davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

systems" he said, "but I defy any
one in the world to duplicate this
scene-a group Of former convicts
dining their former keeper.
"Think of what it means to us to
have had chance to go straight;
and not only to us, but to the whole
community. Men in Chicago who
come out Of Joliet with a record
are arrested on suspicion right
away. They know they will be ar
rested whether they deserve it or
not. What chance have they got?
And remember, that used to be the
system in New York. If it had been
the system when we came out what
chance would we have had to be
here to-night?"
The man who used to be among
the smartest confidence men known
to the New York police, who has
done, altogether, eighteen years in
prison and who at first regarded the
stories of the Welfare League as
"bull," now takes care of a $4,000
pay roll every week. He is a trusted
employee Of large coal concern.
Judge Wadhams, he said, helped
him to go straight.
"When l left Sing Sing Judge
Wadhams told me to go straight. He
told ME if I was forced to the wall
to go and see him. Well, I played
the ponies for while, then I went
broke. [ went to the judge and I
told him I'd sooner steal than
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

ship three days after I walked out
Of Sing Sing, and I have ship yet,
and, please God, I'll have ship to
the day I die. I thought I was
wrecked-a total loss. They
brought me into a safe anchorage,
and as long as l have to live I'll owe
Osborne and his friends a debt that
| cannot possibly hope to repay"
There was the short, stocky, griz-
zled chap Of middle age who COM
rleted a fifteen-year term for man.
slaughter. He is now overseer in a
large garage. The gunman who
served three terms for shooting and
carrying concealed weapons is now
the caretaker of the townhouse of a
multi-millionaire.
How is it done? BY what al
chemy are these men drawn from
their criminal careers to the paths
Of honest back-aching or brain
sweating toll? Simply, according to
Osborne and the Welfare League
Association, by assuring them a fair
chance.
The scheme originated in 1915,
when a group of committees was
formed at the suggestion of the
National Committee of Prisons.
Later, the committees were incor-
porated as the New York State
Prison Council, which became, in
time, the Welfare League Associa-
ton. The Welfare League Asso-
citation is not to be confused with
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

pockets, second-story workers and
"yeggs." Among them they had done
time for more than one hundred and
eleven years. Their ages ranged
from twenty-five to seventy; they
represented seven nationalities, but
they were bound by one common
tie. They had shown that there is
truth in the Salvation Army's slo-
gan: they had proved that though a
man may be down, he is never out.
They were thirty-seven living de-
malls of the cynical theory that they
never come back.
Many things have happened since
Thomas Mott Osborne, under the
alias of Tom Brown, served a vol
untary term in Auburn Prison in
order that he might know what it
really meant to be in Jail Osborne
has been warden of Sing Sing since
then, and has had an opportunity
to convert his humanitarian theories
into chiseled achievement. He has
met much criticism and has not van
quished it all, and he is now, as the
head OF the United States Naval
Prison at Portsmouth, still fighting
for what he calls a square deal for
the incarcerated man.
Whatever may be the popular
opinion as to the practicability of
Osborne's ideas or of the advisa-
bility Of official adoption of the Os-
borne theories of prison govern
ment, there is no escaping the fact
that thirty-seven men who have
risen from the husks that the swine
did eat to assured and prideful place
in the community of clean souls
have given to Thomas Mott Osborne
the credit for showing them the road
TO rehabilitation.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
The NestOr

Similar experiences were recited
as the speechmaking became gen
eral. There was young man who
had done five years for ATTEMPTED
highway robbery. While he was in
Sing Sing under Osborne's jurisdic
ton he learned typesetting and to-
day he is employed by leading
magazine house. There was the
chap who once did five-year
stretch for grand larceny, who is
now a clerk at a fashionable hotel
and one of the best clerks that
hostelry ever had, by the confession
of its manager. There was the
daddy" of the party. He is past
threescore and ten.
81 thought l was done for" he
smiled. 'They sent me up for as
sault. I guess it was all right, but
at my age it's a terrible thing to 90
to prison. l couldn't see anything
for it when l came out but the
river. | was a seagoing skipper be-
fore | went up the river, and who
would give charge of a ship to a
man with prison record?
But they fixed me up. | got a
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
I ORMICY is one of the viii
lagos Of the Marine, for
" which an appeal is being
made bY the Reconstruction

