The San Francisco call., 1895-11-25
WOMEN UNDERTAKERS.
Object to the Laying Out of Their
Dead by the Sterner
Sex.
SUPERVISORS MEMORIALIzED.
The Ladies to Rally at This Evenings
Mass-Meeting-Will Organize
Next Week.

There was considerable enthusiasm on
the part of the fair audience that gathered
at the women's mass-meeting at the First
Congregational Church yesterday after
noon.
Mrs. Luse presided and Mrs. II. J. Ben
son conducted the devotional exercises,
Mrs. Louise Anderson leading the congre-
gational singing.
Mrs. Addie L. Ballou, chairman of the
comm ittee on plan of work, submitted the
following resolutions, which were unani-
mously adopted:
To the Honorable, the Board Of Supervisors Of
the City Of San Francisco: In consideration OF
the shocking revelations OF crime that have re-
Gently been made public through court pro-
ceedlngs and the press we, the commit ee ap-
pointed from the women's mass-meet1ng OF
Sunday. November IT, 1895. respectfully sug-
gest and submit to your honorable body the
following as methods and aids TO better moral
and social conditions OF our City, and to when
we respectfully claim your attention:
WHEREAS, Many OF these causes underlying
these crimes and moral vices are to be found
in vicious and tainted environments. impov-
erished, overcrowded and uncleanly homes
and negligence and carelessness OF parents,
and pure teaching and example tending
toward honorable and chaste manhood ana
virtuous womanhood; and, whereas, the chill
dren, in all stations of life, and all citizens
are alike wards OF the State and OF the NUM-
cipality in which they reside, and should,
therefore, be carefully guarded and guided,
both by words OF encouragement ana admonl-
ton, whether in the home, the courts or the
prison, and well knowing the actual capacity
OF good and tender women to both guard and
aid children therefore be II
ResoIUed, That inasmuch as we, mothers and
other earnest women of this City, being fully
awakened TO the exigencles OF the hour and
70 rs q
evil men, that have desecrated the sanctlty OF
the home, crimsoned the sacred affairs of our
churches and debauched and dehled the fnno-
cence OF virgin babes of this City, we believe
the time has come and the need is pressing
that requires the cooperation and heroic aid
OF women, upon whom much OF the future of
good citizenship and National manhood de-
wolves, and in which, recognizing our great
responsibilities, we also see the immediate
urgency OF being allowed an equal voice IN
life of our community can no longer be set
aside or ignored; and
ResolUed, That we believe it to be expedient,
wise and Immediately vital to the furtherance
OF morality, deceDcy and a purer municipality
and a safeguard to our homes that one or more
women be appointed City inspector or in
spectors, whose duties shall be 10 make
house-to-hOuse circuit OF inspection OF every
home to ascertain and collaborate statements
relative to the overcrowding OF sleeping apart
ments, cleanliness of habits, contiguousness to
places of evil resort and to lend such encour-
agement and counsel as may be needed in in
partmeEt of Police, under whose supervision
they may be pursued; and
ResoEUed. That in the interest of impartial
Justice, decency and human rights, we urge,
with more than usual earnestness, that where
ever women children are detected or sus-
pected of crime and brought before court
or Jury for any offenSe, or an insane commit
ment, or charge OF whatsoever nature, 1t shall
be the right and privilege of such criminal,
prisoner or patient to be tried in the presence
of one or more women until such time as the
law may be amended to permit of women be-
ing jurors (until which time she cannot be
judged by Jury y9 OF n he5 peersl, when one or
that shall sit upon child or woman accused;
and
Resolved, That in all cases requiring corporal
or a post-mortem examination Of women and
girls, common decency and a proper con-
sideration due the diseased unfortunate or
the dead demands that woman as physician,
or in any required capacity best becoming d
woman, such be employed, whether in the hos
pital, the court, the prison or any other public
Institution provided by law and paid for from
the tax receipts OF the people, irrespective OF
sex, ADDIE L. BALLoU, Chr.
NELLIE B. EYsTER,
MRS. ROSE II. FRENCH.
Mrs. s. G. Sanford was introduced and
accorded a hearty reception. The lady
said:
It occurred to me while you were discussing
the resolutions that whether the Supervisors
grant your petition or not you have the right
to demand that ihe undertakers of the City
vet do not use all the opportunities you have.
Three deaths occurred in my family in as many
years, and whom do you suppose they sent to
iay out my dead? A boy of 18, with red nose,
a whisky breath and an irreverent air 1t was
such person that came to care for the dead
body of my mother. / sent that boy home.
Demand that women shall be employed by un-
dertakers and they will be. In this work don't
trouble about results. Do the thing that lies
nearest at hand and God viii see to the rest.
You have been shocked at these disclosures
but you would not have been had you been en-
gagged in the work in which my lines have fall
len. Not a month passes that such case is
not brought to MY attention.
Mrs. Sanford is prominently connected
with humane society work in Oakland,
and is the guardian of thirteen children.
She gave some interesting incidents con-
nected with her work.
I shall use plain language, ladies, for this
question cannot be handled with gloves The
fine is over for standiug off and touching it |
with a ten-foot pole. If the ministers had done |
their duty conditions would not be what they
are.
Attention was called by one of the speak
ers to the medical advertisements in the |
daily papers," It was also insisted that |
the ordinance prohibiting children from |
being on the street at night should be en- |
forced.
The Deaconess quartet sang the Rescue |
HYMN. Mrs. Rose NJ. French asked to be |
excused from speaking, owing to the in !
junction of her physician. There were |
addresses by Mrs. M. Richardson and
others.
The report of the committee on plan of |
given at Fridays mass |
meeting, was approved.
Greetings were read from the Women's |
Club of lie Moore, Rev. James Woodwork /
and Francis Berry, Mr.. Berry offering his
legal services to the newly organized |
Women's Federation for Public Good.
a meeting for organization will be held
at the Y. NJ. C. A. auditorium on the Sd |
prox., at P. NJ.
All ladies were urged to attend the joint
mass-meeting at Metropolitan Temple this
evening.