Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-19
SCHOOLS FOR CRIME.
No Way to Prevent Women Going
From Bad to Worse Until
JAILs KEEP THEM FROM THE MEN.
A Plan Under Way to Separate the Sexes
in the County Jail.
THE HOSPITAL FOR FEMALE PRISONERS

"Shall the Jail hospital be tranformed
into separate apartment for female prison
ers?" is question that will come up for
discussion and decision at the next regular
meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Jail.
And it is question that is causing at the
present time, and has caused in the past,
considerable agitation among the officials
and people familiar with the prison life OF
our city.
| Under existing circumstances, while the
female prisoners occupy one entire side of
wing, yet they are in many ways thrown in
contact with the male prisoners, and in their
promenades-two hours a day, morning
and afternoon-they are screened only
from the gaze OF the male occu-
pants of the prison by narrow
curtain of colored bed-ticking. This
proximity of the men ana women is consid-
cred very detrimental by those who have
made the subject study, aud hence the
effort to remedy the evil as far as possible.
In an interview yesterday afternoon with
prominent gentleman, thoroughly posted
upOH tuS suUJecI, ne tApIcSseu uAAsSlA Al
the following emphatic language:
VIEWS OF AN ADVOCATE FOR REFORM.
"Jails should be constructed and managed
so as to punish and restrain the violator Of
the law without presenting any new tempta-
ton, and the herding of men. women, boys and
girls. the young and tender and the hard
ened criminal under one roof, in full view of
each other. with the possibilities of converse
tion. has the effect of educating the young in
crime and robbng the women and girls of the
last trace of self-respect and female modesty.
"1n my observance of prisoners and prison
| life." continued the speaker, Il have been
| forced to the conclusion that most of our pris-
opers are made by due process of law, and in
stead of fostering and inculcating morality in
from the intimacy of the hardened with the
noviceS in crime and the inmates leave the
prison with less respect for virtue and less de-
testation of crime than when they entered. In
Belgium and Germany, the two countries of
Europe most advanced in prison reform, it is
| forbidden by law to send boys or girls un-
der Il years Of age to prison; MssssehG
is no respecter of ages, and boys and girls
mingle ihdiscriminately with hardened criini-
nails. The only known remedy OF the prison
| evil Is the separate systematic entire separa-
| tion of the prisoners, cutting of each class
| from the sight, hearing and knowledge of the
other, but that can not be eHected the way our
Jail is constructed. The separation of the sexes
can be effected however. and should be, at the
| earliest possible opportunity. Women should
have prison to themselves. and not be thrown
with wicked men, who watch when their terms
| expire, and where they go, that they may seek
! them afterward."
THE JAIL MATRoN ON GUARD.
A visit to the Jail found the mltron keeping
! guard while the women prisoners took their
| promenade. The basement floor and three
balconies of the side of the wing occu-
pied by Nthe women were filled
| rntAhN . fhnu mol yaH n q r
| The pronenaders of the lower floor and the
upper balcony represented the ''vags" as the
matron called them interpreted into vagrants).
| and the remaining two balconies were occupied
| by the court prisoners. All around and about
| were the male prisoners.
You have to keep pretty strict, guard,
don't your was the remark addressed to the
| matron a lazy of refined, intelligent coun-
tenance, and traces of remarkable beauty.
"Yes, indeed" was the reply. ut keeps me
continually on the alert to prevent communica-
| tion between the men and the women. The
| jail was not constructed properly There
should have tSsv RonS nsae1
come in contact with men, but as there
is not, 1 endeavor by watchfulness to prevent
| eHorts, though, they get ahead of me, and
carry on correspondence and conversations
| with each other, making arrangements in some
instances for meetings when they are re-
| leased.
Especially is this the case when young and
| pretty girl comes in. See that one on the Sec
~,
| eyes? Well. she is a modest sweet good girl;
| became implicated IN some shoplifting scheme,
| more through ignorance than anything else,
| and was sentenced to six months. Her term
| expires in January, and she will 20 out of here,
hope, without being contaminated, but the
| efforts that have been made TO ruin her de-
| served better cause.
EFFORTS TO SAVE YOUNG GIRL.
"When she entered the Jail became very
much interested in her, and. finding her cap
| able, intelligent and truthful, made her sort
of assistant. as we frequently do with prison.
ers. But presentiment forced itself upon me
that all was not right, SO day going,
| to her cell, questioned her, and she confessed
| she was carrying on a correspondence with q
noted criminal of prepossessing appearance and
| insinuating language, and had been for some
| time. Upon my request she delivered over to
me the letters in her possession and promised
to discontinue any further communication.
The letters were those of a scheming con-
| temptlble man, whose professions of love were
| insults simply. Encouraging this performance
was woman of mature years, whose knowledge
| OF evil was limited only by the boundaries of
| the subject and whose object was apparent.
| The dreadful consequence, you see, of indis-
| criminate association of prisoners.
Fortunately, discovered the plot in time to
prevent serious results to the poor girl. who is
| only l6 years old, but have never been happy
about her moment since. when she was out of
| my sight, and during my recent illness. when 1
was confined to my bed. she was my main
worry. for 1 know the temptations that are
| thrown in her way.
That is only one of the many instances that
have come within my knowledge, and that will
! continue to demand my attention as long as
men and women are confined as they are" con-
| tinued the matron who, as the big door opened
and admitted a woman somewhat disheveled in
| appearance, exclaimed: "Oh, Annie Ryan, / am
SO ashamed of you;" but, excusing herself, vert
of to the cell with the woman whose love for
intoxicants made her such a frequent visitor,
but always penitent one.
GROUP, whoopipg cough and bronchitis i'm
mediately relieved by Sbiloh's Cure. Sold by