New-York tribune., 1903-03-08

Which * worse 4 refornlatory or an insane asy-
lunng That is the question which the people OF
Bedford, in the northeastern part OF
County, are discussing with keen interest. -
in the reorganization OF the state hOspltal sysT
turning the present " omen heloIlla'ofs ,IifI-
ford into an asylum for acute cases OF Is
this attitude toward the institution save the reports
Whigh WeEe S Pcg ma laS @ ib cost of the main
of the inmates Enieh II has neen asI | Tu, t
is greater than il should be. ano the IacL tnaI tte
results secured are not proP0rtionate to the eL5
forts which are put forth lie mas & i9i;}
lions and the change of the 5edtoTo F;eIoEii.a i.
Although the governor declines to be quoted Oh
tHGIy o ~ hi r ,yic iG 70 mai = r. Bender the Fiscal
Super isor. who has fnaEcal charge Of the char
ncon 81 iii pToTng % Tor The transfer Of the
Ta3oTIt0Tie 81 for oen at Al6icn and Hudson
The Goyernors attentQp On SAID 9, Mri Bender re-
xt iJ1d fsi1res 70 secure the results expected
from such an institution. Accordingly. he recon-
mended its conversion into an institution for the
treatment and care Of the acute insanity cases
where the patients could TcSeye % SPEEDY toF fTeafRe f
TecesSitv Of sending them direct TO the ether asy
luns and mixing Them vita ne chronic insane
scathing Tebuke adu.nistered by the State Board
3D. aa- H. W D,,-3ss O. Of s;bG,Ii5 -cfractoTv in
mates the attendants were sUbjecting them to the
hose treatment This consists Of turning water
On them with hose method of punishment
which has long since been discarded in every other
N$Ssterer Governor 0dell Supervisor Bender and
SeTtinE the Fedora RefcrnaJo?y into an insane
asylum. The citizens CT Bedford are opposed 10 the
IT'S cHocc between two evils said one Of the
.znd We think We are cheo~ine the lesser IN ight-
Ing FOR the retention Of the institution as II IS
Us rad enolgh 70 nave Il IeIorInalOTS II d piaoe'
bgI 1 an a sslp % is Fo- the % bss seu counIe OF law
yers W 10 Albany TO see what can be done toward
keeping the reforu-atoTy as II is
,;iSutioas, the Bedford Reforratory. which has
had an interesting anc stormy nisloEy Is AGAIN
isto-S !n Albany Believe, docs Governor Ode'L.
that the institution Is too much CT a financial
burden as a refor7na tory. and that great saving
TO the State would result from its conversion TO
an asylum for the insane Other legislators backed
by several NeR-York charitable societies, residents
tnat no financial good 10 tie state wouin result
from the rTor,oeCd chance. ard th0t an Injustice
an fnconvsrience To the courts CT %egs-York city.
OF course on .ials Of TIE Bedford EeforTratory
them recently: Just think it! It took nine
years TO get the bn for this lrsttUtion through
the LEGISLATURE. II took ni1e Wars more to rre-
pare the BUILDINGS Tor occupancy The reforHlatoTy
has been open twertv-onc months. and now they
are talking oc ahnlishinc it
TIE Woman'S Prison Association and other phil
ested in The measure establishing the rcformatory
of the leaders IN the work for the institution and
she vent before the legislative committee and made
speech in favor Of the passage Of the bill when
she was rinety years old. She has gone to her re-
n nory Of her. Ard the speaker pointed to great
bronze tablet il the haH of the administration
building of Bedford Eoformatory. commemorative
Of the woman who did 50 much for the institution.
Froerh." said tho speaker. -'as long l live
bort let thfm make a prison OF it,, Mrs Gibbons
said
Whatever may be claimed Tor or against its man
aCCmCnt Bedford Raf0rmat0ry IS imposing and
weIl appointed institution. II Is nestled down in
kind OF aT1Dhitheatre. small bills enCircli1E Il
eEerE side. The spacious grounds about II
well kept and the whole presents pleasing
picture the person passing along the village
road There is unsizhty barricade inclosinE the
buildings. Its place is taken by tall. stoutly bull:
bsrbed wire Enclosure. completely ciTcling the
buildings. From the road this fence. which is
painted dark color. Is rot very prominent but II
is there just the same, and a very businesslike
fence q IS.
The girl OF woman who can climb over or crawl
through IL must be nothing short OF wonder Nor
Is the fence the only pTecautfOn. The guardhOuse
IS there. but back OF sight from the thorough
fare. and behind, the guardhouse, Is house Occu-
pied by huge dog.
But aside from these things Bedford does not
look much like a reforTnatory; indeed, once inside
the inclosure il resembles school. And such it's
managers say they aim to make it. The aim Is
not so much 20 make !ts inmates feel that they
are being punished. not. SO much 20 make them feel
That they criminals and WFongdOSrs IN the
eyes of the law, a. 10 make them feel that they
are being educated and helped. - q. 4.
And the girls md women sent here appreciate
NaL Is done for them, said one Of the OrnceTs or
the institution the day. "DurtnS the twenty
one months the institution has been running we
nave pafoed twenty, and out OF That number Culy