The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-18
ANNUAL MEETING
Rev. Mr.. Allen Addresses ihs
Prisoners Aid Association.

| The annual meeting OF the Prisoners
Aid association was held in the chape
OF the Central Coneress tional church
Yesterday afternoon, when annual re,
ports of the officers were presented. OF.
! hcers elected for the ensuing year and
an able address delivered by Rev. Fred
erick r. Allen, OF Boston, who was as
sociated with the late Bishop Phillips
Brooks of Massachusetts, and Is now en-
gagged In missionary prison work in
Massachusetts,
The meeting was called TO order and
presided over by the president, Miss
susan G. Sawyer The first report pre-
sented VAS that OF the secretary. Miss
Susan Peckhsm, This report was de-
nominated as follows:
The Sophia Little Home TO the Pris-
oners' Aid association, Greeting" and the
same enlarged upon the excellent condi-
lion OF tho home, but added that another
hall and improvements in the ma tron' :
rooms and hospital quarters we're needed
The report also set forth tho fact that
the external appearance of the homo
had been greatly improved and that the
work OF sardcning had nctted sum Of
SS6l2 The report concluded as follows:
we aim TO impress upon our charges
that the home isf not the end. &c is 10
give them A fresh start IN lif. and when
they so we are still their friends ana
willing TO assist them In any way"
The report of the treasurer showed the
following financial sanis OF the society:
Total donations aud collections. S3s7 s.
total receipts, including state sppropra-
tion OF $1,000 $S2sg % total expenses.
S2sG60l: balance. S2GJ2S
nsa ah
chairman of the nominating committee,
presented the following to serve as ofn-
GERS Of the society for the ensuing year.
ana they were unanimously elected
President Miss Susan &. Sawyer: vice
presidents, Mrs d. h Barney Airs r. k
How land Miss \. de T. Lockwood Miss
Mary r Arnold. Mrs james G. Nose.
Mrs. Henry HowarA Mrs John r..
Huntsman. secretary. Miss Susan Peck
ham; corresponding secretary. Miss
Alice T. Vaughn; treasurer, Miss Eliza
=. Needen; assistant treasurer. Miss
Mary ~ Arnold advisory board. John
W. Danielson. William n Grant; finance
committee, John W Dsnieison. president
Of association, treasurer OF association
VISITING committee. Mrs +. Frank NJ
drich, Mrs. George j. Arnold Miss Mary
~ Arnold Mrs. Fayette Brown. Mrs
George Gilbert Cameron. Miss Jessie B
Campbell Mrs. William L. chaplin Mrs
Edward ;. Cheney Mrs. Frederick L.
Collins. Mrs William W. Douglas Miss
Elizabeth H. Dyer. Mos. Kelsey DOW.
Mrs. J. H. Eastman. Mrs Nicholas -.
GafdInef Mrs. john f. Huntsman. Mrs
George II. Jephersou Mrs Dcnison l..
Markham, Mrs T.. : Robbins. Miss
Louise &. Schmid, Miss Asenath TetloN
Miss Harriet IL. Tyler. Mrs James q.
fgs "A
O. Gatmsn; admitting committee. Miss
sawyer. Mrs. J. A. Eastman. Mrs. j. X.
Barney; purchasing ana repair commit
tee, Miss Mary n. Arnold. Mrs r.
Frank Aldrich, Mrs. Edward 5. Cheney;
Laundry committee, Mrs. Iardin Wa
ters, Mrs. Edward $. Cheney Mrs WI
liam J.. Chapln; state appropriation com
mittce, governor Of state secretary OF
state chairman OF finance committee
in senate. chairman OF finance commit-
Tee I'm house; auditing committee. Ed
ward -. Bassett; collectors for Sophia
Little Home, Mrs William A. ~. Grant.
Miss Carrie Smith Miss Rebekah q.
lIenshsw. Miss Mary A. Eddy, Miss
Edith Vincent, Mrs Nathan If Baker,
Miss Mary T.. Arnold
At the close OF the formal business OF
the meeting the address OF the afternoon.
by Rev Mr. Allen was given The same
was, in part. as follows:
The present treatment of prisoners.
tends Ia make conditions worse rather
than better. Jails ana prisons ar. essen
tally schools or crime
THE old method was simply To admin
ister punishment in ratio 10 the severity
Of the crime. The new should be To pro-
tect and benent both the society outside
and the criminal inside the jail
I'VE do not think OF or consider all
the circumstances which bear upon
criminal. 1 could mention the names OF
Two well-known millioualres Of this couu-
try who should bc behind the bars At the
same time, many prisoners are suffering
unjustly. Judges, from their view Of
case ir court cannot fix the amount OF
blame Of the accused
"Our motive should always be the good
~ society; bat what methods are the
best? one has been 10 deter crime by in
stilling fear OF punishment There is no
doubt but this has had good results.
Another should be TO conine men who
are dangerous and peril 20 the commu-
1tUy-- tfI,z ts perfectly fatr. but uuter the
present system they are released when
their sentences expire without regard to
their character
"Afy impression IL that II such a man
Is known 20 be unchanged he ought not
10 be released anymore than an insane
pa tient or a victim of smallpox The new
method should include an indeterininatc
sentence N is the duty OF coutts and
Judges 10 send offenders 60 jail but there
should be prison officials able TO deter
mine when II is safe TO release criminal
and. even then, on parole or with n
string on him
MANY times II IL merely association
which develops the criminal. Begin with
The child and iuctflCate sense or moral
obligation al the first IT the reformstory
Il necessary make IL as much like a
home as possible. As n last resort keep
.he offender I'm prison until IL is safe for
him To come out
"ln England this has worked well In
tho Tight has been TO have
an iails under the supervision Of one
and this has bene accomplish
"a against much opposition.
Another question IL how 10 bring shout
Inspiring and uplifting influences for un-
fortunate persons one r. not 10 compel
,ue comparatively innocent offender 70