The Washington times., 1907-12-15

FIRST SENTENCES
Among the most important of the rec
concentrations contained I'm the annual
report Of the Board of Charities. sub
mitted TO the Commissioners yesterday,
Is that a law be passed authorizing the
judges of the Police Court to suspend
sentence in the case OF first offenders,
VINO are now committed to the work
house. This. it is said. would do away
with the necessity Of sending TO the
workhouse a number of accidental Of
tenders who would thus avoid the
stigma of prison and the contamination
likely 10 result from association with
habituaI vioIators of the law.
First offenders, says the report, could
frequently be placed upon probation,
and 1t is recommended that this sub
ject receive consideration in connection
WITH the establishment of a general sys-
TEN OF probation for adults. concerning
which legislation will probably be asked
in the near future.
More Go to Workhouse.
The total number Of prisoners COM
mitments to the workhOuse during the
year was 5.1lS, as compared with 4,949
the preceding year. The daily average
= OF prisoners at the institution was 373
as compared with 333 the previous year.
In reference to the crowded cOndi-
ton of the workhouse the report says:
The second wing of the wOrkhouse
for males was completed few months
ago. and is now occupied. The total
number Of cells now available in the
two wings is 334, twelve OF which are
special cells set apart. either as pun
ishment cells or for purposes Of isola-
tion. leaving .222 cells regularly avail
able for housing prisoners. On several
occasions during the last year the
number Of prisoners exceeded this total
number of cells, and the number would
have been. stin greater but for the fact
that the workhOuse was so congested
it was deemed necessary by the super
intendent TO advise the judges Of the
Police Court OF the conditions.
In view of the congested conditions
as above set forth, we urgently renew
our recommendation that an additional
wing be erected at the worikhouse for
males, and have submitted an estimate
OF $4,000 for the purpose"
Money Expended on Rich.
In connection with private hospitaIs
the report says that although Congress
in the last six years has appropriated
over half a million dollars for the
erection Of new buildings. and the re-
construction of old buildings that prac-
tiCaIly no Increase in the number of
beds available for INDECENT patients has
resulted. BY far the greater part Of the
money has been expended. it is stated.
in providing administration buildings.
magnificent operating rooms, and luxuri-
Gus accommodations for private patients
able to pay.
1T is the policy of the board" saws
the report, ''in no way to interfere with
the usefulness Of existing private hos
pitfalls. When, however, the natural
growth Of the city demands increased
accommodations for the treatment of
public patients, 1t is the opinion or this
board that all such buildings should be
placed on the grounds now owned by
the District"
Wants Wards for Insane.
The board emphasizes its recommen-
dalton that provision be made at an
early date for suitable wards for the
temporary detention and treatment of
all insane patients, and will next year
urge an appropriation Of 100000 for this
purpose. Concerning this the report
says:
Insane persons are patients in every
sense Of the term, and recourse to the
police station, or their detention in or
near penal institutions is neither hu-
name nor justlfable. A number of
cities OF ABOUT the size of Washington.
ooth IN this country and abroad. have
!ong since provided suitable pavilions
known as psychOpathic wards for the
reception Of all insane persons II has
been found that fully % per cent OF
all such cases have permanently re
covered, and have been spared the stig-
ma or formal commitment TO an
insane asylum
Attention is called to the ''non-sup-
port law, which provides that men who
neglect TO provide for their families
when able to do so may be commfttej ~
hard labor at the wOrkhouse. Fifty
cents day is paid to the families OF
the men thus committed. and as there
was but 500 appropriated for this pur-
pose last year, deficit OF S4OO was
created The board recommends an an
propriatiOn Of 81. 400 for the coming wear
The boards regards as the most press
erection Of a suitable building for the
care and treatment OF destitute poor
row cared for In buildings on the Wash
ington Asylum grounds.
New tuberculosis Hospital.
Satisfactory progress, # is stated. has
been made in the erection of the new
tuberculosis hospital. which to build
and equip will cost $4,000. The institu-
uon viii accommodate 12O patients. sixty
advanced and sixty incipienu cases.
The daily average number Of boys at
the Boys Reform School during tho
year was PAS, of which number 1g9 were
from the District.
The daily average number OF inmates
at the Reform School for Girls was
eighty-three.
The Board OF Charities consists of
John JOY Edison, president; Charles p
Neill. vice president; George NJ. Kober.
Myer Cohen, and George NJ. LightfOoL
The secretary Is George S. Wilson.
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