Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-01-19
FORMER CONvICTS
TO Get A CHANCE.
Ex- Members Of the Sing Sing
League Tell Of Troubles.
WORK TO PREVENT ALL CRIME

New York Police Commissioner Prom
isss That His Detectives viii No
Longer "Dos" the x.Prisonsrs'
"ones . Crook, Always a Crook"
Will Never Again Be Slogan Of Police
Ex-convicts are going to get fair
show in New York-at least during the
commissionership of Arthur Woods,
police head.
There Is to be no more logging the
trail Of men who have done their
prison bit by BULLS who hold to the
motto, "Once a crook, always crook. "
Commissioner Woods said so at re-
markable dinner gathering. This was
an affair arranged by the national COM
mittee on prisons, whereby thirty for
mer inmates Of Sing Sing and Auburn
prisons were the committees guests.
Furthermore, the police commission
er is going to cooperate with the ex-
convicts, with the idea that they can,
by influence and example, help to keep
down new crime.
He will meet them from time to time
and talk things over, both from their
viewpoint and his.
Guests Prison Alumni.
The guests Of the national committee
on prisons were all members OF the
Outside Mutual Welfare league, a sort
of alumni association of free men who
have belonged to the Mutual Welfare
league in two state prisons. They
were at work and doing well, they re-
ported.
But several Of them in addresses
they made to the assemblage told bit
ter tales of how the bulls" had made
life miserable for them-how they had
been bounded from one job to another
because the detectives had pointed out
to the men for whom they were work
ing that they were crooks, jailbirds,
and they had no alternative except to
admit 1t.
II am glad to meet you men and help
you," Commissioner Woods said. 1T IS
the first time have had any expert
ence with your organization. will
gladly work with you and see that the
police Of New York city instead of
bounding ex-convicts will help them in
every way possible. In case Of any ex-
convict your organization will o. X.
We will see that he is given every pos
sible chance and all assistance within
our power. ~
II am hired to prevent crime. You
can help me there perhaps. I hope you
will and that we may work together.
tremendously"
1--WE WILL" exclaimed several Of the
former prisoners as they applauded the
commissioner.
Put II SquareIy to Woods.
One of the ex-convicts asked, Com
missioner, If you got out Of prison
with only $40 and had to spend it for
food, what would you do next?"
1T was a mighty lucky thing for
me-" said Mr. Woods. talking Of the
incident. that some one changed the
topic. couldn't have answered the
question very we'll, I'm afraid"
He asked the men how many had
been in reformatories. 1t seemed
twenty of the thirty had been. He In
quired if they were taught anything
good there. They hooted derisively
and explained that they had been
taught only the most evil Of things
how to be worse instead Of better.
The commissioner told them, in con-
clusion, he thought they could be Of
"inestimable value" in helping to keep
down crime. You can do as much as
I can along that line" be said.
Martin Loonan, an ex-convict, chair
man of the employment bureau Of the
NJ. W. L., reported that he had got
jobs for 200 former prisoners and IT'S
had made good. Ernest S. Roche Of
the employment committee Of the ma.
tional committee on prisons said he
had placed $50 in steady employment
MI 900 had iuSfifio6 tho work