Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-01-11

on one another, especially that Of the Older
| ana more depraved on the younger. is un.
| fortunate. According to one magistrate
they lie ninety-nine times as easily as men
| hence 1t Is less easy to arrive at a knowl-
edge OF their status and easier to mistrust
| them.
| The man who applies to the association
| for help seldom lies. He knows 1t to be OF
| little use. And he is generally willing tc
| be square. He does enough to pay for tbe
tools, or to hold his claim on them, when
work as mechanic is provided for h m,
and he is anxious to escape from the
worlds ken. 1t is only the professional
criminal, the man who deliberately chooses
theft as means of living, who Is arrogant
or revengeful. One such defiantly said to
an agent, who, after the custom, visited
him In prison just before his release, to in
quire about his family and prospects, Yes,
can get work outside, but 1 won't take 1t,
what do they give me? A dollar and a
half day, I'll steal first" That Is tine
kind of fellow that more advanced society
tages and deliberations, yet when that kind
OF man is political boss, how tamely we
put up with him!
There's Hope for Every One.
There is, for instance, an architect not a
thousand miles away, who is making at
least 1900 year at his profession, and
who is not generally known. why, in
deed, should he be- as No. - from Clinic n,
where he served eight years for forgery.
Then, there is a mail robbr, an awful man,
who served his time. hung about the rooms
OF the association for five months got q
place under the government he had robbed,
and is now at the head of an important
public department, which he serves faith
FULLY, honestly and capably; indeed, he Is q
man who is not only trusted, but respected
for his intelligence and ingenuity. Then,
what do you say to a professional pick
pocket-"the slickest fellow in the bust
ness; you had to give your watch to him,
whether you wanted to or not''-who is a
hotel detective earning 81 day. never
struggling from the path of rectitude,
trusted with everything about the pla ce
and the terror of thieves. Yet that fell
low served no less than eight terms in pris-
on for thieving. There's hope in everything
and for everybody.
In probation case the association has
little interest, unless it may be called upon
to support or refute statements made by
the prisoner who has been releaSd under q
suspended sentence. In paroled cases, how
ever, where the prisoner has earned his re-
lease from confinement by good behavior it
co-operates with the prison authorities in
securing work and exercising guardianship.
Except as 1t applies in the reformat Dries,
the parole system is experimental in New
York, and does not meet the approval of
all who have dealings with the criminal,
but there is this advantage for the prs-
oner that he is released only when he has
a place.
On Parole.
At least this is an ostensible advantage,
for as matter of fact the agents of the
association who investigate the cases of 200
Eimfra graduates every year find that
some Of the offers of employment are
fakes" that emanate from relatives or
friends, who take this method of secur-
Ing an early release for the unhappy one.
In every case the man who is on parole
must report to the authorized agents, and
II he falls to appear in person the agents
seek MIN. Whenever a letter is received
from his alleged mother or alleged en-
pioyer saying that he is so busy he has no
time to call, or is too Ill to leave the house.
the agent smells the falsehood. and makes
up his mind that the offender is back in
his old ways or is serving a new sentence
in jail or the penitentiary.
STILL the reformatory man has an advan-
tage over the late issue from Sing Sing,
who, except for his $40 and his unshrink-
ing clothes, arrives in town a prey to the
first influences that are stronger than his
Will; and his will is seldom firm. He
thinks he must come to town, regardless
Of the work that offers in the country,
and 1t is in town that he is without friends,
food, lodging or hope. He cheers his spir-
Its with drink, and the kind of drink he
drinks makes him vicious: He gets into
a fight or is tempted into some scrape
OF lawbreaking and almost before he has
breathing time he Is remembered, put into
stripes again, and Is back in his old home
with the thick walls and superfiuous bars.
II he is Of the better sort, he may be
cut by his relatives and his former
friends, for he bears the stamp of the
prison, if not on his body or his morals,
at least on his mind. But If he is not of
the better sort, as he seldom Is, the friends
who do not cut him would confer a great
favor if they would.
I'm thirty-five years old, and I've been
in prison fifteen years." was the wall of
one convict. What have you learned in
that timer" was asked. Nothing" was
the Respondent and significant answer. So
ciety had not taught him His keepers
had not taught him. Yet society punished
him for being untaught.