The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-13
MRS. ULLMAN TELLS OF VISIT ID NIGHT COURT FOR WOMEN How New York Is Handling Problems Engaging At
 tention of Society NO DETENTION HOME FOR GIRL PRISONERS likeness Is One of the Most Prolific Sources of Trouble to Those
 Getting Into the
 Courts
By MRS. SIDNEY M. uLLMAN

New York, December S.-(Special Correspondence.) )-"Pm not guilty your honor, I swear he's just lying anybody could tell by looking at me I'm a good girl"
 This is the third time you are up Mary, and the charge tonight is a grave one"
 But I'm a good girl" and she cried on, the little slim girl all in brown with black furs and an imitation paradise" still trying to seem good when every mark of dissipation was on her.
 Thirty days"-and off she went a victim of society, of a system and a poor kind of justice.
 But before she left the room, she looked back and smiled, just kind of good good earth II m- such-a- failure Kind of smile. and while our sympa- thies were still with her, the next case came on. An old grey-haired woman, swollen-eyed and sordid-just drink And back to the workhouse she went
 There was the old-timer and the first offender and the girl that is hard. ened and cares nothing, and the dope and the most awful, hopeless one of all the feeble -minded-aIl at the woman's night court
 The woman's night court of New York city is the most heart-rending sight of all the prison work in the city. We reached the old Jefferson market, magistrate court, second di- vision, about 9:3o. Court in session, and the room crowded to the door, friends of the prisoners, some to go on their bail, some to act as witnesses, then the bench full of lawyers. 'Schysters" preying on anyone that looks prosperous or hopeful, offering them parole, a quick trial, small sen tence etc, etc., and pulling the money out of their hands as they wait And the long bench of plainclothes men that make the arrests, and God knows how many girls they pull in" that are innocent, Small chance for the girl' is truly said. And yet the probation officer was there, making investiga- tions and helping.
 At l1:30 the first session was over, man asked us if we would like to speak of the work to Miss Smith, the probation officer, so we retired to a large room with chairs along the wall and desk A tall matronly-looking woman was there She told us of her work, how uphill it all was, for New York, with all it's crime and money. had no detention home, and the woman on probation must go to the House of Refuge or jail. Seldom do they dare trust them to the streets, and small and lacking, and far from ideal as our little Birmingham Detention Home is. ] was proud to tell this woman that our arrested girls didn't have to stay m Jail, even over night that we in Birmingham, have in progress a cot Young Girls, that we are maj king bet ter women of the young girls and try Ing to help the fallen, older ones
 Dr. Katherine Davis is trying to do big work for New York, but so lar it has accomplished little, except 10 clean up the warehouses; likeness Is still their chief curse and the little, work being required now is not given out with any degree of understanding. one woman from the workhouse wrote to man at the workhouse: Kate Davis has sure put this place on the bum.' That is the attitude of the prisoner.
 All social workers especially those doing big prison work. are sure that the question of the prostitute is the