The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-12
FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
Ihc Meeting Yesterday Afternoon of II,
49,. Florence Crlttenton yIx,io,

Ahe WeetihC Yesterday Afternoon of the
Florence Crittenton Mission.
Yesterday afternoon meeting was
held In the Oepra House in the interest
OF the Florence Crlttenton Rescue Mis-
sion, of this city. The crowd present
was not large, but was made up Of those
people who are Interested in the good
work done by. this Institution, The To-
cal rescue home is branch OF the ma
tional rescue missions. formed by Mr..
Crittenton. q wealthy New Yorker. His
total income is given to the work. The
work has spread so rapidly that contrl-
buttons nave to be solicited for the
maintenance OF the several homes. For
this reason the meeting was sailed yes.
.terday.
Mr.. Charles S. Morton presided. He
and Mrs. Kate Walter Barrett are active
missionaries for the reclniminS of fall
en- women, and bOth spoke 70 some ex-
tent. The singing was under the lead
ershlp OF Mr.. Charles S. Morrison. Mrs.
a. H. Slsscn sang solo.
The work done by the local rescue
mission was,set forth in short address
by Miss Annie McFedr'ies, the matron.
She told how young women, lifted ups
from lives of shame. were cared for and
made to lead better lives. When once n
girl falls she Is considered a social lep-
er. All doors are shut against her, She
may have left n happy fresldc, but the
disgrace caused by her betrayal, makes
her an outcast. Miss McFedries IN
stanced how many young girls, after
being considered hopeless of reforma-
tlon by the police authorities, had sought
the mission home and now are leading
upright lives. Many letters have since
been received from them. thanking the
institution. Some of the girls may have
been re-arrested, but II only few were
reclaimed from brothels, this work de-
served support. No credit or praise, but
some financial support. was asked.
Mrs. Barrett has been engaged In res
cue work for twenty-one years. Her res
olution to devote herself TO the work was
taken on first bearing the story Of be-
trayal from a'poor girl who came seek
Ing shelter one cold, dreary night. Since
then. Mrs. Barrett has with untirinr en-
,crgy and zeal worked for the uplifting of
fallen women. .gE.. (. r.
She said that neither municipal re-
form nor legislation can reform impure
mon and women. She had visited haunts
Of shame In every city OF the union and
In many European cities All methods
OF reform are useless. The result can
only be accomplished by the love OF .Tc-
sus Christ. The slavccy Of to-day
knows no Mason and Dixon line. It Is
everywhere, and our Nnglo-Saxon
daughters orc the slnves. The poor
white slave IL not a ch2ttrl; she be-
cbmes less valuable every day to the
man owning her.
In Missouri, by the decree OF The su-
premc court, an immoral woman can
not testify in the courts OF justice. yet
mn Immoral man can. Mrs. Barrett
graphically described pictures Of the
,hardships fallen women are subjected to
when they attempt to lead reformed
lives. Girls are h!ndcred with the stiE-
ma Of former shame. lead betcrr lives
as they will. There nra ES3, coo girls In
tho United States lending impure lives.
LEGISLATORS say brctS cls are a. necessary
evil. but no evil is necessary. Purity,
sincerltyland truth sliould;bc prratIocd
b" men. The rescue missions Rpcl; to
reclaim these poor, unfortunate girls
from houses OF III reputa,. In doing
this many conflicting. elements have to
be dealt with. .butitllsa practical work.
Girls cnn be cared for cheaper in q rSS-j
cue home than,in jails or pcn!tentlarlca.
Girls turned out from rescuo homes are
respectful, self-lupporting and redeem,