Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-16

At one OF Of the regular devotional meet
ings held recently in the Bowery branch of
the Young Mems Christian association, at
Broome street and the Bowery, relates the
Herald a clergymen delivering the sermon
to the motley assemblage OF human
dereicts who had drifted In more for
warmth and shelter, perhaps. than for
spiritual consolation, had OCCASION incon-
gruously enough. to use a Greek phrase.
The word had hardly passed his lips when
one of the company. a young man, neces-
sarily shabby and unkempt or he would
not have been there, arose and in a well
chosen speech prefaced. with an apology
for his interruption called the attention
OF the preacher TO the fact that he had
misouoted the ancient poet from which
the Greek sentence had been chosen.
Inspired by curiosity to know how a man
OF such unmistakabe education had fallen
TO so low a level. a Herald reporter made
inquiries. and the result was the amazing
information that fully one-fourth OF the
''tramps." unemployed" or whatever
may be the fitting term, who apply to the
| Bowery branch of the association for aid
in the course of every year are college
bred men. and in many cases graduates of
| some of the best intitutions OF learning in
| the world This is borne out by the
recorded statistics of the branch, and II
was emphasized few days ago in a state
ment from II. W. Hoot, the secretary in an
appeal for funds to aid in the erection of
| a larger building. The condition has pre-
| vailed throughout the eighteen years OF
| existence of the branch, but has become
more marked in recent years, in conse-
quence of circumstances which will be set
forth presently.
] In the books kept by Mr. Hoot the in
mates OF the house are classified under the
heads: University, Collegiate, Academic,
/ High School and Common School In the
year just closed the total number OF men
aided was 3,22s. OF these seventeen were
placed in the first category. 1874 in the
second, seventy-one In the third and All in
the fourth. making an aggregate OF $50 who
| had received better than a common school
| education. In 1904 the total was SAG. in
| the order OF eight. 1ss 1872 and 3s7 the num-
Der OF those of all classes received In that
year having been 2,s12. According to the
annual report OF the Bowery branch to
| the parent organization. the proportion of
men helped who had enjoyed the advan-
taEes Of university college. academic or
high school education was 20 per cent last
| year.
Perhaps no judge in the metropolitan
district has incurred the hatred OF more
criminals than Judge Asphalt, of the
| County court in Brooklyn. He has always
been severe with confirmed crooks, and es-
pecially with brutal ones. More than once
prisoner has made open threats In court
| to do up" the judge when he gets out of
Jail. Several Of these men have even
threatened 10 kill him. A friend of the
judge asked him the other day II anything
had ever come OF these threats, The Judge
smiled and said:
1.-The long sentences these men have re-
ceived usually have taken all desire for
revenge out OF them. l have never been
assaulted or harmed by any OF them after
their sentences have expired. l have re-
ceiyed scores Of letters with threats II
isn't exactly nice to get pictures OF hearts
with daggers in them and blood dripping
| from the wounds-I have received many
such-but l am convinced that there is
nothing like a long term in prison to cure
that tendency in a criminal"
Lodging houses for men are no novelty
in New York. but a boarding house in
which only this sex Is entertained is some
| thing new. Such an establishment exists
and f1ourishes, however, in an uptown
street, and the only women who ever en-
| ter its doors are members OF the landlady's
| family or her servants. So decided Is the
| rule Of the house that men may not invite
their woman friends 10 dinner. even on
| Sunday. There is never any lack OF guests,
| and the landlady declares that half the
| troubles OF her lot are obliterated along
with the women. Their absence seems
to have no discouraging effect on the men.
who are all eager 10 remain in the house
in spite Of the monotony OF seeing only
their own kind there.