New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-28
SAVING CRIMINALS.
MRS. JOHNSON TELLS OF HER WORK
AMONG THE WOMEN CONFINED
AT sHERBOURN
AND LATENT GOOD is AROUSED By

thority on the reformation Of women criminals
the privilege accorded to the philan-
thropc class yesterday morning at the Charity or
ganlzation Building Mrs. Ella c. Johnson. man
aCer Of Sherbourn. the woman's State prison Of
Massachusetts, was the speaker. Mrs. Johnson
has long been identified with prison work. her at
tention having been drawn II at the close OF the
Civil War
She served FIVE years the Prison Commission
and for seven years she petitoned tho Legislature
for a wouar's refornatory The result OF her per-
sstency IS Sherbourn. which Is conducted on the
graded system and f. the only prison In the world
where probation Is In vogue The reformation' nc
comDlshod Shorhourn through tho system incul-
Gated hy Mrs. Johnson has arrested the attention
OF thinkers throughout the world. Mrs. johnson
believes that in every creature however depraved.
there is the divine spark. and that while there Is
life there is hope OF reform for the hardest criminal
Crime" she says. is moral disease. which.
like the physical calls for diagnosis before II can
be properly treated"
When woman prisoner arrives at Sherbourn
she IS received by the manager. who passes her
over 20 matron. who gives her n bath. In lieu
OF being hurried off 10 a dismal cell. she Is then
put In probation quarters. There Mrs. Johnson
visits her as she would neiGhhor that had
moved into the vicinity Tho probation lasts
sometimes four weeks She studies the character
Of each woman and the causes that led her 10
commit the crime for which she is Imprisoned
She unearths the latent good in the prisoner by In
diVIdUal Observation-Disclosures or restraint WnlcE
hor wonderful insight Of character obtained bv
long study. enables her 70 is most conducive 70
the prisoners uplifting Flowers music. animals
and babies have been found most eifcacous in
rousing tho better nature 81 the criminal To this
/ end Mrs johnson Instituted floral Sundays one
week tho country Is secured for cowsllps to deck
the chapel on "Cowslip sunday" when tho prisor-
.rs have all the flowers they want and the memo
RIGS they awaken IS conducive often 10 the greatest
good
Five years after n Laurel Sunday" said Mrs
Johnson "a discharged prisoner wrote me that the
memories # evoked would remain with her forever
! would give all prisoners plenty Of the best music
especially those ot the fourth grade on their ar
rival all prisoners are restless. To conquer that
spirit IS the first step. They arc put 10 n sewing
machine and every ono Is taught 10 sew and ali
forms of household work
Sweeping busting. scrubhing are lost arts nnd
few people in tho world know how to do them we'll
The prisoners at sherhourn made perfect in
these humble neodfus 10 good living"
To understand Mrs. Johusons method OF dealing
with the woman criminal. one must hear It from
her own lips or better. follow her in her daily
routine NJ the prison She speaks OF the three
hundred inmates as her family and It Is family nfe
she aims 20 cultivate Tho prisoners range in
years from fourteen TO cighty-four There Is but
ore dungeon ard Il IS rarely. II ever. used. The
prison has forty cells only nine q which occu
pied II IS the ambition Of all 20 reach tho fourth
grade. which IS tho highest Ten marks week
is tho credit roll that determines progress. The
prisoners 81 tho latter grade 3 badge OF rib
bon. which. once forfeited by bal conduct. can
nsvcr be redeemed Love tempered with nrmness.
liberty that never Havors of license. is tho system
/ IN nutshell To work IN the fields gather pota-
| toes. tend TO the garden. ore privileges prtzed.
/ Twelve years Mr.. Johnson introduced silk
culture. and present wo-thirds ~ tho prisoners
are daily employed In that occupation. They feed
/ the worms. which are brought from China. and 20
absorbed ia every woman IN the development Of the
industry that time IS not considered
We have no seven eight hour system Of
labor" said ne speaker Every body works FOR
/ tho love OF f. Frequently a prisoner begs TO be
/ allowed 70 work until n o'clock The ELK crop
this year IL unparalleled. and a naE IS 10 hc woven
| for tho chapel II Nigh, reasonably be supposei
penalty inflicted by constituted authority would
feel rchcllious ana Indifferent 20 the cOuntrys vel
fare. but on the Fourth OF July the sherbourn
women made thousand towels and twenty eur
| gical shirts FOR o, the hospital ships. Their
WORK vas volunteered Ho" did th"y know ther" was
| war? one may ask Current news that think they
ought know" said the speaker 'is ALWAYS pat be-
| When a prisoner has become proficient IN house
hold work. and has earned tho privileges o. The
! fourth grade, the manager secures nor p'-i'on
! IN n private family. vhcr" every eNort IS mad" N
conceal her past She is given small wages. and
certain restrictions control nor coma iri -" IS NOT
permitted 10 nova or the place unless ~" mistress
chooses 90 take her with her shopping or 70 church
which frequently happens. ~ ms nay m" Ff'al"r
part % many sentences ar" worked out So FAR
led la dCueF service
become IN the last fifteen years thni Mrs Johnson
IS unable 20 supply the Applications for parole pris
Il have thousand Applications now that can
| not I'll" shc SAID
| Numerous Incidents we've cited ~ prisoners whom
/ The manager had tho satisfaction OF taking upon
their discharge and starting them on new No
cr,cr,oinine Their benefa-,or IN their own home
| ono woman drove IN her carriage WIN prancing
iong AGO To test thc efficacy OF her system Mrs
Johnson. one glorious September DAY tHfhel cger{
feost 10 the.r hearts content the grass and SKY
/ Not n bar "a wall lay between them and rec
| turned to her quarters without protest Recently
| AZ nag-raising on the prison grounds the women
ma ma iocked behind thcm After the impresslvC
service Of prayer and patriotic songs they Med
.s,a,io, ~, dosro ~ break for tho liberty within
their grasp Freedom. unless obtained properly 10
The address was reploto with touching; interest.
ng and convincing proof OF the ei'ctcy OF ~
and love and humane treatment In reaching me
"onec,ousness Of The most obdurate criminal Pun
ishmcnt inflicted at sherbourn is mental rather
20 Won u,e the hose" asked one in tho class
relative 10 her method Of dlsciplinc no.. tho ror,v
In tho engine house certan.n, was 'i'e reply
DO YOU have any smash-ou's?
"non't prlsoners sometimes smash the window
moi y PIANO Of glass has been smashed at shet
horrn IN ten wears save by accident. said Mrs
Johnson before that time prisoner took 80 'h ;,
heel Of her slipper and knocked oi eye d pan o
protest what the use? She had maac ~
her mind 70 smash and h@rr was was no hocame doc
Reports were made by Norbert s Talbot. Of th'
Ncw-York" and by Miss Norma GnrVn' OF hro"'
University. on "Registration.
QUEEN rICTORTA'S MrSfC LESSONS.
1,pon first attempting to learn the piano. It Is
said that Queen Victoria grew very tired OF The
drudecrv Of the daily practice Of scales and ex