The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10

police station Of their own. In the ONCE
there is a very ofIicial-looking desk strewn
with papers OF various kinds, but directly
back OF this is d ncat-loOking little sitting
room, where the feminine instinct OF the
matrons prtdominates. for II reminds one
more OF a parlor than room in a police
station. IL is fitted UP with rocking chairs.
"a small center table and large leather
couch. all of which make the place look
very homelike.
The matrons are Mrs. Ella Gregoire and
Miss Rena Reisner. and one or the other
OF them is on duty continually. Their
watches are divided into twelve hours each.
one coming on al o'clock in the morning
and remaining until 6 at night; the other
goes on duty and stays the remainder Of
the time Both of these women have been
engaged at this work at the police station
about seven years. Mrs. Gregoire however
has had the most experience, for she was
formerly matron at the workhouse. Both
of the women show great ability for the
work and no matter how many times the
administration changes or how many new
superintendent of police there are the
matrons still keep their places throU N
IT, all.
When the interviewer called MIS-.
Gregoire was on duty and in answer TO a
knock at the door she explained that she
did not then have time TO talk, for she was
engaged upon a case which took every min
ute of her attention. 1t was necessary for
the reporter TO call three times, and the last
time she was found disengaged.
Mrs. Gregoire doesn't look like a police
official, nor is she the type of a business
woman. She has pleasant voice and one
can see at a glance that she is woman
of strong feeling. but very decided. In an
swer to the question of what the matron's
duties were she said:
1.-The police matron has many duties to
perform and when she gets through with
her work her time TO be relieved by the
other matron has arrived. Consequently our
hours of duty never hang heavy on our
hands. and when il comes time TO go home
We are tired enough to go there and enjoy it.
A RECORD is MADE.
''You see when there are many prisoners
brought in the matron|s awfully busy, for
IT is her duty TO slate them and each one
must be asked where she was born, her
age. where she lives, what she has been do
ing for a living and all such questions as
that. We have. in fact, little biography
of each prisoner by the time she has an
swered all the questions put to her by us.
Then all of these prisoners have TO be
searched, which is no small task in itself.
Those. of course, who have the charge Of
larceny against them have to be searched
very thoroughly. because you can never
tell just what they have concealed about
them. Those who brought in for being
drunk and other charges, while they must
be searched, 1t is not necessary to go
over so carefully, for as q rule they don I
have anything more than bottle of whisky
concealed about their person. / remember
one old woman who used to be brought in
here every once in a while for being drunk.
As soon as she would get in the office she
would extend both arms toward the ceiling
and say sure. Mrs. Gregoire. / haven't "a
thing about me this time. but l would
simply tell her to hold down her arms. for
i knew where to find her bottle all right;
she always kept it in her sleeve"
Doesn't the matron have to appear in
police court every morning?
YES" she said. when court convenes
every morning the matron has to go and
look after her prisoners. After her cases
have all been disposed Of she brings her
workhouse have TO be escorted TO the wag-
on; others who have Jail sentences she has
10 see are sent to the jail. while some have
their fines stayed and are discharged from
here. and IL Is her duty to look after that.
Then there are the insane women to
look after said the matron. and a gem
uine look of despair came over her face.
These are the worst that / have TO deal
with. To these poor demented crea-
lures, especially those who are suffering
from melancholia, is really very depressing.
The patrolmen send in these insane women,
and they have to wait here until a COM
mission can be formed 10 declare them in
sane; these women affect me more than
any whom 1 come in contact with. Some
of them rave continually, and IL is simply
awful to sit here and listen TO them"
Mrs. Gregoire was asked If the work of
matron was not great strain on one s
nervous system. and IL was also suggested
that IL was a great wonder IL did not break
her down in both mind and body. Smiling
ly she replied:
station house My home is outside. and
when / leave this place / never think of it
again until ii is time TO again come on
duty. Once in a while when there is some
case up in which 1 am greatly interested I
will think over il continually. but this is
very seldom. and 1 hardly ever give the
place a thought from the time i leave il
until 1t is again time for me TO come to
work. / couldn't stand il If l worried
about 1t. although 1 haven't always been
thus When l first began this work 1
ever a prisoner was sentenced / suffered as
Esuch as she did, and when she dis
charged by the judge / rejoiced with her
also. but / saw this would never do, for
was continually on nervous strain.
THE FIRST CASE.
Il shall never forget the first case 1
mad when l was appointed police matron
III was that of little coIored boy who had
stolen something or other and the Judge
sentenced him TO the Reform School at
Piainheld- Well. when the sentence was
passed. or course, the boy began TO cry.
and so did his mother and the first thing
i knew was that was crying as hard as
either one OF them i interceded with the
judge for the boy and he took the sem
tence off and discharged him and. I will
tell you. he and his mother were both
happy"
Was the boy ever asrrested again9"
Yes; IL wasn't long before he was nm
here again for the same offense. but by that
tine mad become more used TO il. was not
quite so easily affected, and had begun to
be more sparing with my tears. The boy
this time went To Plainfield.
Inc children that are brought i'm here
py the police all come TO the matron, and
they are quite numerous However. there
are not many of them as formerly
boys are kept at the house OF detention
and this has taken quite a good deal of
work on OF the police matrons. The lost
children are still brought here and held
until their parents come after them. These
.os- youngsters sometimes get To wanting TO
go home and will cry for hours before any
thing can be done TO quiet them All kinds
Il In he ia