The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-01-10
JAIL FACILITIES
The Accommodations for il
venile Offenders Not Such
as the Law Requires.
THE SHERIFF'S DIFFICULTIES.

] The annual meeting of the Morris
County Branch of the State Charities
Aid Association was held in the Y, M.
G. A. Hall ON Wednesday. President
J. E. Taylor and Secretary e. B. Iron
side both reported on the question Of
Jail accommodations for women and
minors.
There are two cells for two prisoners
each. one supposed to be for boys the
other for women. Recently there we're
so many women inmates that the BOYS
were put upstairs in the old room con
demned by a recent grand jury while
some of the women had to occupy
The old women room also condemned.
There is absolutely no place for female
minors as required by law.
The society condemned the made
Quate accommodations a year AGO and
nothing has been done.
Mr.. Ironside emphasized the state
ment that the society had not urged
any large expenditure on the freehold
ers, but the latter's committee had in
sisted that nothing would pay except
to add a new tier Of cells costing SIS, 600
or more.
The room upstairs is not safe to keep
boys. The committee suggested put
ting ironon the doors but Mr.. Ironside
said he asked what would keep a boy
from going through the plaster walls.
Miss Sheltoasaid a mother had come
70 the Children i Society trying to get
her boy out OF the boys room because
Of tile conversation Of the women in
tile adjoining apartment. More re-
Gently girl was put in the women's
room on no particular charge and kept
for three weeks with five of the most
disreputable women in the county.
The society succeeded in getting the
girl into home in Newark. Miss
Shelton condemned the system that
caused such commitment.
it was declared thatthe law express
ly requires a separate place for minor
females, and the freeholders could be
indicted for not having such a place.
The Sheriff, it was reported, moved
the boys on his own responsibility and
has not at his disposal the quarters in
tended by the law.
Mr.. Taylor said he would like to see
the probation system so extended that
no minor would see the inside of the
jail
The Judge and some others are care
FIJI but there is always danger Of a
country justice committing a girl to
jail and, nothing but habeaus corpus
proceedings can get her out.
Miss Shelton and Mrs. Kellogg told
of call on New York experts who
recommended that In a place like Nor
ristown two or three rooms might be
hired outside the Jail or part of the
Sheriff's house assigned for minors
where they would be entirely away
from Jail Influences. Miss Shelton
thought that a one story addition to
the sheritf's house, if there is not room
inside, would til the bill and not cost
much
A minute was adopted voicing the
protest OF the society against the pres
ent conditions and referring the case
of the girl to the executive committee.
The annual report told of satisfac-
tory conditions at the. poor house and
children's home, clean corridors and
excellent discipline in the Jail but In
adequate facilities. There were PIT
persons sheltered at the town lookup
during the year as against ITO the
previous year.
Treasurer r. B. Pierson reported .
balance on hand OF 1888, and Messrs
Robert Carter and J.. *. Van Doref
were appointed auditors.
The following officers and executive
i committee were elected president
y. Il. Taylor; vice-pfeS., r. b. Ir0nside
secretary, ID. NJ. Claghorns treasurer
lP. B. Pierson. Other members OF til,
lcommittee are DR.. Erdman, Or. Hughes
4 Mrs. X. Twining, Miss II. Shelton
4 Mrs. X. r. kellogg.
Appropriate action was taken o.
the death Of Miss Mary Q. Smith