The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-01-03

1 4DNIAIS. LII one month IllS WORKER
! visited the prison in her district twen-
| ty-four times, and the homes of the
prisoners seventeen times. Through her
unaided effort five prisoners were re-
| leased, seventeen We're sent TO institu-
uons and two were restored to homes
| which she had succeeded in establish
ing in peace and comfort. Two hus-
bands and their wives were reconciled
and approached the sacraments for the
first time in seven years. If we multi
ply such work, say by thirty, who can
estimate the amount of good that will
be accomplished within the space of
one short year?
| Our principal work, however, is to go
outside the prison, as you may infer by
the fact that this visitor followed the
| careers of the discharged prisoners into
| their homes seventeen times. What
our association aims at is to care for
the prisoners after they have gone out
into the world, to supply them with
help, to encourage them by every
means within our power to lead better
and purer lives. This requires unself-
ishness and devotion; which, happily,
| we have had thus far, and which we
look forward to having in the large
number of workers we hope yet to
| have. We are convinced that results
can be obtained only by following the
lives of those released, to search out
the evil and then apply the cure, to
study the environments of those we
meet in the cell. and if harmful condi-
tions cannot be changed, to remove
the unfortunate ones from danger and
temptation. Some may think that our
whole work consists in visiting the
prisons, but this is the least part of it.
We aim at knowing our people in their
own homes, in helping them to remain
steadfast to the good resolutions they
have formed by our personal visits, IN
making them feel that they are men
and women like ourselves, who have a
little broader strain of wickedness than
we have, but which by Gods grace can
be easily corrected. This can be done
by personal contact and influence alone.
There is no necessity for giving the
report of each individual visitor. 1t
would be too long and perhaps little
uninteresting. Suffice it to say that
after examining the reports of the Wis
itors sent to us we may roughly give
the following items:
Visits to homes ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3oS
Prisoners sent to their own homes
| on parole Observation-Disclosures. b6
Prisoners to institutions ........... 155
| Young girls on parole .............. Z
! Young girls filling positions ........ Al
Boys and men sent to Prison Re
7 form association ......... -......-. D
Fines paid for boys ................. D
Articles of clothing given .......... 306
| Shoes to prisoners NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. II
Baskets of fruit Observation-Disclosures. Is
Boxes of candy for Thanksgiving 154
Scapulars, rOsaries, leaflets, maga-
zines. thirty dozens each.
Tobacco and luxuries in general for
Thanksgiving were furnished to all
prisoners.
Such, in brief, is what we have ac-
complished, and we say with perfect
confidence that we shall have greater
results in the near future. Our work
has been recognized already, and three
| of our members have been appointed
| by the supreme court to visit our pub
/ lie institutions officially, as members
| of the Prison Reform association, an
honor which is much sought after and
| duly priced.
We cannot allow this occasion to
| pass without thanking sincerely the
several magistrates and their proba-
tionary officers for their many kind
nesses and unselfish help rendered to
our members, and also to the Prison
been ready and anxious to assist us in
whatever way they could.
What we will accomplish we may
show from what we have already done.
Take, for instance, this report of an
other worker, which covers but a single
month. She has to do principally with
young girls, and that she has done
her work extraordinarily well we may
gather from the following:
Number of girls sent to homes -. 40
Number of days spent at the homes 80
Number of meals given ............ S23
Rents paid for families ............ 3
Number of confessions heard ...... 80
Number who have taken the pledge
against intoxicants ............... IL
Visits made to prisons ............ 81
Scapulars, beads, clothing, shoes. $50
This is a marvellous report, when we
consider the meagre means at our dis
posal And this is an evidence of the
work that can be accomplished and is
accomplished practically every day. a
few examples may not be uninteresting
to show the good that can be accom-
plished by earnest, unselfish effort. One
Of our workers found a young boy IN
prison who had been arrested for va
grancy Both his parents had died,
and the little fellow was cast adrift
upon the world to earn his own liv-
ing as best he might. For seven months
the little fellow found his bread by
dav where and how he could, and
bv night slept in alleyways and
courtyards, or wherever he could find
shelter. His release was secured,
home was provided for him, and also
position in which he could earn few
dollars and preserve his se1f-respect, all
secured through this woman, who was
full of pity and understood his condi-
ton. Another of our workers found q
young woman in prison whose parents
had also died, and she was left alone
with no one to guard or shield her
against the destruction into which she
finally fell. Her release was obtained,
and, being willing, she was sent to one
of our refugees, where she remained
until position was provided for her,
and at last reports she was leading
proper life. Only a few weeks ago
Young man was arrested for non-Sup-
port and for ill-treating his wife. One
of our workers, having investigated
the case, found, as so often happens,
that all the blame did not rest upon
the man. She succeeded in reconciling
the two. paid several visits each week,
and now reports that there is happiness
in the home which did not exist for
years before. She adds that many more
visits may be required. but the effort
win be worth the trouble if the results
she looks for happen. We could multi
ply instances where great good has
been effected, especially among first
offenders and children, whose court is
attended daily by one of our most eff
cient visitors.
Charity is beautiful in any one who
practices it; it is beautiful in a man
of mature years, who spares an hour