Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-07-09
SINGING TO CONVICTS.
YOUNG WOMEN WHO DEVOTE THEIR
TALENTS TO CHARITY.

the Outch@Ss OF sociosy'
There are two young women In Brook
lyn who have laid out for themselves a
most unusual line of duty, and who have
so modestly and quietly pursued 1t that
this is probably the first time their
names have ever come before the public.
These noble young women are the
Misses Mary and Lizzie Borneman, who
have consecrated their lives to work
among prisoners and the very poor OF
the city. They were born in the old
part of the city lying beyond Wllough-
by street and Adams, and In that v1cln-
ity their lives have been spent. For the
last five years they have lived with their
parents and sisters at 361 Jay street, and
are very domestic, industrious girls, car
ing for their younger sisters and AIDING
their mother in a good old fashioned
way so seldom in vogue now.
OF all the family they two alone are
endowed with the gift of song, Mary
having strong, clear soprano and Liz
zie a contralto of wonderful strength
and beauty. To them the gift seemed
to be divinely given, and they decided
even while children that it must be used
for some good end, some purpose.
For time they sang in churches, re-
oeiving large salaries for their services
but this seemed a selfish use OF their
beautiful voices, and even against the
wishes of their parents they began on
Easter Sunday, ten years ago, to sing In
RAYMOND Street Jail at Chaplain Bass
morning services, and from that time
their talents have been devoted entirely
To this work. Every Sunday morning
at 9 o'clock they are admitted to the
corridor of the Jail, and every Tuesday
evening, and no prisoner who has been
locked within those walls during the
past ten years but has been comforted
nv the sound of their voices. Once IN
the month always, sometimes twice
they sing in the Kings County peniten
tiary in the afternoon, and since the In
dustrial home has been started they
sing there Sunday and Thursday even
ings. Aside from these services the.
sing often in concerts given for char
table purposes.
Nor are their duties entirely contine
to singing. Often they are sent for b
some poor prisoner, and never ca
comes in vain. At any time they ar
ready to go with words of comfort
little gifts of some kind to the darkeE
cell. to the most desperate prisoner
Next to Rev. Mr.. Bass himself, thes
two young women are best known an
best beloved Of any persons in Brookly
by the outcasts of society.
81 i
a reporter, "have we acted as bride
maids in the Jail and penitentiary, an
have signed our names as witnesses
the marriage contracts. Quite as ofte
too. have we stood as godmothers
moor little prison born babes. We a
often sen. for to sit beside the sick pr
oners, and have seen deaths, too. with
the prison walls"
"Have you ever known many OF {
famous criminals hereg"
''Oh, yes. The saddest duty we eY
had to perform in our lives has been
visit some of the condemned men
RAYMOND Street Jail. 1 shall never f
get the morning Mills was hanged.
was convicted of wife murder, and
fore his death was converted to CHI
tianity through Mr.. Bass efforts.
often wanted us to sing for hmm, and
the last we went. The little organ
placed Just outside his cell door, a
there we would sing and Mr.. Bass VOL
talk to him. 1t seemed always to CHI
him until the day before the execute
when. while we were there, the clot
he was to wear, even to the slippers
hose, were brought to him, and then
seemed stunned and was like one turl
To stone. He seemed then to fully rea
his position. and from that moment
all of his cheerfulness. 1t was his "
that we come again in the morning,
of course we went and sang as lonl
we we're permitted to stay"
"were you with any others at sue
timer"
eyes. we were with jefferson be
that.
eve were afraid to go near McElvai
cell. He was so coarse and brutal
his language was not fit for us to !
He is the only prisoner we have met
has not behaved like gentleman IL
uresence. When we were visiting N
every day Kramer, the burglar,
MED an adjoining cell and used to
a blanket up to his door that he n
not see us, and we were very ca
never to look toward his cell. One
however, Mills told us that Kr
wanted to speak to us. and we nc
then that there was no screen at the
of his cell. He asked us to sing
fayorite hymn of his, and from that
seemed very friendly. He afterwar
sentenced to two years and a half
penitentiary, and while there sent
~ oome TO see him. He was desl
man, and had broken out OF every
In which he had ever been contine
had won for himself the sobriqr
Bolts and Bars"
Few Young women truly hav'