The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-05-11
PRISONS AND PRISONERS.
Interesting Meeting Of the State
Charities Aid Association.

A meeting OF the State Charities Aid
| Association was held yesterday afternoon
In the pariors OF the Tabernacle. The
Rev. DR.. Kinsley Twining. of Morris
town, presided in the absence of Presi-
lent Lewis. The meeting was opened
with prayer. Mrs. Emily E. Williamson.
the General Secretary, read the minutes
of the previous meeting. when were APP
proved. She also read a history or Inc
association and its work, which she had
prepared by request for the congress OF
philanthropy to be held ar Chicago next
month. After the reading of this report.
which tells succinctly OF che organiza-
ton of the associations, It's meChods
a nd the work it has done and is now 40
ing, the members were invited TO suggest
any additions or changes. Major Pange
born thought it would be as we'll TO nave
it stated clearly that the work OF THIS as
sociatlon is done voluntarily, without
compensation, and In The interest or the
public welfare. AS the paper covered IN
part what the association proposed 70 40
in che future, DR.. I. Y. Sutphen. OF New
ark, thought it might be made more full.
This led him to speak of the necessity for
the separation of patients affected by con-
tagious diseases In the hospital.
Major Paugborn explained that this
reform had been inaugurated in Tucson
county mainly tby the influence OF the
county branch OF this association.
PRISON MANAGEMENT.
The subject or prisons and the treat
ment of convicts after discharge from
prison was brought up and discussed;
Mr.. Decatur NJ. Sawyer. VINO attended
the recent Prison Reform Congress at
Baltimore as a delegate from this So
ciety, expressed the opinion that the New
Jersey prisons are sadly in need OF re-
form. He explained the system OF con
vict labor In vogue in Maryland at the
Penitentiary. The work is all piece work
and the amount to be done for a days
work is left to the discretion OF the War
den. The contractor pays for the LABOR
of convicts forty cents per DAY. Aieer
completing his days task, as nxed Dy the
warden, a convict is allowed to work over
make as much as $25 per month
in this way. This money they are allowed
to keep for themselves and when tneY
get out OF prison they nave enough TO
nelp them get q new start. Iney aiso
earn more for the State by this plan. MI.
Patterson, warden at the Trenton prison..
was with Mr.. Sawyer On this visit anu
Jersey a prisoner gu his discharge re-
ceiyes nothing. Ii he has been SEN
fenced from some other part of the State
than Trenton, he is given a railroad
ticket home, but too often the unfortun-
ates find themselves released from jail
with no money. Having no friends.
they steal, and are soon back in prison
again.
INDEFINITE SENTENCES.
This led to some discussion on prison
methods and the laws in relation to sem
fences. Major Pangborn expressed him
self as very much in favor of the indea-
mite and accumulative sentence system as
adopted in the States of Ohio, Massachu-
sets. Pennsylvania. Minnesota, Illinois
New York and Michigan for the cure OF
criminal rounderism. The idea seemed
to iud favor among the the members
present, and it IS probable the next Legis-
lature will be asked to do something in
this direction. Reports We're made
at the meeting of the Board OF
Managers. which preceded the asso-
citation meeting of the committees on
asylunis aud hospitals, aud penitentsaries
aud refcrmatories. aud the subject OF the
rase of juvenile prisoners, and providing
Intellectual employment for them, were
presented by Miss Marsh, of Newark. and
referred to a committee. The general
Secretary. Mrs. Williamson, read a report
of the work doue in the several counties
of the State. and of the efforts made to
secure In the last Legislature action in
several important matters. The Law
Committee of the association was In
structed to prepare certain bills for pres
entattou TO The next Legislature.