New-York tribune., 1896-02-05
A NENDING THE WILDS ACT.
THE STATE CHARITIES AID ASSOCIATION IN THD
MAIN WE'LL PLEASED WITH THE CUMULA-
TIVE SENTENCES LAWS WORKINGS

THE STATE CHARITIES AID ASSOCIATION IN THD
MAIN WE'LL PLEASED WITH THE CUMUL4A-
TIVE SENTENCES LAWS WORKINGS.
bill has been drawn amending the wilds Gums
lstve Sentences act. which passed by the
Legislature last year. The State Charities Aid 40.
ISOLATION, which secured the passage OF the law 10
In the main well satisfied with its workings. One
objection which has been urged against II is that
which has been made by OF the City Magis-
trates who after committing wife-beaters and othes
persons guilty OF serious offences upon the charge Of
d.sorder,y conduct. have complained when they were
discharged under the provisions OF the law. The
remedy FOR this evil IS evident. the friends OF
the law. IL intended that wife-beaters
and guilty 81 assault and such offences should
be committed under this law II they held
upon charge of assault or the other serious Of.
fences Of which they actually guilty. a sentence
OF appropriate severity could be inflicted.
In order TO remove any possible hardshps which
might arise. amendment to the bill has been pre-.
pared by the State Charities Aid Association. which
provides In effect that magstrates may commit foe
a longer but for a shorter term than the Cumu-
ative Sentences law provides for first, second,
third or later offences. This amendment preserves
intact the cumulative sentences. but allows the
magistrates 10 inhict more severe punishment
upon the first second or third offenders. IL. In special
cases. It seems TO them desirable.
The habltua. offenders. the vagrants and drunk
ards. and the class usually designated by the term
'disorderly characters should all OF them without
exception be committed under the provisions of the
Cumulative Sentences act.
The Wilds act in order to secure some disciplinary
and deterrent effect from commitments to the
workhouse. provided that after the second offence
each commitment for intoXcation, vagrancy or dis.
orderly conduct should be for double the period OF
the preceding commitment. II the person had been
committed within the two years next preceding ana
after the passage OF the Wids act. The punlshmene
for the first offence axed at five days; Tor the
second offence at twenty days; for the third OF.
fence at forty days; for the fourth offence, eignY
DAYS for the fth offence G days; for the sixth ots
fence a nd each offence thereafter. six months
A commitment OF hve days to the worknouse naS
no terrors for most OF those who are brought peore
the CITY Magistrates. commitment for twenty
DAYS in view of the hard labor the enforced silence
and the rigid discipline in the workhouse. Is more
serious The present certainty OF an imprisonmens
for forty or eighty days under these cohiitonS
naturally exercises FAR greater deterrent innuence
,bsn The probability under the old system OF com.
mtment Tor hve or ten days with good chance OF
heinz dscharged before the expiration or the tern
7, is the testimony OF those who know the people
,ybn comnose the class known as Founders that
,bev are in fact much alarmed by the operation OF
H. revv law and that after serving term or forty
or oighty days they leave the workhouse with nrm
resolution not TO return for term which they know
Vii he eig1ty or one hundred and sixty days as the
case may be- This Is indicated also by the compare.
tive,v small number Of recommitments to the worke
house since the passage oil the law.