The morning times., 1895-08-18

One OF the most humane and advan-
tageous features of our modern police sys
tenn is the small corps of matrons who have
charge of the female prisoners at the various
station houses in the city.
They are only three in number now, and
are compelled TO divide up the precincts, in
order that all may receive their aid and at
tention; but the success Of the system, which
was introduced half a dozen years ago,
and the vast good that has been done by the
kind and motherly women who have been
selected to make adverse circumstances
| come with as little harship as possible to
their erring sisters, have caused the heads
OF the department to look with favor upon
the advisa bility Of having matron for
each station, as is the case in large cities
in the North.
A little over six years ago number or
ladies of the Women s. Suffrage Association
headed by Mrs spofford began TO advocate
the adoption OF the system, and Senator
-- introduced a bill and fathered
| il through Congress. The men We're at first
very 10th to accept the new scheme, fear
| ing that it would interfere with their du.
ties at the station houses, and the heads
/ OF the department resigned themselves
naturally to being harassed by complaints
and numbarless suggestions from the fe-
male additions to the force.
PROVED OF GREAT BENEFIT.
None of these came, however, On the
contrary, the presence of women at the
station houses has had a refining influ-
ence on the men, and apart from the i'm
mense amount of good actually accom-
| plished, they have proved a beneficial
addition in every way.
The first three matrons appointed after
| the passage of the bill providing for them
were Mrs. Emma A. Lewis, Mrs. Eliza
beth Glngell and Mrs. Pennefill. Mrs.
| Glngell was stationed at No. station
! house and looked after that precinct and
the Fifth and Ninth, while Mrs. Lewis
and Mrs. Pennefnl made the First pre-
cinct station house their headquarters and
looked after the remaining five stations.
Mrs. Gingell died about year ago, and
was succeeded 10y Mrs. McCloud, who now
looks after the three eastern stations.
Their rooms are large coy and well fur
nished, and once inside them all traces of
q station house vanish behind the little
trinkets and knick-knacks that give them
8 home-like appearance.
| The rooms for the female prisoners are
furnished in a similar manner, with car
peted floors and comfortable beds, and con-
veniences that were unknown in former
days The matrons themselves are under
the direct supervision Of the lieutenant
at whose precinct they are stationed,
and make a weekly report to him of all
that transpires within their domain.
| They not only take good care OF the prls-
oners brought into the station, but are on
the lookout for cases that need attention,
and are public missionaries in not very
small way.
THEIR TENDER CARE.
livery phase of femalelife comes undert the
attention OF the matrons. All prisoners
whom delicacy or habit precludes the
men from caring for are looked after by
them, and from the tiny babe, with its
wondering eyes hardly yet accus toned TO
the light of the great world, to the grand
mother, old and infirm, whose declining
years have been fuller ef pain than of
pleasure, are all tenderly cared fer by these
wemen to whom the misfortunes of their
sex are old, old stories.
Mrs Lewis, at the First precinct, is the
eldest OF the three matrGns now, and she
has probably had the greatest amount
Of experience in dealing with unfortunate
women Before taking the position she
new occupies she was for twenty years
engaged in missionary work, SO her labors
for her sex date back quite q number OF
years During the time she has been al
| the First precinct all classes of cases,
, some Of them pathetic, some tragic, some
amusing, and some only pretty incidents
have come under her notice.
Attempted suicides have been frequent
and the life stories that have been poured
inte her sympathetic ear by women, young
in years, but eid in experience, of the hard
ships and wees OF life, would furnish
plots for generations of Zolas.
Her prisoners are not always Of the lowe
class Frequently women whose socia
= position in life is elevated have been takel
to the matroD. sometimes from over-in
dulgence in drink, and after night spen
in her care, are returned to their home
without publicity.
SAD FAMILY REUNIONS.
Family reunions, too, of such a heart
rending nature that even the people Injured
TO such scenes must weep for pity, tax
} place in the matron's quarters, and poor
uDfortunates whom mental clouds pre-
= vent from seeing the true colors ofthe world
find refuge there from outside turmoil
which they cannot understand. Humal
charity is DO longer the rarity it was whel
Thomas Hood wrote THE Bridge of sighs,
and women adrift and friendless anon,
q city full can always find home.
couple Of years ago a woman who hat
been arrested for alleged completely in
robbery OF some Government property wa
, arrested in this city and while at the sta
ton house she made desperate attempt t
- commit suicide. In the matron's quarter
and while Mrs. Lewis was IN the room wit
her she took q handkerchief out and tie
ii around her neck. She then attached
in some way to the bedpost and was abou
TO hang herself when the matron divine
her attention and seized her.
The girl struggled furiously, and woul'
undoubtedly have accomplished her pur
pose had not the matrou's calls for assist
ance brought an officer upstairs to tn
rescue. He held the girl and prevented he
from choking herself, while Mrs. Levi
got a knife and cut the handkerchief fror
the prisoner throat.
She was then transferred to a cell, an
while there made two more attempts t
end her life, and had to be carefully an
constantly watched She was finally re
leased, having been acquitted OF the charge
DRIVEN FROM HOME
Many cases of insanity are taken care {
by the matrons, and Miss Mary DeIane,