New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-04
GERRY SOCIETY'S REPORT.
TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE To-MoR-
RoW-RECOMMENDS A chill
DRENS COURT.

The twenty-ffth annual report of the New-York
Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty 70 Children
mas just been issued VIII be submitted To tbe
Leslsiature tomorrow night 1t is splendidly COM
plieu ana contains more than one hundred pages
OF data relating to the growth or the society from
It's inception the present time One recor,
mendation is the establishment Of a chdren'a
court the object being to keep children arraigned
IN court from the criminal class Many persons in
teresed in the protection of children have recently
placed themselves record as being in favor of
such court
While this State was the foremost in enacting
laws for the protection Of children" saws z Fell
lows jenkins, the superintendent of the society in
his report. tit is far behind even foreign countries
on the subject Of separate trials for children Sew
eral years ago in Australia a children's court was
established and child is there ever taken into
puoic courtroom or associated in any way with
adult criminals Massachusetts has a chIldren's
court, Rhode Island recently established such
court. and during the last year Illinois created a
juvenile court which is very ably presided over
by Judge R. s. Tuth selected for this position bv
the other Judges of the Circuit Court
True, New-York has upon its statute books
law providing for separate trials for children
passed at the instance of this society In 1896 but
the statute IS only premissive, and manda tory
1t further provides that child under sixteen
shall be permitted to remain IN any courtroom or
in any vehicle with adults charged with crime,
Mr. jenkins then goes on 70 say that a room In
each police court is allotted the society and in
the Criminal Courts Building two rooms one for
boys and the other for girls
Elbridge T. Gerry, the president IN reviewing the
work of the society from 1874 1899 inclusive saws
that when the movement was instituted the society
the first of its kind. and that there il a belt
of kindred institutions working on the same lines
stretching entirely this continent and almost
around the word. In speaking about the trials and
obstacles IL mas encountered Mr.. Gerry says that
II has not been swerved from its course by anv in
huences. personal or political and in stern and
unfinching manner it has survived the opposition
of the interruptions and the unmerited public CEN
sure too often heaped upon It by those who could
not control 1t and who dreaded its power" II it
has erred in any particular il has always been on
the side OF the child, he says He also refers 10
the recent decision of the Court Of Appeals that
the State Board of Charities, which for two years
endeavored TO secure control Of the society the
ground that it was merely charitable institution
had authority to do
The Board of Directors of the society of which
for his continued constant and jealous services
president al Its meeting held on the completion Of
ana It's appreciation OF MI Gerry was recorded
bo 5he n fb ep Th minute OF the meeting is en-
In pFasing MI MI Gerry. the directors say that Nj
has been associated with the society its counsel
president In these various capacities they say,
his labOrs have been widely different from the per
functory work Of officials who magn1ed chiefly
value of any iabors they may do. In working OUT
to children END their protection there was no beat
conceived and contaminated principally through
the eUOrLS OF Gerry, mas Deen. the directors
on, the basis of the Ia this subject In Eng
! land, France. Germany and Italy. According to
the directors, the society, since It founded has
investigated than 125000 complaints, involving
nearly 5000 convictions. more than 100000 children
and the placing Of mora than 90 900 of them In
Portable homes. under moral influences
The report shows that S.62I complaints
oeived and investigated last year 1902 prosecuted
295 convicted and 567 children rescued and placed
where they would be properly cared for. clothed
aDc educated The reception rooms Of the society
sheltered, fed and clothed 537 children in the year
and IA cases were investigated at the request OF
the magistrates and courts. These cases involved
J.
OF whom 3H were committed and Sl6 found to be
improper cases. This, the report says saw
ing to the city and county OF NewYork (at the
capita allowance Of 500 per annum for each year
the child would have remained in the institution
| OF the Of So. 864
Appended TO the sOcietys report is that Of Albert
Stckney. who appointed by the Supreme Court
May 16 last to visit and investigate the society.