New-York tribune., 1907-03-09
Of Interest -
~ 10 Wogg7 en-.
FARM FOR WOMEN.
Bill to Place Prisoners in Normal
Environment.

There are eight hundred women IN the city Of
New York and one thousand IN the entire state
whose records of offences extend over periods
varying from five to twenty years and who are
known 10 have been arrested from twenty 10 two
hundred times The bill now before the Legsla-
ture 10 establish a state farm for women misde-
meanants is designed to meet the needs Of this
class.
Under present conditions" says Mrs Sarah ".
Emerson. first director OF the Wonen's Prison As
ISOLATION from which the bill emanates. these
women reach our 5ails and warehouses exhausted
by excesses and in an indescribably filthy condi-
ton. No attempt IS made TO supply them with diet
suitable 10 their needs. they receive little OF no
medical treatment. they have no outdoor exercise
and in dealing with them reformatory methods
are employed. At the expiration OF sentence they
are turned adrift without means Of subsistence
They are homeless estranged from their families,
and therefore friendess and penniless, and when
out Of prison are dependent upon charity or seek
shelter in dives and low lodging houses. where.
morally and physically, they are menaces TO So
clety. For obvious reasons they are UNIT Tor do
nestle service. and they have not sufficient moral
or physical stamina 10 seek other employment
OF those arrested IN East Side precincts on charges
Of disorderly conduct. large percentage are OF
foreign birth trained to immortality for Hvel-
hood and ignorant Of any other means OF support
They 90 from court TO court, assuming different
ages aliases and places Of residence, and Il is not
always possible for the magistrates 70 recognize
them. Those charged with immortality are often
arrested three and four times a week; frequently
women arrested this charge are oalleo from ''le
station houses and return Immediately TO the street
20 earn their fines for the morning court.
A FEARFUL RESULT OF SYSTEM.
The frequent arrest Of the immoral women has
been the means Of encouraging large and ever
increasing number Of professional bondsmen TO
rrev upon them and grow rich the exorbitant
commissions charged, and, at the same ume' mas
brought into existence an equally depraVed ana
,-st mora numerous class OF men who depend en-
ssrsly for sIpport upon this traffic IN immortality
ana whose sole occupation consists IN Following
these objects Of their greed and notifying the pro-
fessional bondsrnen where arrests are made.
IN the workhouse the majority OF the women
inmates are not employed more than one-thiFd OF
the time In the Kings County jail they sit IN
absolute idleness even objecting TO cleaning the
hoor around their beds. Here also the women IN
mates sleep in common corridors-old ana young,
EIIn2er o. Ssits , a. ne "a 15aes II necessary for
several 10 occupy one cell at night The long sen
fences 10 comparative idleuess and criminal com
p9592nsP p9 E i6a t f6e last as m Year thrty-six o-
en- have been sent from the |orkhouse 10 4--s'lO0-
tions for the insane.
DRIVEN 10 INSANITY.
Repeated commitments prove not only that these
offenders are mentally and morally as irresponsible
as are the insane and feeble minded, but also that
as means Of punishment OF reformation such
commitments are absolutely futile To them jail
and Uorkhouss are havens Of rest and idleness.
where the struggle for existence ceases TO Wfich
eIsssSs - Sfore nm tbree hundred have been treat
ed in hospitals Tor alcoholic coma, delTlum ire
mems etc. during 1906. and twelve are known 10
have met death by accidents on the streets Wile
Intoxicated or have died in Railways and saloons
from ALCOHOLISM The majority are DeI%een g Sio no
ages thirty and fifty years, and wfllle lhctpaDIe
OF selfcontrol they are fully capable OF seII-sup-
port under supervision.
encourage crime increase insanity ana IMPOSE upoe t
the taEpayers the permanent support oI a cldss OF
women perfectly capable Of supporting themselves
The lowest possible cost for arrest ana arfalBA-
meut ia New York City is Sl2 per capita IN other
year 47sg sentences were imposed on 90 lndlNloua
women. al a for arrest. alTa1Snment ana
maintenance Of SS0.3i6 While il may be true that
the. uresent number Of pOlCD would be employed
whether these arrests were made or not, the fact
remains that for the 4Is9 arrests OF 5o6 women
Is3s7 hours Of police service We're expended which
otherwise could have been devoted 10 public ser
.If Assembly Bill No. ,52 becomes law women
Tnisderneanants who have been convicted hye times
within two years may be for term of
less than one year 10 the farm; and while there
Will learn l@ilthful. outdoor employment at garden
and dairy work. and be given scientific treatment
with the hope OF ultimate reformation. They will
also be taught industries which viii enable them to
II is believed thai the farm may be made sef-sup-
porting through the sale or products to other in
situations The taxpayers will thus be relieved OF
the burden Of their support, and the msdemeanants
and learning higher and better way of life. The
marked Improvement in the conduct habits and
physical condition OF the women employed out Of
doors at Auburn State Prison and Bedford Re-
tormatory have amply demonstrated the beneficial
results Of such treatment.