The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-08-21

Brooklyn.--tt was q quiet day in
the police station. Brownsville was
behaving itself and the matron OF the
station had a whole hour to talk, with
only one interruption to wipe the
tears from the eyes Of small. dirty
boy. induce him to tell the address
of his home and send him on his way
under the guidance OF a big, strong
bluecoat. And the matron, when she
talks, has a few things to tell In
fact, Mrs. Cox says. with her good
Irish chuckle. that she thinks she will
write a book of her experiences to
make her rich after she retires from
the job of matron. The "toys' have
suggested it to her. The boys" are
the bluecoats, every one of whom in
Brooklyn. knows Mrs Cox and has a
joke for her or a word of guying
when he meets her.
Duties Of Police Matron.
Intoxication is the usual charge
upon which the woman prisoner is
committed, with occasional charges
of theft. Of assault. an attempted sui
eide and now and then a woman whose
hands have committed some bigger
crime. homicide or infanitcide.
Whatever the charge, they all pass
through the station house on their
way 70 the Jail or the penitentiary,
and the matron has them in her care.
She gets them fresh from their mis-
iemeanors and with the stain of their
crimes new upon them. She is the
first and often the only ministering
angel they know, for It is to the task
of ministering that most of the ma
irons, womenlike, give themselves
with more heartlness than to the
technical tasks of their Office.
Young Girls Saved.
One night two young girls were
brought into the station house for in
toxicatlon, fresh, dainty girls
dressed in the finest Of evening gowns
covered with long coats. It was New
Years eve and a bitter cold night
The matron was used to the unusual
but the presence of girls such as
these in her lodging house made heI
stop and wonder. II was only a lit
tie while before the sleep OF intoxica
llDn MOl6 Ol alAn llAG EAAiA NVhG ~
the realization of their surroundings
and the horror OF It. Finally, they
were calm enough to tell the matror
how il all happened. They had beer
over 20 Manhattan to a dance will
two boy friends 1t was 50 icy cold
that the escorts suggested before they
crossed the bridge TO take something
TO warm them, and they stopped in Z
cafe and drank what the men or
dered for them. Unused to taking
stimulants, as soon as they STRUCK
the cold air out Of doors the drink.
went to their heads and they knew
very little else of what happened un
til they walked to find themselves il
the police station. What had hap
pened was that the two escorts, find
ing themselves burdened with girl.
too much intoxicated to know wha
was happening to them, had opened
the door of a tenement house. showed
them in and left them there Tn,
girls had fallen Immediately to sleeI
and one OF the occupants Of the hous,
stumbling over them. had reported t,
the police and had them taken TO tn,
station. It was a hldeou5 night fol
those girls, used only to the nicetiel
and refinements of life.
When the next morning came, will
its inevitable appearance at court
they pleaded not TO be taken in thu
patrol wagon with the other prisoner
and the matron secured the permls
sion of the sergeant TO take them I,
court herself in the car. and arrange,
for a private hearing before III,
Judge The circumstances related
the judge let them of with SOM
strong words OF admonition.
Maggie a Regular Lodger.
With some of the prisoners the ma
irons become old friends. for the
almost make the station house thei
regular dwelling place. One of Mrs
Coxs old-timers is an Irish woman
named Maggie. whom everybody Il
the station house knows. She ha
been habitue ~ sta ION houses for
years. and the mStrons and sergeant
get so they look for her and almos
miss her when she doesn't come Sh