The sun., 1895-03-01
THE PRISON ASSOCIATION.
CBLEBRhTIN0 IHE FTFTIErH ANNT-
TERsARY OF TTs EXISTENCE.

NhetE WE'VE ~ 10 tue EuWteu"ehN "
Crir-e Archbishop Cerriasa aud th'
Rev. Mr.. va-dyhe Address ths MsetinE
Tho Prison Association Of New York cclc
brntcd the semi centennial OF its existence yes
tcriny. In the assembly rooms OF the United
Charities building, Fourth avenue and Twenty
second street, there were conferences in tn,
morning and afternoon. aud papers ON subject.
relating TO the work OF the association were
read. whilo in tho evening there was n public
meeting In ChckerIng Hail at which Arch
bishop CorrIgan aud the Rev. Mr.. vandyks
wore among the speakers. Among those
Mt the conferences wcro o. V. Sage. War
den. and the Rev. G. A. wilds, chaplain,
of Sing Sing prison; Joseph i. Bvers, Secre-
tsry OF the Ohio State Board OF Charities:
Brother Justin OF Manhattan College, DIR. II. i.
Allison. Superintendent OF the State Insane
Asylum Mt Matteawan; Miss Fanny Hayes OF
Fremont, o., daughter OF the late X. B. Hayes:
Mrs Ellen johnson. Superintendent OF tho
WoEaens Reformstory at Sherborn. Mass; the
Rev. ]. l.. Milligan. Secretary OF the National
Prison Association; John William Hutchinson,
President OF tho Philanthropical Union Of tho
Society OF Friends; Robert stiles, founder of the
Prison Association of Virginia. and the Rev.
Robert w. Forsyth. Secretary OF the Pcnnsyl-
vania Prison Association.
At the morning session papers were read on
"Tho Relation OF the Prison Association with
other Societies" by Mr.. Stiles; "Tho Relation
of Prison Associations to the state" by Francis
wayland OF Now Haven, and The Relief Work
OF the Prison Association" by ID. +. KImball.
Under the head OF the Collateral Work of the
Prison Association" addresses were made by
Secretary w. NJ. L. Ronnel on "'The State Re-
formatory:" by tho Rev. Henry Emtsen Cobbon
"The Burnham Industrial FARM" by the Rev.
Samuel Macaulcy on The Riverside Rest" Ed
ward h. Merrill. James McKcen, and X. Tome
Okla Of Japan also read papers.
The subject OF the first paper read at the af-
ternoon session was The Probation System In
Massachusetts," The author of il. Miss Hannah
NJ. Todd OF Boston, was unable to be present.
and the document was read by Secretary Round.
Miss Todd wrote that the adoption OF the pro-
baton system was significant as indicating u
change in public opinion as to the treatment OF
offenders, and growing sentiment in favor OF
the abandonment OF the old policy of merely
furnishing offenders. and looking 10 the more
humane and hopeful methods of attempts at
: In his remarks upon the probation system. the
dent OF the Minnesota state board of Charities
and Correction. said that the best prison reform
events" he continued, I'VE should concern our.
selves far more with the source Of the supply of
has been accom- mplshed In m ing them so large
ly reformatory IN aim and MANAGEMENT. Some
OF the states have made positive and most he
nile offenders. The cities supply the largest
proportion OF criminals. The homo is where the
beginning must he made, and this Is what makes
of preaminent i'm portance the problem of tene-
ment house reform. Many OF the tenemcnts In
cent home life is possible in them, and without
home life what can we hope for in the coming
arc docently housed"
Nh. Punitive I've
Scott OF the state Reformatory at Concord,
Elmira heformatory, who was to have suppli-
mcnted this paper with an address on the same
subject was unable to be present owing to the
The closing session OF ,ho celebration was
held IN the evening in Chickering Hall. The
Catholic Proieetory, which was @ stationed % @ in in
the balcony, played Lively airs. Their efforts in
%5 Rano Hs sSn
on on tho organ, After prayer by the Rev.
sha Sidney Lowell. chaplain OF the Tombs prison;
the work accomplished by the ASSOCIATION dur
Ing Ing the nriy years Of 1t; existence le said II
the bower to inspect and not tho power TO
= II it had the power to correct he continued
- many OF the county jails OF this state would
have been razed to the ground as hope
efforts I OF % the as association Sh o' heVs T, always
been to promote good and to prevent bad legfs
i.tiqn. and its members % wers largely instrumsn
recent amendment adopted by which labor In
prisons was abolished has tho effect of nnlify-
Ing all the work accomplished for prison reform
bs fhsq Req ssseT Gsss
tion to cause the repeal of this obnoxious clause
of the Constitution"
Mr.. Smith then introduced Archbishop Cor
rigan, who said, In part:
u take IL as great honor that the Chairman
especially honored, as it affords me nm oppor.
tunity TO express my gratttlcation of that which
ss0s srsads heard OF the
Held OF work this association has already
been Senefciai to 1915 @ "sS persons ai besides
sPreadinG principles and sowing seeds
ture. 1t Is necessary to create pu bile sentiment
to restore labor to those OF our fellow men who |
They should not be condemned to idleness nor |
denied the right to work. have no doubt that |
they will depse measures psyOsi BY WbeS
prisoners can labor In such way that 1t will |
tngmen outside the prisons.
In olden times the idea Of prisons seems to |
have been mainly to prevent the possibility of |
lowed Entombed IN n dark and noisome cell, |
void of light and air, the miserable prisoner was |
condemned to drag out the years OF his life. |
After Christ another principle was introduced |
the Immortality OF the soul, and that the body |
no matter how degraded tile individual. Our |
own country takes tho lead in the principle OF |
enlightened humanity,
universal in It's humane spirit. We are ali |
brothers. and that feeling Of brotherhood cx-
SiteS In our hearts the oommiseration OF our
THE work Of this associate lon has resulted in
men leaving jail better than they were when |
they entered. and no longer bitter in spirit and |
varrlpg against society. IL we try to an alyze |
the crimes against society we VIII lind them |
divided into two great classes, the crimes |
against property and the crimes against person.
and there Is no doubt that the commission OF
those or the lattor class springs largely FROM ig
norance. tho outcome or miserable clrcum- |
stances when the unfortunate are pnched by |
proyerty and distress. This element we can |
CONTROL and Tor tins kind OF crime we have found |
= remedy. For the othOr, OF course, we have TO |
overcome tho corruption Of the heart. which |
can be done by religion. We have duty 10 one |
another and duty TO ourselves, aud IL compels |
Others.
+" 1t is necessary that public sentiment should
worn behind this society We must interest
those around us in It's work, and when we Sc
cure their cooperation the Legislature will be
Influenced TO enact the necessary laws for the
proper care and discipline OF the prlAons. HUI
mAnity ever marches onward, never back ward
In this age Il Is impossible % consider a return
20 tho time OF the CtesaTs. We have entered a
higher plane, "A plane illuminated BY higher