The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-10
Hopes Central Charity Bur-
eau Will Help Convicted
Men and Women After
Leaving Bastile.
NEED OF TRAINED
WORKER INDICATED
Robbins Cites Cases of Men
Where Jail Sentence Avails
Nothing, But Sympathy
Will Exalt.

hope that one of the principal func-
tions of the central charity bureau,
which is now being organized by rep
resentatives of all local charitable or
ganizations and which, it is proposed.
will be directed by a salaried secre-
tary, would be to give assistance to
men and women prisoners after they
have served jail sentences.
There should be an employment
bureau in this city SO that practical
assistance could be rendered these un-
fortunate people. It's reflection
upon our boosted civilization that we
give no attention to such people," de-
clared the mayor.
Take the case Of Ted Cannaford
whom fined $100 and costs and gave
thirty days in Jail when he pleaded
guilty this morning to habitual drunk.
enness," continued the mayor. Il be.
lieve that fellow would brace up If he
was given the right kind of a chance
He begged me to let him leave town
after l sentenced him, promising never
to return, and l have suspended sen.
tence on him.
jail No Cure.
1T would do no good under existing
conditions to send him to Jail He
just got out of Jail last Tuesday. When
he left he had little or no money, and
there was no one ready to give him a
friendly boost, no one to assist him
in making a man out Of himself, and
Ted had to have that kind of assist.
ance because he, like so many other
unfortunates of his class, has practi
cally lost his will power through ex.
cessive use Of alcohol.
so Ted having no Trustworthy
friend to give him helping hand did
the natural, the usual thing-he. be
gan drinking again.
Help Family Heads.
"Take ten cases of men sent to Jail
for intoxication or some petty misde-
are heads of families and these eight
priving their families Of their needed
support Then what happens? Why
at least six of these eight families De-
come public charges, wards of chari-
table organizations and the township
trustee.
Now, isn't it true, that if the pro-
posed central charity bureau took a
practical interest in these men after
they got out of Jail the reformation OF
some Of them could be effected, and
for every Jail bird reformed, his
manhood restored to him, family
would be taken off the charity list?
Isn't that practical charity? Isn't
1t better kind of charity than that
which merely supplies food, fuel and
clothing to destitute families?
Trained Worker Needed.
THE successful reformation of men
who have served jail sentences will
require lot of tact, however. 1t
would not be best to leave this work to
men and women who have not, through
personal contact, learned to thorough.
ly appreciate the trials and troubles
of the down and outers.' l know OF
men who would resent any effort on
the part Of a minister or a so-called
social reformer,' to have them turn
over a new leaf but would do so if a
trustworthy friend met them as they
stepped out of Jail, gave them a
friendly pat on the back, told them to
cut it out and make men of them
selves. and finished it up by taking
them to an employment bureau and
getting job for them.
"Of course. there are some men toe
far gone to do any good with, but il
only one down and outer out Of every
ten or twenty could be reformed the
work would be worth while.
"A charity bureau, if it attempted
such work, would have to thoroughly
study all such cases as | refer to and
would have to have the right kind OF
a man to work with each case, but
such workers could be easily found
God pity the fellow who has sunk sc
low that he has not at least one OF
two trustworthy friends left willing
to give him a helping hand"
Mayor Robbins concluded his state
ment with an expression of regret
that work could not be provided for
Jail inmates, and first offenders iso
lated from hardened Jail birds.