The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-01-29
REFUdE FUK C0NVlCfS
DISCHARGED PRISONERS AIDED TO
RESPEcTABILITY.

They need not despair OF again becoming
respectable citizens Plenty of employ
ment is offered them. For those who can
not work there is a free home. Released
criminals need not be obliged to resort to
their former habits of life for q livelihood.
At Ills First avenue is the Home of In
austry and Refuge for Discharged Con-
riots.
The institution occupies a plain four
story red brick building.
This home of refuge is for the purpose OF
offering to discharged convicts a secura
anchorage and n field for new beginning.
Not only released cOnyicts from the state
of New York come here, but returzed
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
nent for them. 1t does this withous
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-
| eating to the men in what manner to pro-
| coed for themselves the officers Of the home
| advise with them in the fullest and friend.
| Hest way possible, furnish them with prac-
| teal suggestions and place the large ex-
| perienee of the refuge entirely at their ser
vice. The inmates Of the home are anxious
| to be helped is anxious to help
them.
WORK IN THE FACTORY.
There are 20 per cent of the inmates who
| get outside work. The rest remain in the
i institution in the service Of factory es-
tablished by the refuge The factory
,F,a L.
brushes. The discharged prisoner while
employed in the factory receives all tho
way from one dollar to eight dollars per
week and his board and lodging. This
lasts as long as the inmates good conduct
| The products Of the institution are sold
and the proceeds applied to the support Of
| the home
The financial results of the labor of the
| men average 5000 yearly. The expenses
of the home are 5000 year The contri.
button to the support fund from the pub
lie was $500 in 1880.
The factory is on the ground floor of tho
building and opens directly upon First
| avenue. In the workroom is seen industry
and application. spirit Of harmony pre-
| walls among the workmen. Rarely, il ever,
does any disturbance occur among them.
| The influence of the home is mild and
! wholesome, and the inmates respond salts
| faetorily to that influence. They are neither
| fractions nor Ill tempered.
| The inmates rise at 80 attend morning
prayers, get breakfast and report for work
at z. They work until IL, and go to dinner.
| At 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 are 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
| inEness and adaptubility. They soon learn
they soon throw off 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-hayo returned from their
prisons and earn good liyelihoods through
the aid of the home Of refuge Thus they
have been enabled to permanently rejoia
their families.
Young men who have just served out
their first term have returned to a re-
claimed life through the home.
AL of tins is admirable testimony to the
virtues of the institution.
Mr. Charles Stewart the superintendent
of tho horne, WAS asked by u reporter:
do you ever have men 70 from the home
back to their old habits Of crime"
Ten per cent, perhaps. do SO to ouI
knowledge" was the reply.
1.-The 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 II
per cent"
as permanent establishment of thu
discharged convict in public coutidenc,
practicableT
YES"
: WHO ARE RECLAIMED.
How many become good members o.
society,""
$50 far as we are at present able to de
termine we would say 70 per cent w,
think this very gratifying, and see con
stant indications of increase. We hon
finally to do away with a great part o
prejudice and realize success IN the worl
of restoring former criminals to useful pc
sitions IN society.
! Some die Some become shiftless, with
out becoming actually criminal again
while others drift out Of our knowledge"
Can you specify any particular instanc
of an eSconYict who has returned from
prison and acquired prosperity"
Yes, indeed! There is one in this cit,
now who is us solid n business man as any
body. He is looked up TO and respected b.
all lie Las dealings with,
There are instances OF released men who
for various reasons, have grown discour
= aged in the home and have started b
leave, They have decided TO return to thei
evil courses, They will no longer continu
q the fight to he respectable. These mel
:, have been almost invariably persuaded t.
return to the home.
! The home of Industry was established II
1879 by Michael Dunn, an eX-cuuviet. ii
/ made an humble beginning in very snul
/ way at first on Water street The hum
was then removed to Blocker street
2 From Blocker street it was changed t
d Mulberry. Thence it was removed to Hous
hn. a. l.