Putnam patriot., 1914-01-23
FOURTH ANNUAL
 SESSION
State Conference of Charities and Cor.
 rectiOn
To Create Interest ID Charitable. Reform
 ator, and Preventive Work

| Bridgeport in April, probably the zb D, 27th. and zsih. The otject of the con 1 ference is to promote more accurate
 knos ledge of and wider interest in i charitable. refofmatory and preventive
 work, and to provide an opportunity
 for persons interested in such effort to
 compare and discuss principles, meth ods and results All persons interested
 in the object of the conference are in-
 gited to enroll themselves lis members. The expenses nfe met by voluntary
 subscriptions, which may be sent al
 any time to the trea5ufef samuel NJ.
 Hawley, Bridgeport Savings bank,
 Bridgeport.
 Among the officers of the conference
 are Judge l.. NJ Warner, one Of the l vice presidents, Putnam committee ] oa children, Mrs. Charles Q. Trump. son, Pomffet, County Home visitor; committee on public aid fand better ment, Attorney Charles L. Torfey, Put nam, secretary Of the school board.
 The wofk is one that appeals 10 the hearts Of all good citizens and the con- ference numbers some Of the most dis tinguished citizens of the state among it's members. Suitable care of the criminal, the petty lawbreaker and the prospective criminal, and the pend ancy left in their wake, is the perplex- ing problem that is sought to be solved. Long strides In the reformation of old time, harsh, and relics of barbarie methods Aake been made in the past decade The suspended sentence, the probation system retoHmatories and stale fafms afe among the advanced steps ol an enlightened age.
 A state farm for dfunkards and those who have succombed to the drug habit Is n crying need Of this and other states. Judge E. NJ. Warner of this city has long and earnestly advocated this feature In dealing with these un foftunates and he hopes for success in the near future.
 The rounder, as the habitual drunk ard that is constantly coming before the police court k termed, is not neees- safily of the criminal class. His habit is his downfall as k the drug fend's. A iail sentence Is of no effect in such eases and some place should be pro- Nided for these unlortunates. A state fnfm, as advocated by Judge Warner, it would seem, would meet the require ments. Here the man who has lost his will power through the Use of stimulunts or drugs may be sent for an indetefmiaate time. He will be sur rounded by suit able environments, al- lowed life in the open air and at the same time receive the treatment need ed in bis individual case. After while he may be allowed to go on pa role and if he again succombs to the temptation of his old habits he may be picked up and returned for another period.
 A few days ago the writer sat In the municipal court room in the city of Boston. A young fellow some 22 or 9 years old was arraigned for having morphine in his possession. He had been brought into court by the Watch and Ward Society whose agents had seen him procure the drug and use it. Several others had been artaigned the day before on similar charges but this young man was unfit to appear. His only crime wns that he was in the clutches of habit from which he could not free himself. He had been "sent up' several times on q similar charge. lie had never, so lar as known, done an iilary to fellow man or to society except as his haait made him nauseatius spectacle upon the public streets lie WIS q cripple, huiag a wooden leg Possibly he acquired bis haUit when he lost his itub but ths lid not arHeaf lie stood ciInging 10 the rail q. he pason. pen so weak Ae could hAHiN stand. His eyes were giazed, hi foam bent and he was sui. feIing the la8ares of the after.etiect of dehauch eE tbe poison, In fact he showed ali Q, the signs ot person adieted io the drug habit. After hear. ing the witnesses of the society Judge Murray, known to be most humane judge, turned to the prisoner and ask hwH young man pleaded to be allowed 10 go and said that he had been adieted to the habit but he would stop. After listening to him Judge Murray stated that he did not consider the young man a criminal. "He has formed habit, Snid his honor, "that has got the best Of him. lie cant stop. lie k not it to be turned loose and 1 have no alternative but to send him to a penal institution although he does not de. serve punishment. l hope the time will soon come when the great com. monwealth of Massachusetts win rec ogni1e it's needs and provide place fer such cases. sentence you so four months in jail Al this the prisoner spoke up and said, Don't send me to jail, your honor, they will keep me in n cell for the whole time.n "Is that sog2 said Judge Murray, turning to the officials. They admitted that il was. "Too bad, said his honor, "you should not be locked in A cell. | revoke that sentence and send you to the state reformatory, and again Judge Mur- r. \. .,t ,t..A m .t b., h,,,,.,,4 ,ka, ,h> ,...