Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-19
TO FOUND HOME
FOR PRISONERS
MRS. M. 7. BOYD HOPES TO
SECURE INSTITUTION
says the First Need Of Men Dls-
charged From JaiIs Is Conn.,
Portable Home Where New
start May BE Made

Seven years work among the pris-
oners at the county jail has convinced
me that one of the most urgent needs
we have Is home. a temporary one
OF course, for the prisoners who are
discharged" said Mrs. Marian r. Boyd,
superintendent Of the prison and Jail
work of the w. c. T. u, last evening.
I'VE care for souls, and there are
among them many conversions, but
their is a crying need for the care Of
the body as well. The necessity OF n
home to receive men discharged after
serving sentence has confronted other
prison workers and myself for some
time, and now 1 am going about 1t to
establish one.
Already 1 have been promised the
aid of many of the leading merchants
who stand ready at any time to con-
tribute sums, large and small, of
money.
Many Prisoners Unemployed
when these men are discharged
from prison they go out upon the world
friendless, without funds, usually with
a scant supply of clothing and with
no alternative but to wander about in
search of employment.
"Those of us who have had expert
ence know full we'll that the discharged
prisoner has but few chances to And
employment at least, however, until
he has proven himself honorable and
worthy. In the interim many of them
are tempted into old and familiar
paths.
Not Sentimental Over Prison Work
Mark you, 1 am not sentimental
over this work at all. But am con-
stantly receiving requests for cloth
ing and sometimes to provide break
fast and supper and a place to sleep
for some of these.
Beds are to be obtained for Is cents
at the Volunteer hall, and meals at the
same ratio, but these must come from
the pockets of private individuals and
there is no home to receive them.
THE home we purpose building will
contain a reading room, to be used
for missionary meetings each evening,
some sleeping rooms and cuisine, if
possible. We shall take the discharged
prisoners there until they find employ
ment and we shall impress on the mind
OF each that we trust to his honor to
repay the home for his keeping when
he can best afford it.
A Home SeIf-Supporting
I'm time we can own our own home
and I feel assured it can be made self
supporting by requiring of the in
mates so much work, what, we have
not yet determined on.
ITO prove to you that this is not
idle speculation, 1 will quote some
figures I obtained tolay at the jail
Since March II, in which time as we
all know, we have been menaced with
bitter storms, thirty-three prisoners
have been discharged after serving
terms, and of that number twenty-three
have been without money, friends or
food
you see, we keep track Of the men
after they leave and endeavor to help
them, but it devolves on few, and in
many instances we are powerless.
County Officers Considerate
Both Sheriff White and Captain
Charles White, the jailer, whose knowl-
edge of the prisoners and whose kindly
aid have helped many poor men to "a
better life, are in sympathy with our
plans.
1.-The home will not be under the
w. c. T. u, but will be independent,
and a meeting Of the workers Will be
held this evening to determine def
nitely."
Mrs. Boyd has had a wide experience
in this branch of the w. C. T. U work.
with which she has been identified for
the past seven years, and she is GER
tain that success will crown her eff
forts in securing the much needed in
stitution.