The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-02
MISS DAVIS TO STOP
CRUELTY IN PRISONS
First Woman Commissioner
Also Will Aid Grand
Jury Inquiry.
KNOWS OF SERIOUS EVILS
Has Many Ideas for Improve
ment, but Won't Talk Of
Them just Yet.
KNOWS OF SERIOUS EVILS

Miss Katherine Bement Davis. the
first woman to head New York city
department, who succeeds Patrick A.
Whitney as Commissioner Of Correction,
will arrive without any fourshes at the
old fashioned dwelling at 1+s East Twen-
tieth street at . o'clock this morning TO
60 to work
Miss Davis sat In the parlor Of the
Murray Hin Hotel yesterday afternoon,
smiled and said:
This Is no time to talk about my
plans. I think the best thing for all
of US to do is to take Mayor Mitchers
advice this morning, when he swore us
into Office: we had better keep still
until We learn our jobs
The Mayor suggested that this was to
he an administration OF deeds. not words
Naturally l have many thoughts about
the city's prisons. could not very
we'll be without them after having been
at the head of Bedford Reformatory for
thirteen years and having In that time
many chances to observe New York's
prisons
But 1t would be very stupid Of me
to air them now. do not even know
my Office stan as yet
Butt u bedford.
Miss Davis came to the Bedford Re-
formatory when there wasn't any. None
OF the modern buildings, none OF the
administrative scheme that have placed
Bedford in the front rank of the
worlds corrective institutions, were in
existence when she took charge there.
She is more than an advocate OF modern
penology she has achieved II.
"Will you help the Grand Jury inves-
tigation of Blackwelrs Island now under
way she was asked.
II will help to the utmost of my power
any proper inquiry into city prisons by
any proper body was the quick an
swer.
You wouldn't permit the use Of dark
cells would you?
IL will tolerate nothing inhuman In the
treatment of prisoners" she responded.
She was asked about the poor condition
Of the city's prison plant 1t has been es-
tmated that about $4.000.000 will ne
needed 10 put the institutions of her de-
partment in proper physical shape.
Knows Of Many Evils.
Il know that many of the citys js!ls
are overcrowdcd." Miss Davis said 81
know doubling up exists and Is a source
OF serious evils. Hut you must remember
that the warions are not to blame for
that. They must receive the prisoners
cent to them
1t was suggested that as a woman
she might he able to obtain from the
Board OF Estimate the money sorely
needed 10 put in shape the Tombs. reni-
Tertiary and workhouse, money that eN-
Commissioner Whitney and others were
| unable 10 get.
Il do not want the fact that 1 am a
| womaY to help me to accomplishment.
Miss Davis answered with a smile.
She will have the power TO appoint
| wardens to the city's prisons, subject to
| civil service restrictions. IL she mas .
warden disobeying her orders. thing moi
unknown in the past, there is reason Il
| believe that she Will make charges against
| him. But she enters office presuming upon
| the honesty and efficiency of those under
! her and she will displace no one without
| cause.
Miss Davis was accompanied by hei
| brother and James Wood, president OF the
| American Bible Society when she wen
to the city Hall at noon TO be sworn II
| with Mayor Mtchers other appolntees
! After taking the oath and listening to tn
/ MAYORS little speech she went TO luncheon
| with her brother, who had come dowr
! from Rochester for the occasion.
| Guest AZ suffrage Tea.
| Later in the afternoon she WAS "A cues
at the New Years tea of the woman
/ suffrage party ut its headquarters, u
| East Thirty-fourth street, arriving VIII
| Judge Ben Lindsey of Denver and Mrs
Lindsey Dust married). Eugene Boisse
vain and Mrs. Inez Milholland Boisse
vain and Mrs, Robert Adamson, wife o
the new Fire Commissioner.
John II. Rockefeller once characterized
| Katherine Bement Davis as the cleveres
| woman ! have ever met" Miss DAVIS u
classed as a suffragist. ana that sh'
sympathizes with the suffrage cause II
true though she has never been In any
way connected with any suffrage organi
cation. She was born with suffrage sym
pathies, she says. Her grandmother wa
a member OF the pioneer group OF SUI
fragists that included Elizabeth Cad!
Stanton and others.
| She IL modern, but not radical. Sh
! once said she would be willing to hav
vice segregated in New York II there wa
a fence around the district and gat
through which every man would hav'
10 pass and register. She has no faiti
! in the minimum wage az panacea 10
| the social evil. She believes in the theor,
of the minimum wage, but does not SCI
how II can successfully be put into prac
tice Tho secret OF her great work y
| Bedford has been best put by hersel
when she said
| 81 began work feeling sure that IL yol
treated an erring girl kindly. Withou
sentiment, hut with sympathy; II yol
remedied the deficiencies in her educa
ton. thus making her efficient. and pu
AN honest living within her reach u,
teaching her a trade. you would be meet
ing her half way. and that II you wen
half way she would probably come tn
| other half to meet you"