The Globe-republican., 1892-11-11
SINGING TO CONVICTS.
YOUNG WOMEN WHO DEVOTE THEIR
TALENTS TO CHARITY.
Mary and Lizzie Borneman's Helpful
Work IL Brooklyn's PrisoRs-Interest-
Ing Ec<AS.s Q. 1kei. Expsrsence Among
the Outcasts of Society.

There are two young women in Brook
Ign who have laid out for themselves &
most unusual line of duty, and who have
SO modestly and quietly pursued it that
this is probably the first time thei,
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 Willough-
by street and Adams, and in that yicin-
ity their lives have been spent. For the
last five years they have lived with Their
parents and sisters at 36l Jay street, and
are very domestic, industrious girls. car
ing for their younger sisters and aiding
their mother IN 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 a strong, clear soprano and L.
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 il churches, re.
ceiving large salaries for their services,
but this seemed 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
rl,,+
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 ~ prisoner VINO has been
locked within those walls during the
past ten years but has been comforted
by the sound of their voices. Once in
the month always, sometimes twice,
they sing in the Kings County penitell-
hary III the afternoon, and since the IN
dustrial home has been started they
sing there Sunday and Thursday even
ings. Aside from these services they
sing often III concerts given for char
table purposes.
Nor are their duties entirely confined
to singing. Often they are sent for by
some poor prisoner, and never call
comes in vain. AT any time they are
ready to go with words of comfort or
little gifts of some kind to the darkest
cell, to the most desperate prisoner.
Next to Rev. Mr.. Bass himself. these
two young women are best known ard
best Beloved Of any persons in Brooklyn
by the Outcasts of society
Mot a few times" said Miss Lizzie to
a reporter, have we acted as brides
maids in the Jail and penitentia-y, and
have signed our names as witnesses TO |
tie marriage contracts. Quite as often, |
too. have we stood as gOdmothers TO |
poor little prison born babes. He are
often sent for TO SD beside tie sic. %.
Oners, and have seen deaths. too, wi.'.il !
the prison walls.
Have you ever known many Of the
famous criminals her
'Oh, yes. The sauGeSt duty we ever
mad to perform in our lives has bael. :"
visit some Of the condemned men III
Raymond Street jail. shall never for
get the morning Mills was hanged. lie
vas convicted of wife murder, and he
ore his death was converted to Chris
ianity through Mr.. Bass efforts Ee
'ften wanted Us to sing for him, and to
he last we went. The little organ was
placed just outside his cell door. and
here we would sing and -. Bass wOuld
ak to him. 1t seemed always to cheer
lin until the day before the execution,
vnen, while we We're there, the clothes
lie was to wear, even to the slippers and
lose, were brought to him, and then he
eemed stunned and was like one turned
o stone. He seemed then to fully realize
lis position, and from that moment lost
III of his cheerfulness. 1t was his wish
hat we come again in the morning, and
# course we went and sang as long as
We We're permitted to stay
"Were you with 49,. others at such
ime:"
Yes, we We're with jefferson before
hat. ;
I'VE were afraid to go near McElvaine's
ell. He was so coarse and brutal that
is language was not fit for US to hear.
lie is the only prisoner we have met who
as not behaved like gentleman in our
resence. " nsn we We're visiting Mills.
very day Kramer, the burglar, occu-
led an adjoining cell and used to hang
blanket up to his door that ne might
OF see US, and we We're very careful
ever to look toward his cell. One day.
owever, Mills told Us that Kramer
'anted to speak to us, and we noticed .
hen that there was no screen at the bars
f his cell. He asked us to sing some /,
avorite hymn of his, and from that time
eemed very friendly. He afterward was :
to two years and half in the :
and while there sent for us :
, come to see him. He was desperate
IAN and had broken out Of every prison
! which he had ever been confined and
ad won for himself the sobriquet of ,
6oitS and Bars"
Few young women truly have wit =,
eSSed such scenes as have these young .
ngiag missionaries. and their home is
He'd with little gifts, tokens of gratitude =
rn,n ,r;-npars Maui Vo,.l- World