The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-05-05
Help The
Ex-Convicts
Sunday Address By Chaplain to
Salem penitentiary. Who Be.
Iieves In the Goodness
Of Bad Men.

NHiAH hputuA IhhHfF opu' bhCt Htoht
states see fit TO provide chaplalns for
their penal md reformatory establish
ments. The story which MIR. st. Pierre
told on Sunday ~ the Presbyterian and
Methodist churches Of his labofh al
the penitentiary, the asylum for the
insane. the reform school and the Che
mawa indian school well illustrates the
wisdom OF having such an officer, Mr..
1t Pierre is supported In his work
by the Sunday schools and churches,
and divides his time among the insti-
tntlons mentioned. He II chaplain 10
the penltentiary by appointment OF the
governor without pay from the state.
and, az such. In privileged to visi, the
convlcts at will. He says Of his iabors.
III Il mistake to abandon man
when he becoms convict In the pen
ticntiary, Many men are there whose
crimes were less by far than those OF
others who are free to iningle In so
Ciety, and many Of them win become
again good citizens II they are given
proper encouragement. But turn your
back on man and ostracIse him be-
cause In a moment Of passion or strong
temptation he has committed crime
and been sentenced for H. and you
may help TO make OF him confirmed
criminal. instead OF an upright man,
which perhaps he would be with good
treatment. II is found that so per cent
Of the convIcts are by inherited OF ac-
uulred tendencies confirmed criminals.
The other 80 per cent would be glad 10
return 10 honest life II society would
let them. When such q man emerges
from prison he should not be kicked
down, but should be helped up. The
former means lost man nearly al
ways. and the latter almost as often
means good citizen. II Is an ex-
tremely difficult thing for an ex-eon-
Wet TO overcome the reputation OF hav-
ing worn stripes, and II Is the hopeless
ness Of the task which drives many Of
them TO further crime,
ITO carry out this idea there has
been organized the Prison Aid society,
or which Rev. DR.. II. r. Hill OF Port
land Is president and Ben Selling Sec
retary. Governor Chamberlain assist
ed US In starting the society. and others
are backing t. An instance OF Its OPP
Grafton In this; A short time ago a
young man completed a sentence for
a comparatively light crime, What
was he 10 do? Who would welcome
him from prison doors? Not his old
friends. Not society. Nobody, Know
Ing him to be a worthy person | took
him to Portland where. although he
was at once recognized an pal by the
fraternity by his prison shoes and
other means, he was well taken care
OF for two weeks In the Y, NJ. c. A.
and In the homes OF good people. and
then provided with transportation for
his home In New York. where he is now
with mis- mother and earning an honest
living. Where he might have been but
for the helping hand Is hard 10 say.
Possibly among criminals In the slums.
another prison case, cousin OF Rohert
r. Lee. now man OF 20 years and an
old and hardened criminal. Is dying In
the penltentlary. Under the kind min
istratlon OF the venerable Rev. T. F.
Royal. who prsaches to the convlets,
this man was converted some time ago
and his last days have been those of a
peaceful Christian, Another. an old
man, a Quaker. whose life was attempt
cd by an implacable enemy who tried
10 shoot him In a dark wood through
which he was passing. became infuri-
ated and killed his assailant. He now
langulshes In prison, though all his life
he had been an honest Christian man,
and Is so stu, He Is another who ap-
preciates the visits OF the prison work.
crs, The Prison Aid society purposes
TO help the ex-convict to help himself.
TO provide employment for him. II
he is a mechanic to give him tools. To
see that, II he has good intentions, he
shall not be driven to deeper crime for
want OF sympathetic heart and a
helping hand, 1t is my experience
that we should believe more In the
goodness OF bad men. and less in the
badness of good men"
Mr., st. Pierre also told of his regu-
lar services in the reform school when,
he said something better than mere mil
Itary discipline is sadly needed by those
boys and young men. many of whom
deeply appreciate any effort to be of
assistance to them. He thinks that
moral and spiritual counsel and train
ing should supplant the penal dlsclpllne
of the school.
The speaker mentioned in high ap-
proval the good accomplished at the
Chemawa Indian training school, and
the eager intelligence of the pupils. who
are most appreciatlve listeners
An enthusiastic audience at the Pres
byterian church gave the handsome
sum of $s4,55 to the cause and a col
lection of SO, 10 was taken at the Meth
ndtst phureh fer the ca,,,a ,,,,rroaa