The times., 1899-06-25
FROM PRISON BARS
TO HEhRTHSIONES
Something About Mrs. Booths
Work for COnyicts.
How She Induces Good Women 10
Trust Them.
She Thinks Almost Every Criminal
Capable of Reform If Encourage
ed and Helped.

All the world knows by now of Mrs.
Ballington Booths self-elected business
in the State prisons; how for nearly three
years she has made their interests her
main purpose in life; visiting and talking
with the men in the various institutions,
forming helpful leagues among them, and
holding out new standard of life and the
ambition to set themselves straight with
the world once they are free, and atone
for past slips. Everybody knows about
the work. but the practical, everyday evil
dence as to its good results is more of
secret. Factory owners, machine shop
foremen, farmers, and shopkeepers all over
the country report creditably as TO the good
behavior and the efficient work done by
ex-convicts whom they have employed at
Mrs. Booths instigation, and by careful
computation it is proved that only small
percentage of her prison proteges founder
, in we'll doing.
There are town. village, and country
homes dotted about from Massachusetts
to California, all through Illinois, and way
up in New York State, that would rot
have existence today but for the volunteer
workers instrumentality-he personal ex-
ertion to obtain reliable employment for
the newly-released felon and the where
withal to permit his rejoining his family
and getting fair start with his neigh
bors. The other day there came in the
mail to Mrs. Booth a photograph If
bonnie baby girl, just big enough TO sit
up and look knowingly at the camera;
plump. prosperous looking little one, and
the mother in the background looked con-
tent and what the world calls well fixed"
This is the first born daughter of one
of my boys" said Mrs. Booth. He was
in State prison at twenty three, strong,
physically handsome. with bearing that
any many might envy, and that showed
even in his prison garb all piece,
with the others. l talked with him in
dividually many times. l wrote, too, sent
him reading matter, and did everything to
impress him with life's possibilities and
the assurance that / would take 1t to heart
greatly if he did not achieve some good
when he had done his term. To my
mind the mission of a prison should be as
much to reform as to punish, and no mat
ter how grave felon's offence may have
been, feel that he should not be shut out
from all chance of reinstatement once his
fault is expiated, but be encouraged TO bet
ter things Well, this likeness OF my boys
wife and baby is more eloquent than any
thing | could say as to the hopefulness of
the argument.
"On coming out of prison two years ago
this baby's father had only 81 in money
and good report from the warden as 10
his conduct after joining my league. He
was well educated, and I secured for him a
clerical position in New England fac
tory town, where he married a good Chris
tian girl whose parents knew all about his
past, and were willing to condone it. His
life is now, and believe in the future it
viii continue to be, as clean and upright
as could be desired. 1 have visited his
| cottage home and had evidence from his
employer and the people he lives among.
Another reformation that l regard as
permanent is the eX-conyict head garden
er of a family estate in New Jersey. With
real talent for his business, this
man, who had stumbled through drink,
could never have obtained a position sole
ly on his own word as to reform. Where
did you work last?' is asked of every ap-
| plicant, and if the ex-convict owns that
! he worked in State prison it is all over
with him. If he conceals the fact he goes
10 work with a lie on his conscience and
| the dread OF detection and dismissal. The
only way to bolster up a mans principles
when they are weak is through spiritual
| awakening, and / never recommend my
ex-prisoners haphazard, or until l have
| belief in their ability to vindicate their
| own resolve. / have the warden's testi-
mony to go by, and then my own first
hand knowledge OF the men while inmates
temporarily of the homes I have estab-
lished for released conyicts in various
places.
NO one can realize the blank helpless
| ness of a man when first coming out of
prison, after fve, or ten, or fifteen years
penalty. He has not even fit clothes TO
solicit work in, and feels shame-faced and
afraid of Sights. No matter how earnest
his determination may be to get abreast of
things and do work in the world again, the
| odds are against him. On the outskirts OF
! Chicago. in New York, and in Massachu-
sets, | have located places of simple COM
| fort where my Prison League ex-conyicts
can find shelter during these first days of
| strangeness. Sometimes man waits two
months before work can be got for him,
sometimes only week, or a couple of
| days, before chance offers: but in the in
| terim he works for me, doing needed jobs
about the place, each home having a veg
etable garden, a stable. etc, that requires
work in the keeping up.
| There are industrial homes, where new
| ly liberated prisoners may obtain work:
but for a long term only ex-convicts are
employed in such, and the prisoner. work
| ing side by side with his fellow, never has
the chance to fling off the prison atmos-
J phere and look up in the world again. My
aim is to start the men out af-esh with
new conditions. forgetting as far as may
| be the blight that they put upon their
lives. Two of these ex-conyict homes ac-
] commodate forty-eight men each, others
are not so large or well established Their
address is kept secret, as the men are SEN
sitive. and my plans are most furthered
by screening them from the intrusive or
curious visitors, who might not respect the
motive of the homes existence.
| "One of my reforms, a middle-aged man,
las just been taken into prosperous busi-
| ness partnership, and has sent US a sub
stantial reminder OF his gratitude. He was
convicted of embezzing and fell from
| good social and business position through
| the too great confidence reposed in him.
/ do not seek to excuse him, but my SYM
pathy was enlisted on learning that his
mother had disowned him, embittered by
the disgrace; that his wife had got a di-
| vorce on the ground Of n-support and
that in all the world there was no single
friend or.reative who gave him either pity
or affection. Well, l heard all his story
and extended all the help | could. Once l
was enabled to see his family, and l repre-
sented his state of mind and expressed my
personal interest in him and belief that he
would atone for the past. On liberation
helped get him work, work that he took
! up heartily and executed so well that his
brother. the bitterest of his eensors, has
now taken him into partnership. The best
of all is that three months since he was
remarked to his former wife, a good wo-
l uhO beau Indignant at