youths Of a higher sphere. and to be sent 10
penitentary is to become bachelor Of Arts. shoulo
any one doubt this he only ned visit the police omces
in New-York and run over the names on the docket
for the last few years. You will find the names Oh
boys who began their life Of crime by picking q
pocket or some other trinng Offence Opposite their
names you will read thirty DAYS in the workhouse.'
You think that was ample punishment; and that the
boy would be glad to become honest as soon as lie
recovered his liberty Thirty days pnnlshment, we
call IT, but it is really thirty days Of evil association
OF contemplation of Vicious example, OF direct contact
with men governed by the most lawess passions ana
the youths crimes which first OF b minor ma
tire became with more or less gradation after
each succeeding punishment to be Of the most hatefn
and dangerous to society. You can trace the
natncs of hundreds Of such boys ana young men
who are fitted for this criminal hle' wmch
is in fact q business IN the prisons ana pehi-
tentiaries Of the land, and when society thhhs by
sentencing man II dimlnshes crime the police well
know It is but producing more accomplished crimi-
nal.
II will be seen from this statement that among the
more perplcxing of the many difficult problems that
tic the hands Of philanthropy Is the reformation Oh tc
convict and IL calls to mind remark made by Henry
Ward Bcecher. whose great mind often pondered ths
subject when he said that there were some men whose
cerebral organization base that it seemed as
even the grace Of God itself could not save them
from crime Let II be granted that some men go Grim
ins as Others 20 because they can't help them
selves and that to seek their reform is comparatively
hopeless and there Is nevertheless large majority OF
the inmates OF oar prisons composed OF peopie VIVID
are not 50 organized men who have given way u
some gust OF passion peculiarly tempting circuni'
stance that has brought them under the ban OF the
law; whose reformation would not be difficult,
could a friendly helping hand be reached
out to save them Many Of learning philanthropy
pety and culture have been proud to place their names
as directors promoters and supporters OF establish
ments reformation Of the young who arc casseo
as denquents rather than criminals and the work OF
these institutions has already been wonderfully eca
cIous but there has been struggling for some time III
New York an establishment that aims at the reforma-
ton of convicts OF all ages and Its work mas aeady
been abundantly crowned with success
About ten years ago men whose feelings had
been shocked al seeing the moral deterioration OF prs
oners upon leaving jail, their speedy retrogresson 10
crime and the unfcelng codncss OF the outside wora
toward them determined to organize home for eA-
convicts the object being to work religious reiora
ton in the criminals: the directors of the institution
to be animated by this spirit, and the superintendent
to be a man deeply impressed with similar views. TIC
organization was to be nonsectaran and its duty 10
nculcate virtue rather than religion Good DOCKS were
to be put in the hands of the inmates and the atend
ants we're 10 be chosen from among good men. who
would not indulge In language breathe sentiment
out of accord with the tone of the institution
The object OF this charity Is reformation OF youth
full delinquents, by preventing the formation OF
criminal habits. and also the eradication OF those
habits after they have been formed and ehectng a
moral cure on subject whom the prisons have turned
out O moral contagion.
II ts hard to understand the helpless hopeless, dcs-
perate situation Of prisoner turned out Of JAIL with
ont q friend, without a dollar, without home !;
branded criminal. known by the police, Stunned by
honest men, Society says to him You are tree, you
must look to yOurself-make your living honestly"
The great majority of people only make living at
most with all their advantages, but here Is man,
perhaps ignorant without moral principle, with vicious
procIivtes without friendly counsel, without work and
in need OF food There is always work for thief or
sandbagger or a buglar and about fourffhs Of such
men take up such a calling means OF making
living. Another great incentive to vice that
fastens the habit OF crime on 70 man Is the
innate love Of human nature TO take tho chances
As other men gamble with money, criminals gamble
with their liberty and get finally to consider that the
next best thing being out of Jail is being In it, and
they pass all their lives going back and forth for
longer or shorter periods. Such men often cost the
country thousands of dollars for indictments and other
expenses that might be saved could they be put IN
the way of obtaining honest living before their
bad habits have become confirmed To do TINS, there
FORE the object Of the Home OF Industry and Refuge
for Discharged Convcts
The home began its work in 1879, In little WOODEN
house I'm water-st, offering shelter to five excon-
victs, and supplying them with work, boari, lodging
and pleasant associations. This house speedlly De
coming too small the Home was removed 10 NO. 81
Beccker-st and from there TO NO 40 East ions'oh-
ST. 1t was Incorporated under the laws OF the state Oh
rft.O
New York on January II, 1882 by the following men
Edward c. Homans A. s. Hatch, NJ. Bayard Brown,
william r. Bliss, John II. Boswell James iaicot''
Michael Dunn John Noble stearns. william Hamilton
Harris and r. Fulton Cutting. Up to January L.
1890, 2,496 men had been received INTO the homc'
for l21 Of whom employment was obtained out'ide.
The daily average for the year 1850 was thirythree
inmates The yearly expenses OF the home nave beeh
about as 900, from $4,000 TO $4,000 OF which nave
been realized from the sale of goods MANUFACTURED
by the inmates, but for the rest the homc is "eo"''
upon voluntary contributions.
The applications for admission and assistance al
the home have been SO numerous that 1t has become
absolutely imperative for the successful carrying on Oh
the work that a. larger building should be procured
and three ana onc-ha city lots have been purchased
In wAs. Sixty -thrd-st. between Tenth and Eleventh
aves. and building is In course OF erection there.
rhe land cost about ST 0O0 aud tho building VIII
cost something over 100000. Of which good deal
has been raised already. The home has turned out
many good citizens who are now useful members Of
society One OF them Is now studying for the min
istry another Is college graduate with q fair chance
Of making his mark in s world ana many s % efy
VIM Int lar this home, might have been preying
upon society and sAalns crime 70 crime GOVERN any
Christian family, Temperance Is insisted upon. Tue
must come II Reasonable hour NEAL n ssnS b s@a
And work The chief articles Of man fracture ~
present broom feather aas srios ana u
tes1h hasinnerS the trade that the CHARITY Is
established upon gcod practical basis ~ ,e r,w bu,,d
Ing AZ" r. ri Homans d 500. n. pasard Brown