New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-13
LIFE OF POLICE M4TRONS.
Theirs Not an Easy Lot, Says Hiss
WoOdbridge-Need of More.

Al the Woman's Municipal League yesterday
Miss Alice L. Woodbridge. visitor for the wonan's
Prison Association. urged the necessity of having
women matrons appointed 10 all the police stations
she gave a highly interesting account. Of the de-
ve-opment Of the police matron idea II Nev-Y ork
City what was sought for in their appointment
end what has been accomplished by them. she
sald that New-York has eighty police precincts
and that about thirty-fve Of the police stations
have police matrons, OF whom there are now sew
enIy- Continuing, Miss Woodbridge said.
men the biI was PASSED It's promoters thought
enemy q t1e needs OF women prisoners, but the
g---s Ior oI9er kinds OF assistance are very
into station houses IN New-Yo-k 2s7 foundIings
mad 70 be cared for los dead infants and 200 dead
~ - --els- attention. ana 80 women IN labor.
W me lost children the greater proportion are girls
alo lh sumner they are often brought into the
me nave 10 be fed from the bottle.
tesI and nearly always Violent. she of- 5l r1s b
clothes and reaches the station haIf clad.
Miss Woodbridge said that in Brooklyn women
prisoners are often conveyed miles before thew can
reach a station with q woman raatron
= remember the case Of q woman who vas a.
rested ar canarsie with an infant" she went on
-iis} drove her II an uncovered patrol wagon in q
c-e-ch--lg ram EFe miles 10 the East New-York
station mouse. the nearest there vas Well. by the
Irne taey got there the woman and baby were
pretty nearly drowned out The next r7orrire O..
o'clock the pa-rOI wagon came again To take
them three miles further 70 the courthouse and
tie mother and child had 10 nut on their balf5ria7
clothes again. for there were no other clothes on
hand.
There another woman also arrested 10,
Lanarsle. VINO was driven for miles In an omen
patrol wagon through q binding raInstorrn b-,-
some good came OF that episode. The woman wore
blue felt lar. when she reached court she was
blue woman The judge looked al her in rorro-
What have they been doing 10 you2 h.. asked
AaFe Seen black women. red women yellow
NoHleh out never before saw blue woman
ne oIceT II charge explained thar IL was tn. dya
rom her hat Her face. neck hair and shoulders
we're deep indigo. viii not desc-h. the LANGUAGE
q tnat judge. but he had covered patrol wagon
PROVIDED for the prisoner when she left the coTrr
and ! believe there IS only one uncovered rsrroi
wagon IT Brooklyn today. Certainly II is in
nuraan uncivilized 10 take women prisoners so far
SIe under conditions such these
@lLloagh he police nlatrOu now receives salary
" sVS IS eligible 70 pension and wears the uni
WoofE-i5--. 49, L-+I iol as pictured by Miss
Tr a. -tt+t--T- al easy nor pleasant
II stations where there are two yaatrOlls rhesa
- t -ale between fourteen hours night DUTY and
On si,o--ss. -5s Coy week ano week about Also
So,, 5l-.ele sundays hey duty twerty-four
Inese 1naIrous up long flight Of stars and ne
E- - are Kept down another long flight AZ
prisoner once every hair hour sb4 ha - co 81 M
81. Gown those stairs twenty-eight times In the
60 nave anything do I think a Tyo-lan who
- ~ fourteen hours Of a night for six nights IN
he never does any more. The women who are
S,s-ss LL n are many Of them vermin infested
.-aLch and jab with their hatpins know ~ =
ki@s - VINO - dying from cancer caused by the
tbar vas IN the EIdrdge-st station one night when
rT,s-.N re nine lost children there As these
flegntsE they very dIficut TO manage Y7'' i'o
drs1 s-s Uoes matron do when she has nine chill
Margaret cSer P }5e ITas,ae BESIDES asked Miss
- SIC has 70 turn from one 10 the other and