Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-04-13
TO AID EX-CONVICTS.
PUSHING WORK FOR RELEASED
PRISONERS.
Organised Friends of Ex-Prisoners BE-
Hove 1t Is Cheaper to Keep Man
Out of Prison Than It Is to Keep
Him In.

ueve Tt Is Cheaper to Keep Man
Out of Prison Than It Is to Keep
| Him In.
| In a recently published opinion
| George A. ShideleP, warden of the In
diana state penitentiary, advocated
the formation of an association OF
| philanthropists, composed of represen-
tatfve business men in the various
cities of Indiana. for the purpose of
retaining paroled and discharged
convicts by furnishing them with
situations at the critical period. just
after they have left the prison and
| may be Influenced to lead honest lives
| if the opportunity of work is given
them.
This interview came to the notice
| of the officials Of the Central Howard
Association of Chicago, an organiza-
ton formed about the first of the year
for the purpose of doing the work sug
gested by Mr.. Shideler, says the Chi
cago News. The members communi-
Gated with Mr.. Shideler, telling him of
| their association and inviting him to
join 1t. He was greatly interested.
| and, after a visit of DR.. F. Emory
Lyon to Indianapolis, accepted a po-
SAtiO1 as iAcLuoSf VI TIE DOd1O VI
| rectors. DIR. Lyon has returned from
a tour of organization in Indiana and
Iowa.
The association sets forth its pur-
poses as follows:
To awaken public sentiment in be-
half of the worthy ex-prisoner.
To secure employment for ex-pris-
oners, especially acting as first
| friend to men entitled to parole.
To extend the advantages of the
parole law and the indeterminate sem
tence. and the Juvenile court law.
To encourage measures for the CON-
| tinued Improvement of prison build
ings and discipline, particularly In
| county jails and city prisons, where it
| is most needed.
!! To facilitate the organization of 10
cal and state prisoners aid societies
| between them.
The association goes on the theory
| that sit is cheaper to keep a man out
of prison than it is to keep him in
| far better to make him a producing
| factor In society than a ward of the
! state" John L. TAFT, secretary of the
| association, in speaking of its work,
| said: The point should be empha-
sized that in order to do anything for
| ex-convicts or paroled prisoners it is
| necessary for society to recognize the
| fact that man is not forever lost as
| a useful member of society because he
| has been in prison once. There is no
| doubt that the first few days after a
| convict is released brings a crisis in
his life. Becoming desperate through
his inability to secure work, meeting
only cold looks from his fellow men,
and soon exhausting the paltry means
| at his command, he is driven back to
crime, SO that instead of 80 per cent
| Of such men being reclaimed to honest
| lives, as there might be, not more than
half that number have been saved as
members of society. Although our
work is in its infancy, we have met
| with fattering success thus far. Our
plan has been most heartily commend
! ed by prison authorities and criminol-
| ogists all over the country, and we are
| getting excellent support and co-opera-
ton from all the business men whom
we have been able to approach. 1 be-
| lieye that society. generally, is gradsI-
| ally awakening to the Importance of
| this work, and people are being edu-
Gated up to that view of the subject
where they will be willing to give a
man who has once fallen another
chance, instead Of forcing him to ex-
| tend and round out his career in
| crime. We have already secured posi-
tons for a number of paroled men and
| ex-convicts in the city and surrounding
| country and have received the most
satisfactory reports from the men
themselves and their employers"
| The society is named after the Brit
ish Howard society, which was found
ed in 1860, and bears the name of the
great English prison reformer, John
Howard, who died in 1890. There are
other associations in this country hav-
| ing similar aims. The officers of the
association are as follows: President.
Ephraim Banning; vice-president, s.
R. Winchell; secretary, John L. TAFT:
auditor, W. NJ r. French: counsel,
Frederick A. Brown; chaplain, B. F.
Boiler; superintendent, F. Emory Ly-
on; board of directors, Ephraim Ban
ming, s. R. Winchell, w. NJ R. French.
Frederick A. Brown. B. F. Boiler.
James s. Bullock, Judge r. S. TuthfIl.
Frank 8. Komp. Francis A Keller,
George A. Shideler, J. L. Whitman
and the Rev. H. w. Thomas.