Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-05
GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL.
Hearing On Subject Of State ReioRna.
tory For Woman.
Osntsnce Of Bdwasd Hcwbsidse Com
mutsd-0sase Hcuss Topics.

There vas 9 meeting Of the Governor and
Council Thursdsy. The forenoon session
VS. occupied Wholly With routine matters.
In the afternoon there vas . hearing on
the subject Of State Rsformatory iosii,u-
too for women, and Mrs. l.. NJ. Y. Stew
ems Of Portland. Mrs H. Bailey Of Win
throp. and Msj. RoweIl Of HsiIoveiI, Treas
urer Of the Industrial School, were heard
in behalf Of the plan for establishing .uch
an institution 10 this State.
Il viii be remembered that the las, lesis-
lat1re passed resolve that this subject.
relating TO a refofmatory institution for
women. should be Investigated by the Gov
ernor and Council, and in accordancs With
this the time for q hearing bad been &c,
for Thursdsy afternoon. Mrs Stevens
made an earnest Argument for the plan.
At present. she said. there was no proper
place for imprisonins women, and the mac
nsr 10 which they were now dealt with she
believed harmful alike TO the men and
women thus confined 10 the jaiIs She be
lievsd tha, the Judges in this State would
Impose longer sentences, were there any
proper place for shutting these women up
other than the j,ils. Mrs Stevens cited
Instances Of abandoned womsn whom in
justice to the community should receive
longer imprisonments than thirty days in
jail and in order TO properly protec. society
there ought to be an institution where
these women could be sent for longer
terms and where they could be provided
with work. She recalled one time when
there were b,txeen seventy or eighty
women in the State that ought TO have
been put in some reformatory Institution
where they could be guarded. The State
has no such place and consequently the
women having served perhaps thirty days
in some jail go out to prey upon the peo-
pie.
Mrs Bailey read letter from a party
in Machia,, who wrote of the vile language
she heard in the Macbias al between
women at1 men confined there. They
were In separate quarters of the jail hut
near enough to converse and the build
ing was so Constructed that this was un-
avodable. Mrs. Bailey thought that
beginning should be made Immediately,
and perhaps $4,000 would be sufficient at
the start The money she believed could
be easily obtained when once the advant-
ages Of such an institution were demon
strAted to the pubic.
Mayor Rowell Of Iallowell was then
called upon snd spoke Of the needs of a
reformatory Of this kind that he had seen
dem onstrated in connection with his labors
at the Industrial School for Girls. This
latter Institution he said could only receive
girls of q certain age. Something should
be done with those who were older. The
work at the Industrial School had proved
very snecessful. and the greater number
went out from there 10 lead respectable
lives. There was. however. certain per
cent, who proved incorrg BILE and whose
influence on the others was very bad.
There ought to be some place where they
could be sent other than the poor houses or
the jails. Women lost entirely to self re-
spect were very hard to reform and great
menace TO society when allowed TO 90 free.
Col Horace II Burbank, Of Ssco, county
attorney Of YORK county. resigned 10 take
the position Of municipal judge. the two
Offices being deemed incompatible. The
resignation was read nj the meeting of the
Council ard Walter p Perkins, county at
torrey elect, was appointed to All the va
csnoy.
The Governor also read the resignation
of Willis r Emmous as Judge Of the Mu-
nioi ,sl Court at Saco.
Fred s. Harmon and Arthur Sawtelle
supported by the State at the School for
Feeble Minded, at South Boston. have bee
Withdrawn from the Institution.
Gen. c. Y. Mattocks Of Portland ap
peared 10 the interest of Edward from
bridge, nov in State prison for obtainn z
money under false pre,ences. Ii was
agrs ed that Trowbridge made no falee rep
reservations to obtain the money, that at
that time his mind was weakened by reason
Of n sunstroke, and the sentence to two and
a half years imprisonment was excessive
for the crime. The sentence was commu-
ted from two and = half years 20 one year
The Council adjourned to Dee. 18th at
Ia