The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-12
THE PREVENTION OF CRIME
Topic to Engross the Prison
Congress.

The annual congress of the National Pris-
on Association, which is to be held in this
city Oct. 10 to 10, will be a unique conven-
ton for this city in that it will surprise
most people who expect it to be merely a
gathering Of men who discuss dungeons and
dangerous convicts In reality the conven-
ton will be quite another sort of meeting
All the meetings win be held in Ply
outh Church, with the exception of that of
Sunday morning, which will be in the First
Presbyterian Church. VI
Instead of grimivisaged officials with
clanking punches of keys whom the average
citizen expects to meet when the first ses-
sion opens there will be found a gathering
of men in all walks of life, whose duty and
pleasure 1T is to give thought to the care
and well-being of their fellow-men, not only
the criminals and unfortunate. but also
those untouched by crime. The chief work
of the congress is to consider the welfare
of the boys and girls and take steps to bring
up bills for enactment by the legislatures in
order that the young may be kept from a
knowledge of crime and it's woes. In short,
its work is not so much to seek ways of
Furnishing criminals as to make crime I'M
savory to young and old alike and, by pre-
venting the growth of criminals decrease
crime. The programme has not as yet been
completed, but among those who will be
present and address the meetings will be
professors, lawyers, judges. scientists,
preachers, physicians superintendents of re-
formatories and heads of training schools
and charity organizations from all parts of
the country. Social problems will take up
most of the discussion, along with improve
ment in the laws, so that intelligent and
concerted efforts may be made to reform
those who are in crime and prevent others
from recruiting the ranks
Among those who will be present probably
will be several members Or the famous
Pillsbury family, which for over a CEN
fury has been identified with prison man
agement General Pillsbury was the first
warden of the old Connecticut prison, which
is still gossiped about to the tourists by the
natives of the western part of that State,
where the ruins are annually visited by
crowds. Terrible tales are told of the suf-
ferings of convicts condemned to labor in
the old Salisbury iron mines one hundred
In the possession of the family of great
historic value in this connection. The son
of General Piilsbury was. generation later,
warden of the new Connecticut prison and
later designed the Albany. N. Y, peniten-
tiary and became it's warden. In turn his
sons have all chosen the life work of their
fathers and as a consequence are among the
leaders in prison management to-day.
Among the important matters to be dis
cussed from an Indiana standpoint will be
the indeterminate sentence law, and the
problem of providing for convict labor. The
advantages of the New York plan of abol-
ishing work for the sake of profit or the
realizing of portion of the running ex-
penses of the institution, will be thoroughly
discussed. In the Elmira Reformatory in
mates are taught the things which go to
make them better people. If the boys are
degenerates they are first taught cleanli-
ness. If ignorant of the elements of educa-
ton they are taught to gauge things ac-
curately with the eye and make the hands
do what they are wanted to do by drawing
lines. on a blackboard and fashioning out
articles from models. Regularly all the
boys are given instruction in the gymnasium
and are taught all the grades of reading,
writing, spelling and the ordinary studies
thought makes better men and pays, the
State better in the end than requiring them
to work with their hands for some con-
tractors benefit and in the end TO be turned
out in the world without being benefited
by their stay in the reformatory. Among
the notable topics for discussion will be
THE Prisoners of the United States Navy "
nv Capt. Samuel c. Lemly. LII. d.. e. S.
NJ. judge advocate general. washington, d.
c.; 1.-The Parole system" by A. T. Hert. OF
Jeffersonville: Treatment of Prisoners
by Charles Dudley Warner. of Hartford;
THE Tramp in the Station House. by
Alexander Johnson. of Fort Wayne In
sanity and Crime by A. B. Richardson.
NJ. H.. of Massillon, o.. and an address by
Catholic diocese Of Vincennes. On Satur-
day evening there will be an informal recep-
ton at the Denison at which all citizens
are invited to meet the members or the con-
greSS. 1t is not known how many VIII De
present although arrangements have been
made for 100 II has been suggested that
the citizens offer their carriages for the use
of the DELEGATES for a drive over the CIV
Tuesday afternoon from to 5:3O. All
arrangements for the entertainment OF the
visitors are i'm the hands Of Secretary Evans
Woollen. of the Commercial Club. who will
co-operate with citizens in all steps for the
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