The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-08-10
Prison Association Of New
York Does Its Many-Sided
Work in Quaint Brown
Stone Mansion in Busy
Business Section.

New York, Aug. 9.-There's little
house in East Fifteenth Street that If y.
Henry were alive
You wouldn't notice anything unusual
about that house, going through East FIJI
teenth Street It's one of row on the
north side-old fashioned residences
that are set little back from the street.
with wide, easy staircases leading to
lintelled doorways surmounted by fan
lights of a simple, old and graceful pat
tern. Nobody pays any attention to these
houses now, for right across the street
cranes and hoists are drumming all day
at the task of erecting a many stored
white home for the Consolidated Gas
Company. As the skyscraper is really a
TRIPPING of an existing one and involves
nice bit of dovetailing of the old and new
the handful of people who lounge in East
Fifteenth Street all day have no eyes for
the pleasant old houses facing it.
The particular house that o. Henry
would have watched is No. 135, and you
can tell it by the brass hand rails along
the brownstone steps. There's nothing
particularly striking about No. lbs to the
outward view. 1t seems just an agree
able, melsoWed old house to live in. The
low cut windows with curtains blowing
out suggest Just the kind OF interior it
has, ? wide hall. big rooms with high
ceilings. white woodwork and cool, airy
sy-accs. You may ind a dozen others like
II n the n-ighoorhood OF Gvamercy Park
But this house Is set apart. To il comes
every day CT She year an irregular pro-
cessiCn OF tie most unusual persons you
would imagine Sometimes they come a
half dozen. a dozen or mere together,
sometimes a whole DAY goes by and only
one CT two visitors hasten along the street
anti! they identify No. is and then cross
over and go hurTisdly up the steps to ring
the bell. They are all OF q kind. They
may differ IT. dress, gait and appearance,
may approach nervously or with elabor-
ate ease, may seem fearful of observing
eyes Of walk up boldly--the secret every
visitor carries with him is the same. de
is an ex-ccnvict. Either he has been
Just released from State prison OF he has
been free but a few months.
Prison Associations Quarters.
Trust o. Henry 10 have found that out,
despite the building spectacle across the
way. And maybe he would have gone
into No. is5 himself to listen to, some of
the stories of the men who come there
fresh from the prison ordeal.
The charming old rooms into which you
are ushered are the headquarters of the
Prison Association OF New York, one of
the biggest organizations of its kind in
the world, one OF the richest ana most
powerful. It is surprising how few per-
sons know that such n society exists, and
even then the name doesn't convey more
than a hint of its far-reaching activities
The prison association was founded
way back iii the '40's, and has been busy
ever since. Its objects are nine, and. put
Informally, they are as follows: 1t aims
to protect society against crime and to
reform the criminal; to protect those un-
Justly accused: to keep track Of first
offenders and zee that they behave; to
better pr.son conditions and discipline;
20 get work Cor the released prisoner, and.
if necessary. sapp;y him with food, tools.
snd shelter; to hook after conyicts' fam
mes; to Keep watch q men on probation