Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-30
Mrs. Ballington Booth Ably As
sisted In Organizing Prison
ers' Volunteer League
u 9. COFFIN AT FORT MADISON
Port Dodge Philanthropist Again Adj
dresses Inmates Of Iowa State Peni-
tentiary-Mueh Good Accomplished
BY His Home For Ex-convicts, Near
Fort podse-Reformatory Effect.
~ r;mas- Republican.

f An. of Fort Dodge the phllanthroplss'
nassed thru Des Moines on his way 70
Fort Madison, where he was TO SPEAK
Yesterday to the prisoners in the Iowa
state penitentiary Mr.. Coffin spoke TO
these prisoners very briefly few weeks
ago. He is engaged just now in assist
ing Mrs. darlington Booth in the WORK
OF organizing the Prisoners Volunteer
League ia the prisons of Iowa.
.When spoke to the prisoners at the
Fort Madison penitentiary,' Mr.. CONN
said, II told them that Mrs. Booth
would be there very soon to organize
the league. ! had only a few minutes
before the men, but they nad heattt ol
the movement and were prepared 10
think of it. ! was amazed at the readl-
ness with which the men responded TO
my call when | asked how many were
ready to take upon themselves the oo-
legation of the league, hundred were
on their feet in moment. standing UP
among their fellows declaring thus
their determination TO be good prison
ers to be Christians. to work out
their own reform. The obligations
OF the league are very severe.
The person joining obligates him.
self to obey all the rules of the institu-
ton, to use no profanity. to forever alb
stain from use of intoxicating liquors,
to pray each day and to read from the
beautiful little handbook which has
been prepared for their use. Mrs. Booth
will organize the men at Fort Madison
prison very soon, possibly some time
the coming month.
THE league has been organized now
for some time at Anamosa and the eff
feet has been magical The demeanor
OF the men has become better and the
discipline vastly improved. The men
Ubligate themselves to assist In every
& way In maintaining the discipline of the
Institution. not only for themselves. but
for the others. 1t thus has value in
making 1t easy for the prison officials.
The work Is a great one and has good
effect in all prisons where it is intro
duced. Some time ago was at Column
bus, Ohio, and faced the 1000 men who
were there. 1t Is the largest prison In
The country, unless the one at Fort
Leayenworth will be larger when COM
L
league. The thought which came to me
as looked upon that sight was: Can
this be prison? Are these convicts?
Am I sleeping Here We're men, 1000
In number, and yet the average age Of
the entire lot was about % years They
were men OF the same thoughts and
feelings AID aspirations and hopes ana
fears as persons cutsids a prison. II
more nearly resen:bled 4 grea. prayer
meeting at a revival than Il meeting of
prisoners. I heard men pray just as
men pray elsewhere. give the same ex-
perfences. tell of their desire to do
right, give testimony of their religious
convictions and plead with others to be
Christians. 1t was great object les
son to me. The fact is that there are
Just as sincere Christians in the peni-
tentiary as out of it, and the sooner we
come to recognize the fact the better
for u.s.
what is being accomplished by you
ut your home for ex-convicts near Fort
Dodge"
Il feel that we are doing we'll. We
have a number of former prisoners
with us all the time. They are coming
and going all the time. They stay with
us only until they get their bearings
and find something to do. 1t is not a
permanent home for ex-prisoners. The
men are welcome there to remain until
they take on the armor of liberty. We
have a system by which we go thru an
elaborate process Of taking away the
liberty of the individual. Thus deprived
of his liberty he remains the ward of
the state up to certain hour-then he
Is thrust suddenly out upon society.
without any ceremony without prepar-
alton to again take up the duties and
rights Of a free. man. My home fur
nishes little aid to these men and en-
ables those who desire to do right to
get start in the world.
There Is no question now about the
refornla tory effect of such treatment Of
persons who have been In prison. Mrs.
Booth has two great Hope Halls where
this work is carried on. They have been
In existence long enough so that some
thing can be told Of the work being ac-
coinplished. OF the thousands of men
who have gone out of prison and
into the world thru these institu
tions as resting places, not over 2
or per cent ever find their way back
into prison. OF those who are turned
out OF prison after a first term and al
lowed to drift as they please the per-
centage runs anywhere up to 20 or %
per cent who get back again.
1.-THE great need of the ex-convict on
his release from prison is to get started
right and to find some honorable en-
ployment. If he is welcomed among
his fellows and is able to earn an hon
est liy.ng he has triumphed. There is
great work here for us to do in Iowa,
We have been behind other states and
far behind the times.
1.-THE state Of Iowa has been engaged
for fifty years in deliberately making
criminals instead of unmaking them
we have prison policy that contem-
plates nothing in the way of securing
the reformation OF the individual. When
went before the legislative committee
on penitentiaries last winter and talked
briefly in favor of q reformatory meas
ure told them of the fact that In the
past FIVE biennial periods alone there
has been released from Iowa pentten-
tiaries upwards of 5000 men. l point
ed out that 1t was nor merely In the
legal detention of these men that the
legislature has a responsibility. but in
the matter OF turning them back into
49, a.