The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-16
SHE AIDS CRIMINALS.
MISS LINDA GILBERT AND HER
uNSeLFlSH LABOR or LOVE.

Woman Who IL Wen Known and Re
sPected IA Every Criminal COzrt In thu
IGreat City Of New York-A Remark
able Work That Bears Excellent Fruit.
Miss Linda Gilbert. the woman who
wears the title OF The Convicts' Friend
! and whose unselfish efforts in behalf OF tho
criminal class have won for her the admir-
alton and respect OF every philanthropie
minded citizen in the country. unaited and
alone has for years devoted herself and her
fortune to ameliorating the condition Of
the outlswed classes. Many a criminal has
she brought back TO his better self and To
stored TO the respectable society from whicl
Re had fallen
so well has she become known TO thess
outcssG people, too. that her simple name is
a power among them, and neither bolt nor
bar is 80 effectual a protection 10 dwelling
rs the mere tact that she is one of it, occu-
pants They reverence her aS they dc
nothing else on earth or heaven. and Il il
not, strange that they do. FOR plunginS
down into the depths. as she has to effect
their rescue from their evil ways. she has
seemed TO them Ia her white robes Of a
love.
She was bora in New York Sity, Of
family which has won considerable dis
tinctioa in the field Of invention. the cle-
waited railroads now sc widely in use in our
large cities having originated with one Of
her near relatives AT an early age she
was taken by her parents 20 Chicago. where
she was given an excellent education In the
art of nd ka hssf
seven years old when on - visit 70 the Jail
of that city her sympathies were first ex-
cited for the unhappy tenants OF our large
prisons. She at once secured permission 10
take 20 them books and little delicacieS,
and as she grew older she continually. IN
unobtr1sive ways. miniStered TO their com
fort, until. on attaining TO womanhood.
she devoted herself entirely to the work OF
lettering their condition on wider field
and wherever her influence could be made
TO extend
HER EARLY WORK
Her plan was Ito remove the conditions
that produce crime by a whoisesome SIS
tenn Of industry and culture, and her firse
step was to reach the prisoner in his prison
by giving him TO read good books that
would lft him above his wretched sur
roundings and inspire him with desire
for q better life when his term OF impris-
onment should be over. To do this she
sought to place libraries in every jail and
prison In the country. Care for the pris-
oner's family WAS also included IN her plan
and the securing OF respectable employ
ment for him on his release from prison
Up to this time. working almost entirely
alone and relying well nigh altogether
upon her own resources, she has placed
more than 5000 volumes In various
prisons and restored hundreds. even thou
ands, of criminals TO be respected and use
full members Of society.
On one occasion rs she was passing along
Broadway she was accoSted by a young
man whose face she did not at first remem-
Der. She passed him, but she noticed that
he turned about and followed her Sho
paused and asked his name, when she re-
called him rs an ex-convict whom she had
once known in prison. He told her that
since his release he had tried TO do honest
work, but as none would employ him when
they learned Of ais fozmer life he had been
obliged 20 resort to his old criminal WAYS
for livelihood. He had. be said, tuss CON-
nitted robbery. but the Hehtof her had
brought back his desire for an honest life.
and be wished TO restore bis plumber
She went 70 the man who had been
robbed with his property, which was OF
the value Of $500. He was glad 20 get II,
but at first was obdurate in insisting that
the criminal should be punished. At last,
however. ha yielded TO her Questions, II he
would not think IL hard should one Of his
own soas be thus treated when coming
back To right ways like the returning
prodigal: and he not only forgave the con
vict, but added $50 10 like amount OF
Miss Gilbert's own funds with which abs
proposed 10 SGT the penitent thief in small
cigar business. Re has been prosperous,
and now, with a wife and two interesting
children. be is respected and trusted BY all
who know him.
INTERVIEWS A BURGLAR
Another interesting case II that q =
manly young fellow for whom she secured
work after he had served a term IN prison
for burglary She sent him 20 a farmer ia
Illinois. whose daughter became devotedly
attached 20 him. Her parents were will
ing he should marry ths young woman.
but before be asked her % do 40 be wrota
to Miss Gilbert. asking II be should not
disclose his history. She told him 20 do 40,
and they were married with the fall APP
prevail 81 the young girls parents. lie
was prosperous. and IL now a prominent
member Of a Baptist church Ia the neigh
borhood
Her chief inst runnsut IN dealing with the
criminal Ia Kindness. With the most hard
ened she never uses a harsh word. and 30
pudent has been her method Of treatment
that she approaches the worst cases with
absolute fearlessuezE. IN instance Of her
power and her self pos.sssion was given in
1880. when Der house in New York was en-
tered By hurgizr ~ dead q night shs
was awakened By noiss in her chamber.
and raising herself upon her elbow she Jaw
a staI~ars man ra1ss cking her bureau
drawer lie vas Ia TIE art Of appropTiAt-
ing q valuabls gold watch, when. rixinz
from her bed and approaching him uoiss-
lessiy. she lad her hand upon his shoulder.
saying, do you know that you are rotbinE
your best friendp ara Linda Giib~rt-"
TIE man cTouched upon the soor spsecb-
Iess while she struck light. and. pint
ing 70 chair! tod him 20 - seafsd- Then
che drew from him his E;ory. He va. ~
s-Sid uot an babftual criminal. bat "a n0n-
est laborer cut ~ work, ard he bad resort
81 10 crime % fed starving wife ard
ehfldren- Not qucrr10uiuz his statement.
she is4i him nj 4eiesaiy dcysTn % The kitchen
for her father Ard suothsr srntle1paa
were asieep ia the hoBse-and there sbs
filed for BIN baskst Il prvTisions. and
aiding 70 = Eve dollar ErssnbSck- tod
him 70 coue@ % her again e BE sh00id fall
70 soon secure work. ThUs shs dismissed
him 20 9 settsr iifs.--%sx Yak Adtsr-
t5zcr.
T1o sssres Ia the Life 81 DfaasnA
4 sg8alsd African but. = white oFsr~e-s