The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-07
MISS DAVIS TO MAKE
C0NYICTS BUCK SNOW
Tells Women at Prison Confer
ence Here Plans for Next
Winter.
GLYNN FAVORS IDEA TOO
Promises to Have state Con-
victs Make Bricks for
Road Building.
GLYNN FAvORS IDEA TOO

Gov Martin IT, Glynn promised
that he would set convicts to work
making bricks for State roads and
Commissioner Of Correction Katherine
~ Davis predicted that prisoners
Pom tho penitentisry here would help In
he work Of cleaning snow from the city's
treets next winter In addresses. at a
Conference for prison reform held yester-
LAY by the metropolitan section Of the
vomens department OF the National Civic
Federation.
Gov. Giynn spoke last night at a meet
ing in Carnegie Hall. The Governor said
that ne was In favor Of prison reform and
would do all in his power to further It.
Thsrs IL not great deal Of money availa-
bic for that purpose now. he said. but the
state could stand small appropriation
and this hs would do his best to get
II believe there are more criminals by
accident than by Intention the Gov
ern0e said. For the criminals at heart
] have no sympathy. but for those who
are criminals by accident I would sub
stitute sympathy for punishment Cor
rection and not vengeance In the road to
reformation. Prisons should mako and
not 6feah men. I am a. much opposed
70 crimes against criminals as against
citisens."
Or. Frank Moore. superintendent of the
state Reformatory at Railway. N. j., gave
suggestions for dealing With the prison
psoblsmL
Urges val1s 81 FAsn Prissns.
Or. J. r. Gilmore warden OF the Gem
trail Prison Farm. Guelph. Canada, de-
ocr1bed his institution II open air merely
put men In nt physical condition It would
b worth while to have farm prisons, he
said.
Gov Oswald West OF Oregon explained
The prison system OF his State. He said
that about q third OF the prisoners were
NJ to be sent out. These he works on the
roads. The others are employed I'm the
upkeep of the prison and in the prison
shops
Thomas Mott Osborne and John Man
ming Of the Garment Workers Union were
other speakers.
In tho afternoon the federation had a
conference at the Hotel Astor with an
attendance which taxed tho capacity Of the
east ballroom.
Commissioner OF Correction katherine
" Davis said that there were SO many
needs in her department that she hardly
knew which to speak of first
''The appointment OF "A woman to a
position OF responsibility in prison ad-
,ninistration is "A novelty" Miss Davis be.
gan. but / think that one OF the reasons
why the Mayor made the appointment
was because women are drawer than
men. don't know why that is. but
when they want something they are brave
enough TO ask for IL.
IT do not why the biggest city In
hay b. ,r,..
in the world. ! will hardly say that New
York has the worst. but nearly NO. That
10 condition we are going to
change, and one OF the FIRST things we
are going to do is TO build "A detention
home for women. Now the women are
in our city prisons. where conditions are
about as bad they can be. Working
drawings have been made for "A detention
home and IL will be started soon. That
much Ii certain.
Plans for Boys Farm.
The next thing 10 boys farm IN
Orange county. Next week the first group
of boys goes up there to build bunk
house and get things started pending al
appropriation from the Board Of Esti-
mate.
"Women at the workhouse are not well
taken care Of. There IN no place for ex-
ercise there and no woman physician.
Now. there are 1900 men and seventy
three women in the penitentiary. and I'M
IN last week the women had been sitting
and twiddlins their thumbs. while the
mon made their dresses for them. We
need . new Tombs too.
sAs to prison labor. have awfully
wanted to take men from the penitentiary
ana have them clean the streets OF snow.
Il 10 too bad to pay s2.0o0.ooo for this
when We need the money 80 much for
other things. ! should have been per-
fectly ready to try the experiment this
year. but. as I say, men are not as brave
- women and some OF my advisers did
NJ like the idea I say that prisoners
Gent to clean the streets would not run
away n they gave their word not to. but
e q few did I should think II was better
to lose them than the many We lose
through legal technicalit!es.
~ want the citizens of New York 20 get
Ssed TO the idea OF prison labor 30 you
Won't think Il very radical n next winter
- Asans over some OF the prisoners to
dean Oh the snow"
Other speakers were John T. Riley.
STATE Superintendent OF Prisons. who ad-
vocated . change AZ Sing Sing to the farm
csseny plan Martha r. Falconer. super.
intsndsnt Of the Womsn's Farm Colony
1t Darlington. Pa; o. F. Lewis. general
secretary of the New York Prison Asso-
citation. who showed pictures of the county
jails In the State, and T. Stagg Within,
general secretary Of tho National Commit
tee on Prison Labor.
Among those at the conference were
Mrs Caroline b. Alexander. Mrs. August
Belmont, Miss Anne Morgan, Mrs. Regi-
nsld Dc Koven Mrs. Commodore Wad-
hams, Mrs II. X. Hudson, Mrs John Har-
sen Rhoades. Mrs. William Felowes Nor
gan, Mrs. f. w. Theron and Mrs. Marcus
N. Marks.
The meeting closes to-day with q morn
lng session at the Hotel Astor.