Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-30

become IA htebpccthDie GltlEcn.
A new life dnwns on discharged convicts
They need not despair Of again becoming
respectable citizens Plenty of employ.
ment is offered them. For those who can
not work there il free home Released
criminals need not be Obliged TO resort "a
their former habits Of life for livelihood.
At l,ll5 First avenue Is the Home of In
dustry and Refuge for Discharged Con
victs.
The institution occupies a plain four
story red brick building
This home OF refuge is for the purpose OF
Offering TO discharged convicts n secure
anchorage aud field for a new beginning.
Not only released convicts from the state
of New York come here, but returned
prisoners from every quarter outside of
the state are welcomed.
The home encourages discharged prison
ers to return to correct lives, boards and
lodges them and secures honest employ
ment for them 1t does this without
charge
In securing the discharged prisoner en-
ployment the officers of the institution
make personal efforts, and advise the men
how to proceed for themselves In indi-
coed for themselves the officers of the home
advise with them in the fullest and friend.
Hest way possible, furnish them with prac.
tical suggestions and place the large ex-
perience OF the refuge entirely at their ser
vice. The inmates Of the home are anxious
TO be helped-the home is anxious TO help
them
WORK IN THE FACTORY.
ITt Ia Ia,
get outside work The rest remain in the
institution in the service of a factory es-
tablshed by the refuge The factory
manufactures brooms and scrubbing
brushes. The discharged prisoner while
employed in the factory receives all the
way from one dollar to eight dollars per
week and his board and lodging. This
lasts as long MS the inmates good conduct.
The products Of the institution are sold
and tho proceeds applied to the support CT
the home.
The financial results Of the labor Of the
men average $1,000 yearly, The expenses
of the home are 5000 n year The contri
button to the support fund from the pub
lie was $500 in 1890
The factory is on the ground floor of the
building and opens directly upon First
avenue. In the wOrkroom is seen industry
and application. A spirit of harmony pre-
walls among the worltmen. Rarely, if ever,
does any disturbance occur among them.
The influence of the home is mild and
wholesome, and the inmates respond salts
factorily to that influence. They are neither
fractions nor i'll tempered.
The inmates rise at $50, attend morning
prayers, get breakfast and report for work
att. They work until H. and go to dinner.
At 6 they have supper. The evening is
spent in reading playing checkers and other
harmless games, and In conversation. Ten
o'clock Is bedtime.
The returned prisoners come principally
from Sing Sing and from Clinton, while
many come from other prisons in the state.
AS has been said, they ire also welcome,
and come from outside of the state.
THE OLD LIFE GONE.
There are many in the refuge who have
lost all traces Of their former lives They
have reformed and become honest, indus
trious and respectable citizens. Some of
the later arrivals still bear the suggestion
of the prisons. These, however, show will
ingness and adaptabiIty, They soon learn
they soon throw of the evidences of
their former Imprisonment. They early
lose the sense of their past confinement.
They become upright and honorable.
Married men-those who left wives and
children in New York when they first
yielded to crime-haye returned from their
prisons and earn good liveihoOds through
the aid Of the home of refuge. Thus they
have been enabled to permanently rejoin
their families.
Young men who have Just served out
their first term have returned to a re-
claimed life through the home
All of this Is admirable testimony to the
virtues of the institution.
Mr.. Charles Stewart, the superintendent
of the home, was asked by II reporter;
"Do you ever have men go from the home
back to their old habits of crime?"
"1en per cent, perhaps, do so to our
knowledge" was the reply.
"Tho number is really very small But
we can't keep track Of more if more really
return to their old ways. We give our
selves the benefit of the doubt and say 10
per cent"
as permanent re-cstablishment of the
discharged convict in public confidence
practicableW
Eyes"
WHO ARE RECLAIMED.
"How many become good members of
society,""
so far rs we are ut present able to de
termine we would say 20 per cent. We
think this very gratifying, and see con
slant indications of increase. We hope
finally to do away with n great part of
prejudice and realize success in the work
of restoring former criminals to useful pc
sitions In society.
"Some die. Some become shiftless, with
ont becoming actually criminal again,
while others drift out of our knowledge"
"Can you specify any particular instance
of an cx-conyict who has returned from
prison and acquired prosperity
ayes, indeedl There is one in this city
now who is ms solid business man as any
body. He is looked up to and respected by
all he has dealings with"
There are instances of released men who,
for various reasons, have grown discour-
aged in the home and have started 10
leave. They have decided to return to their
evil courses They will no longer continue
the fight to he respectable, These men
have been almost invariably persuaded to
return to the home.
The Home of Industry was established in
1879 by Michael Dunn, an eX-convict. He
made an humble beginning in avery small
way at first on Water street The home
was then removed to Blocker street.
From Blocker street it was changed to
Mulberry. Thence it was removed to Hous-
ton street, thence to its present location at
Lib First avenue, The organization has
withstood time and change, and is to be
congratulated upon its continued prosper
ity,-New York World
FiguraIiVe Zoology.