New-York tribune., 1898-11-16
PRISON SYSTEM DISCUSSED.
MRS. BLACKWELL SAYS WE MUST As
WOMEN APPLY GOOD STRAIGHT
COMMON

The Society for Political Study held is regular
meeting yesterday afternoon in its quarters in
Genealogical Han No 22G West Fifty-eighth-s;
Preceded by an extended business meeting. the sub
joct Of the day. Prison system" was introduced
by Mrs. Anna " Jackson
"Prsons." said the speaker. "are not pleasant
places at best. while in New-York they are
faulty of construction and unsui,ed for their
purpose be imagined The Tombs" con-
tinued Mrs. Jackson. particularz.ng is not FOR
criminals but for the accused Yet In cells 10 feet
by II has been the custom to conhne two people
who sometimes proved 20 be innocent. 1t IS
hoped that the new building shall be made com
Portable well safe building"
In this connection the present Commissioner OF
Corrections was commended by Mrs Jackson for
reforms inaugurated. "In Essex Market prison., she
said where the prisoners were LEFT without any ar
tifcial light from Saturday night until Monday
morning. electric lights have been introduced which
has already resulted in better order At Blackwelrs
Island the dietary has been improved. there IS more
variety and in place OF the stereCtyped mush, bread
and Jelly and cakes made OF the meal are SUD
sututc1. PERHAPS the greatest reform Is III ne ne
keeping of unfortunate pauperS apart from ule
..inc Long Island CIT prison." continued Mrs
Jackson IS III Good ordeF' Dut me ola'Si islaIl
prison, under the very SHADOW or lhe statue Oi
Liberty a disgrace to civiLzaton. Ludlow street
buying things on the instalment plan ani fan 10
matron to look alter the women. There is a lack
in the feelings OF the community or such things
mt the criiua is obsolete, and system that does not
work toward reformation Is not a success. inc
on, true wa r. to follow the New-Zcaland plan OF
giving ind terminate sentence.
The reason that wrongs continue unrlShted ac-
Cording to Mrs Jackson. is because people do not
take interest in the matter Here, continued the
speaker crime is the increase, reformers can /
90 much without money The great need of indus
trial schools In connection with reformatory instiu-
tons for both boys and girls was also dwelt on.
In the discussion that followed Miss Jane VI:
Slocum spoke with feeling against the custom OF
with old and hardened criminals Nothing, she
said. is remarkable in the history OF Grim
inology than the weak and imDecile way in when
We haV dealt with criminals"
Mrs Graham thought that II women would visit
the prisons they could do more oTk than by simply
meeting and talking.
at is legislation YOU want to work on. not sym
pathy." interpolated a member.
Mrs AntOinette Blackwell spoke OF seeing num-
Der Of years ago a little child put in the Tombs
with the worst people because she was out on the
street in the evening We must women begin
to apply good straight common-sense II We would
work for reforms" said Mrs. Blackwell in her
trenchant way
The meeting had been unusually solemn one,
! but ray OF sunshine rested on the heads OF the
'reformers'' when. in closing. Mrs. Lille Deve-
reux Blake and said in her inimtable way:
II reminded by Mrs. Jackson opening sentence.
| when was In the workhouse. of story told by
! Mrs. Orniston Chant She speaking in a
! prison and had just commenced i have been In
many prisons before. when an Old man. very much
! interested: piped ont. Please mum. wot were you
| committed for
Then the Political Study women laughed and ad-
! journei.
Parks and Streets will be the subject OF the
next meeting and Miss Beatrice Webster will be
chairman OF the day.