New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-03
Will Also Make Male Voter
Secretary of Correction
Department.
APPOINTS GIRL
HER PERSONAL AID
First Day in Office of New Prison
Head One of Smiles and
Many Congratulations.

Miss Katherine Bement Davis assumed
her duties as Commissioner OF Cotrec-
ton Yesterday morning amid smiles from
her new associates and pile OF congratu-
latory kilograms which would have inter-
fered sadly with the days work II she
had been obliged to read ali OF them
As IL was. the new Commissioner was al
her desk at Q O'Clock and did not leave
until 80 one Of the kilograms was
from seth Low, and said
eve rejoice with the city in your ap-
pointment and mourn with Bedford
Another which gave Miss Davis much
Measure was from the women ohlcials Oh
the city institutions on BLACKWELL ISL
and I'm which they expressed their de
upht AT having a woman at their head
Miss Davis was introduced TO her new
assistants bv Patrick Whitney, the retir-
ing Commissioner. and taken on a tour oil
insnection Of her new offices, al no lfS
East Goth street When 1t came time lot
Mr. Whitney TO take his departure MISS
Davls presented him with a rose from the
bunch on her desk sent her by her Two
sisters and shook hands with him cordi-
ally.
"Goodbv." she said. II shall do my
hest sir. TO carry out the good things
YOU have set in motion.
She stated to the reporters VINO ne
sieged her that she could make no state
ments concerning her plans until she had
become acouainted with the details OF her
rev position.
win that be in a day or two?' asked
one hopeful soul.
a dav or two"' she exclaimed cheer-
fully. ITS more likely to be month OF
two. II will take some time. to learn
about my new job. because I must make
myself familiar not only with my own
duties but with those of the other people
in the department. and that is. Let
me see that bulletin, please Yes.
Mr.. Mitchell said yesterday. you know
that he hoped his new appointees Wouiu
not talk. but get right to work. mean
"a obey him cheerfully. for / know l can
nat talk about my work until ! under
stand /. thoroughly. l am glad TO say
that | have the assistance OF Burdett u
Lewis as my Deputy Commissioner.
The swearing in Of Mr.. Lewis was the
nrst official act Of the new Commissioners
In the afternoon she consulted with Mag
istrate McAdoo concerning the plans Tor
me new Home Of Detention for NoInen
which is 10 be built in West 50th street
All day long the new Commissioner was
bes;eged by officeseekers-all men. Not
single woman presumed upon Miss
Davis's tenderness toward her own sex by
asking for favors. 1t was announced that
he secretary Of the department would oe
a man. because Miss Davis admits there
are some tasks which man can do bet
ter than a woman. This position has not
been filled as yet. Miss Daviss personal
secretary will be Miss Emma {. Finn,
who has been with her for the last two
years at Bedford.
Asked whether she was a sunragist,
Miss Davis said most emphatically that
She was a believer in the movement,
though she had never allied herself with
any organization, because she never had
had time to do any active suffrage work.
1T has always seemed 10 me so self
evident a fact that women should have
voice in the government that | never
had patience to argue about IT,, she said.
THE girls at Bedford had most eXcit-
ing debate on the subject once