The record-union., 1897-05-07
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA.
They Establish a Post of their 0rsaniza-
ton Here,
And Wish to Found Refuge for Con-
victs Here, Like "Hope Hall"
in San Francisco.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert c. Gard
ner, commanding the Pacific Coast
Regiment of the Volunteers of America,
together with a number of his lieuten-
ants and the regiment band, are IN the
city for the purpose of establishing a
post and subsequently to establish
prison home, similar to Hope Hall, :"
in San Francisco, which was created
through and by the energy of Mrs.
Maud B. Booth who appeared at the
congregational Church some months
ago and was given such a royal recep-
ton
Lieutenant-C Colonel Gardner and his
little band of co-workers were at the
Congregational Church last evening for
the purpose of explaining their pro-
posed action, and giving reasons who
prison home ought to be tablished
at this point. Mr. Gardner explained
that a hall had been secured on K
street, between Third and Fourth, and
that the Volunteers proposed to enter
upon their labors here with the de-
termination to do all the good possible
He spoke of the necessity of forming
a home here for the purpose of starting
discharged prisoners out in life with a
firm belief that they We're not absolute
Iy social outcastS, and in order to con-
vince his auditors that the prison
work was all that was claimed for it,
introduced Captain Bunbridge, who
has charge of the San Francisco prison
home, Hope Hail.
Captain Bunbridge stated that since
the hall had been established it had
sheltered and assisted to positions fiji
ty-tWo discharge prisoners from San
quentin; had assisted seventy others
who We're not taken into the hall, and
had also extended shelter and assist
ance to a few from Folsom.
OF the 40 ex-convicts cared for nv
the shelter only six had returned TO
their evil ways. All of the others had
oeen assisted to positions and many to
positions of trust. They had not be-
trayed the confidence reposed in them
and were to-day good, careful. indus
tilous and law-abiding citizens
Inc eX-convict, the Captain continu-
ed, was haunted man. He believed
the whole world was against him. He
was afraid of his own shadow and
thought the police We're logging every
step he took. He felt that. having
been thief, no man would ever trust
MN. But since the home at San Fran
cisco had been established. it had been
SHOWN that many persons Were willing
TO repose confidence in a repentant
criminal. Even the police reposed con-
1ldence in those who sought the refuge
and declined to watch them.
III was the intention, the speaker said
to visit the prison at Folsom next Sun
day and talk face TO face with the men
the Volunteers of America We're work.
ing to reclaim
Llentenant-COlonel Gardner explained
that the prison work reached much
further than the prisoners themselves.
and that only a short time ago he was
told by one of his boys that a comrade
in Folsom had a wife and children in
Sacramento who were in destitute cir
cumstances- Though in San Francisco
he found means to relieve the wants of
the convict's family, and later, when he
visited the prison, the latter was one of
the first TO grasp him by the hand and
cry for very joy at the meeting.
There We're noble men between prison
walls in California to-day, Mr.. Gardner
said; men whom he was proud to take
by the hand and call friend. but that
they Jared bad in Sacramento. When
discharged from Folsom they were given
50 and a prison suit When they
reached this city they heard the words
jail bird" spoken as they passed up the
street and became Disguised with them
selves and everybody else. The saloon
door invited them; their money was
soon exhausted and in short time they
We're out on the streets, moneyless.
friendless-the whole world with it's
face turned from them and-they sinned
again. Sacramento's police force was
vigilant. and before being given the
chance to reform, the ex-convict was on
his way back to the prison he had left
only a short time before
While the San Francisco home had
done much for San Quentins prisoners.
the speaker said. it had practically
failed SO far as Folsom was concerned.
for the reason that it was situate too
far away. a similar institution in Sac
ramento would do for Folsom what the
San Francisco home had done and is
doing for San Quentin. The latter insti-
tuition had been reared with no money TO
begin with, and had proven a success.
If the people of Sacramento We're will
ing TO assist the Volunteers a similar in
stitution would shortly become a reality,
and some of Gods poorest creatures be
assisted to lift their heads and work
back to the plane which they were Gre
ated to occupy.
Captain r. j. Barbee, who will have
oh Of ha
made a pleasing address.
The Regiment Band is an excellent
one. and did not confine it's selections to
church music by any means, and its
rendition of a quickstep was enjoyed by
those present.
Meetings will be held at the head
quarters on K street, Third and Fourth.
this, Saturday and Sunday evenings, and
the public was given a cordial invitation
to attend.