Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-07-15
a Phllantlkopist
Sp oiled
b SADIE oLco'TT'

for mission. finally decided to tan
one upon herself. She selected Il
amelioration sof the criminal classe
She visited them in prison, and man
OF them talked with her 90 persuasiv
" about the unfortunate circnmstancl
that had led them to become crimina
that she came to believe they were u
victims Of theirssurroundings. This y
her to advocate mercy toward them
Miss Lawrence, who was wealthy
founded q society for helping criminl
to lead a better life. Her society M
really corps Of young women W
were proud to be her assistants. TIL
worked with her In the cause aiI
though during term Of years the
succeeded in lifting only very fei
criminals up into better sphere %
manently, they persevered.
One Of Miss Lawrence's objects NJ
to induce persons against whom crime
had been committed to refrain frps
prosecution and to take the offende
under their protection with view q
accomplishing his reformation. 81
found this=a. difficult matter. Whs
one had been victimized by a conf
dence man he was usually bent rath]
on punishment than sympathy. Wild
a woman lost her jewelry at the hand
Of dishonest servant she considered
1t her duty to the state to prosecuf
the thief Miss Lawrence spent mpc,
Of her time in endeavoring to induc1
such persons to forego revenge an
help bring about new birth In thOs
who had injured them.
Whenever Miss Lawrence saw an %
count In q newspaper of theft or :
robbery She would go or send one q
her assistants TO the injured person 4
induce him .0t her to be merciful Or
day, hearing that an elderly butler had
been caught 1purloining his employer
valuables she went to the Jail. saw thd
thief, who had been arrested, al
found him Ito be a man Of fifty,
good appearance and, according to b
account, the victim of unfortunate ell
cumstances. His name was Home
Hawkins. When asked how he CAM
by the name Of Homer he said that bid
father had been pedagogue and al
admirer of the great poet Homej
Hawkins wept bitter tears over th1
condition in which he found himself
and so worked on Miss Lawrences(
feelings that she went to his late mas
ter, secured a promise that he woul
not prosecute; the case and took Mr.
Hawkins under her own especial care
for the purpose Of giving him an ID
portunity to show how cruel fate hid
been to him.
Hawkins was made major domo Of
Miss Lawrence's household. He seem,
ed too respectable to be called butles
or to perform the mental services 0faa
butler. The truth Is he did very littls
Of anything, because Miss Lawrenc,
had nothing for SO respectable q person
to do. He attended to the purchase
of household supplies, and since his
mistress paid cash for everything
she bought her major domo was Hi
trusted With, the funds used for til
purp0ses sSsS>:
Never <Wassa man more particulst
rendering his accounts. II from
multitude Of payments at any onef
he was at loss to account Cd
dime or nickel he was SO much t
bled that his mistress sometimes
pected that.he would burst into te
On such occasions she assured
that so trifing an amount was Of
consequence, but in vain. He wo
mourn over the fact that after the
fortunate, Condition in which she
found him she would surely think 4
dishonest. He refused to be g
forted. ~
Ono day Hawkins went out to do
mornings marketing. He did not
turn at the usual time and In
meanwhilesa lady called on Miss La
renee and she sought her kind Offices
the matter Of criminal who had I'd
bed her. sEhe lady was willing to SI
give the cuiprit, but asked Miss Law
renee TO-; undertake his reform. Mly
ladies' car was at the door, and lsl|
begged Miss Lawrence to go with III
to a police station to see the prisdle|
Miss Lawrence consented and ont III
way the. lady told her that the driIl
inal had called on one Of her mhtd
the evening before and had gone ava,
with some. valuable silver. He hal
beensarfested in the morning. ,i|
When Miss Lawrence reached fh
Jail, and the culprit was marched: gu
Of his cefl the good lady was acton
ished. 4 He was Homer Hawkins. Hi
benefactress was at loss what
do In til s matter, but, turning I'd "
lady whosh suffered, was aboIf
plead for the prisoner, when aIs
spectorEs SHOWED her number Of
ticles beaSaging to her that had b
found In: Hawkins possession. III
There was difference In Miss III
rence's neighbors losing valuablea3
losing them herself. She turned II
Hawkins, called him an ungrate
man, and then, after promising thu 1
spector that she would appear again
the priSones. walked out Of the ON
the plctsas - Indignation.
This. 2epded Miss Lawrence's IND
vidual work In the reformation Of crl
inals. She disbanded her society. ~
in time Joined one in which the SwoI
carried, on was rather general tha
particular. Even this organized seffol
met with very limited succea
Nevertheless Miss Lawrence found Cd
while particular reformations were
achieved, the condition Of the crimij
classes was bettered by the efforts
the society.