The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-01-12
ST. KA7HARINE'S Home
Steps the Authorities May
Take to Oppose It.
UNDER TUE DIsoRDERLY ACT.
The Rev. Mr.. Mofat Answers the
Objections of the City
officials.
UNDER Tue DIsORDERLY

officials.
That there is likelihood Of opposition to
Che st. Katharine Episcopal Home, which
the Rev Mr. Moffat, of Hoboken, pro-
poses to open at No. 2l0 Palisade avenue
tomorrow. was announced in THE JER-
sEY CTTY NEWS last Friday. just what
shape this opposition will take. and just
what steps the authorities can take to
prevent the Home from going into active
operation are interesting points upon
which little light can be thrown just
now.
Poor Master Hewitt stated the reasons
Tor his opposition more in detail to JER-
sEY CITY NEWS reporter last evening.
THE POOR MASTERS REASONS.
lie said he believed the people who We're
active in the organization of the Home"
are animated by the best Of intentions,
but that they are making a great mis-
take. He said it would bring undesirable
women from all over the country to this
city, and that these will become sooner
or later a burden on it.
Every child born here acquires a
settlement the instant of its birth, and if
the people of the "Homep refuse to
stA1h ~ oAAC NAtg Ia ny law COHl pCl4Ctt
to, He claimed that Jersey City would
De filled with paupers coming from all
directions on the five great railroads.
SCHEMES TO STOP IT.
We are going to stop it if we can, !"
said Mr.. Hewitt.
s'How?n
well, we may apply for an Injunction.
yet, but the CHIEF of Police and the police
captains have spoken to believe 1t can
be stopped, and the people have spoken
to want it stopped.
You would not want such people for
neighbors, would you? Why, only the
other night a Clergyman called at my
house and said he did not approve OF it
and thought it an eyil.n
DO you not think we need such an in
stitution?u
mo, the city can take care of its own
and we don't want to care for paupers
that belong elsewhere, and you cannot
prevent some of these women and chill
dren from being paupers."
THE DISoRDERLY PERSON ACT.
| called upon Chief of Police Murphy
last night and asked him IL the police
would take any measures TO prevent the
establishment of the Home.
I'VE can take no steps in this matter
at all, " he said. 1.-THE newspapers should
not mix us up in the case. I do not be-
institution in Jersey City,
l assured the Chief that l had seen the
pamphlet issued by its founders
'Hfhere must be some mistake" he re-
piled. According to the Disorderly Per-
son act any person who brings or causes
TO be brought here. any paupers TO be-
come q burden ons the city. on complaint
OF the Poormaster. can be made to move
them away. There is no penalty at
tached to such an offence that l know
Of"
II have not been informed officially of
the objections of the authorities said
the Rev. Mr.. Moffatt, "but do not know
vent us from operating the Home. The
only course they could pursue would be to
place the incorporatOrs under bonds not
to allow any of the offspring of the I'M
fortunate women to become a burden on
the county. The objection seems to be,
as far as | can learn, to fallen women
coming from other States during confine-
ment and leaving their offspring TO the
expense of the county. 1t is also claimed
that any fallen creature can apply to the
Home for refuge and that the county
would soon be flooded with an army of
foreign paupers.
NO ROOM FOR DEGRADED WOMEN.
SIN answer to this l will state that the
new Home cannot certainly accommodate
an army, and as to notorious women
gaining admission you can read the rules
governing the Home"
Mr. Moffatt then read the following
rules
Rule l. st. Katharines Home is intended for
young unmarried girls before and after first con-
finement
Rule II. Application must be made to the
chaplain, who will investigate each case
Rule III. Applicants must be recommended
by trustworthy persons and must bring certi-
ficate of good health from physician in regu-
lar standing.
"There you see," continued Mr.. Mof-
at. lit will be impossible for any degraded
person to obtain admission to the Home
unless she has hitherto been respectable. y
s'But it is claimed, Mr. Moffat, that all
of the projectors of this Home live out
side of Jersey City,
ut is not so. DIR. A J. LOOMS and Miss
J. r. Olmstead, of that city, are MEM
bers of the executive committee and
would not identify themselves with any
thing that was improper or Illegal. The
question is asked why we do not locate
outside of Jersey City. l Will say that
this is diocesan institution permitted
by Bishop .otarkeY, ana the location was
actuated by availability only"
II am satisfied If the city authorities
had been rightly informed as to the char
acter and objects of the new institution
and had pe-used carefully its prospectus
that they would not object to its establish
ment.
''ff they have any objection I do not see
how they are going to ventilate them ex-
cept, as have said, to place the incorpor-
ators under bonds not to allow any of the
oHSprinCS to become q public charge"