New-York tribune., 1910-02-21
ALIMONY CLUB WAIL
WARNING TO WIVES.
Document Full of Heart
TMobs from Workhouse.

Thirty-seven husbands, all Hebrews,
have been sleeping on BlackwelI's Island
for several weeks on crooked beds TINS
fact did not become known here until yes
terday. The ponderous document an
nouncing their pitiable condition was pre-
pared by the thirty-seveT, who insist thal
they themselves are straight They say
the beds do not fit them
The document discloses. q little further
along that though the beds had been OF
down the complainants were in no mental
state to enjoy repose.
Uneasy lies the head that dreams of all
mouy Thirty-seven wives had caused the
conviction of the sorrowing brotherhood
because of non-support- It was bitter Tor
the men to think Of the power possessed
In America by women If women without
the suffrage could send their husbands TO
the workhouse as easy as putting on a
glove" it was awful TO think Of the posi-
bilities il they ever got the ballot
Poor because honest was their only
fault. according to their letter They
might have endured even the beds without
q protest with their hearts blood, bur
they also had cultivated q well Defined
prejudice against the food OF Blackwelis
Island
They refuse TO refer to the steaks except
in terms of dertsion- Everything consld-
cred. their suffering has made them as one.
They could no longer bottle their ire; they
were losing their faith in life Each
would prefer to get back TO working for
the same old hTn-nine children and
wife. But how 10 do this? Threaten the
wives And this they have done in z long,
rambling statement addressed 70 the public
at large The wives, It is said have taken
,I-- ,,Ic =
with the authorities to release their de-
faUlting husbands at once, although the
husbands name Passover as the LAST ex-
tension Of time. It goes to prove once more
that IN union there is strength Individual
letters to individual wives were unproduct-
i've Of results. II also marks the formation
in this city of AIinnony Club No. 2 Nc. I
was organized some time go in the Ludlow
street Jail
The workhouse is not the place to better
the husbands" is one Of the conclusions
arrived at in the statement that is signed
! by Hyman Mishan. Issidore Rappaport,
David Kazenenbeigen, Joseph BothwtnnicL,
Abraham harikovsky and thirty-two other
outraged husbands.
I'VE will never return 70 our wives II
they do not get US out of here by Pass
over is the ultf1natun IF our wives
six months in the workhouse that they will
be good 10 them. they are far off the mark
We send this to the newspapers TO let
people know how we suffer in the dirty
prison at BIackwelrs Island
we tI1irty-seven IN a bunch were put
together with the worst trannps and Grim
| inals for the only reason that we are poor
and cannot support our wives. We sleep in
crooked beds and the steak we have to
| eat We eat leather instead of meat. All
| this makes Us lose faith in life And for
| why? For the only reason that We are
poor.
And the women whose husbands does
not give her what she wants, she goes to
court and gets q warrant and we are sent
10 the island. We all look like skeletons.
There is no country in the world the
United States which are so good TO ths
women It Is as easy for her 10 get him
on the island as to put on a pair Of gloves y
The statement says that charity orsaniza-
tions are a bad thing for husbands Once
again the query is propounded: And ror
why?r II seems too patent TO the writers
to require elaboration, but they proceed to
emphasize the disadvantages that result
from the activities Of such associations to
husbands who would be free from work.
house influences. Wives with an eye TO ac-
quisition OF al honest penny soon learn
that when husbands are sent away kind
women from charitable institutions will call
and give them sympathy and little money
each week, the disgruntled Hebrews say.
It is too much temptation for many women,
they point out and ought 10 be stopped
Less charity, more comforts at home and
less sedentary lives abroad are some OF the
recommendations of the men on the island
AS soon as the woman gets couple Of
dollars from the charity society she feels
gay and happy, and does not care about
her husband who is suffering in prison. is
the situation as put in a nutshell by them
Charities help manufacture orphans in
this way" is another conclusion in their
process of reaching the last analysis.
Everything pointed yesterday to a COM
bination being formed by the women in the
case to obtain the early release of their
rebeIlious mates.