lageS or the Marne, Tor
which an appeal is being
made by the Reconstruction
Committee, at the head Of which
is Jacques Pierre Forgeot, deputy
for the Marne and Mayor of CORN
icy. Contributions should be ad-
dressed to the Cormicy Reconstruct
tion Committee, Hancock County
Bank, Pass Christian, Miss.
M. Regnier, former ub-prefect
of Rheims, has written the follow
ing account of the devastation of
the village:
"Availing myself of the cooperation
of my friend, Charles P. dc Boissy.
whose devotion to number of causes
organized for the relief of the un-
fortunate and helpless is only too we'll
known, l venture to call to the atten-
tion of American generosity, the mod
est little village Of Corinicy depart
ment of Marne), which numbered. be-
fore the war, 1900 inhabitants.
"Cormicy is situated, or rather was
situated, in the 'arrondissement' of
Rheims, only seventeen kilometers Ga
little more than one mile), from that
city, on the railroad between scissors
and Guignicourt, and was connected
with Rheims by an electric car line;
1t rose on the banks of the Aisne near
the junction of the river and the canal.
From August, 1914, until Septem-
Der, 1913, it was almost constantly
within the firing line and during that
period was twice occupied by the Ger
mans. After the great Battle of the
Marine in 1914, the enemy, suspending
his retreat, established himself less
than one mile from Rheims and still
nearer the village of Cormicy.
Then began the long martyrdom of
that ancient market town. Violent
combats occurred in it's ncighborhood
without interruption. To understand
the fighting that took place here. it
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

Forgot, Deputy from Rheims, who ac-
companied me several times afterward
when | returned to Cormcy in my at
tempts to bring relief and little
comfort to the remaining inhabitants.
although not large city like
Rheims, the population, nevertheless,
suffered as much. 1t is true that other
villages suffered because of their posi-
ton on the firing line; l know. for l
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
hese 81 Men, at Least, Have Come Back
Way to Reform
Not Closed to
Convicts

often, the decentralization of priso,
discipline or the aggravation Of tha
prisoners discomfort and contemn,
for society. Such a policy doe.
nothing to develop self-respect a,
to encourage ambition. 1t il m,
constructive. Experience has shoun
already that the prisoners apnrs
ciate the privileges conferred uuon
them in this way far less than those
which they have earned for them.
selves. 1t is characteristic of bu.
man nature that the free gift !.
valued far less than the ouid nro
quo"
The answer to the question Of
Glow is it done?" is found in the
last quoted paragraph. In effect
the system says to the men, .'Here
is your chance to make good. Il ia
up to you to show that you can
make good" The recent dinner IN
Thomas Mott Osborne supplies the
evidence in thirty-seven cases.
1t does not always work out 30
happily, Of course. There are cases
IN the associations records Of men
who have had every possible chance
to go straight, but have failed to
make the grade But there ara
fewer Of these, the association de.
clares, than there are of the other
kind-the kind who have grasped
the proffered opportunity and have
chung to it, resisted temptations Of
TERRIFYING strength to turn aside
from it and have conquered in the
end. T
One Of the thirty-seven men who
sat around that banquet table the
ether night submitted to an inter-
view. He was a little tremulous of
publicity
i am not ashamed Of what I
am now," he said, "but 1 am
ashamed of what l was, and l have
new and valued friends. Keep my
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

visited all of them within my district,
but it is for Cormicy that l have all
ways felt the most compassion. l vis-
tied it as often as possible, riding in a
low, gray car and taking advantage of
cloudy and rainy davs.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

claimed by the enemy's shells, on one
day alone twenty-three persons hav-
ing been killed in the cellar of the
City Hall. Finally, in April, 1916, sixty
inhabitants were left. Among them
noble and courageous old gentleman,
my request, and without the assur-
ance of any compensation, again took
up the direction of the affairs of the
commune and of the council, which
had entirely disappeared
"Then in May, the French military
authorities, in anticipation of strategic
operations, decided upon the evacua-
tion Of the village. Its people pro-
tested and L succeeded in having the
decision set aside. However, a few
months afterward, Mr.. Masse received
a formal order to evacuate INN ediate-
ly. He dispatched a motorcyclist to
Rheims to beg of me to intervene, and
I lost no time in visiting three army
officers, incl nding General Franchet
d'Esperey, commanding the army. But
they were inhexible and was told that
this was general measure and applied
to all the communes of the sector which
hpppened to be on the firing line
"When | entered Cormicy as the
bearer of this news the inhabitants
informed me that they would not leave.
There were again tears and protests
Nine. Masse, wife of the mayor, de-
claring that she would rather die than
leave. did my best to persuade them;
| tried to make them understand that
if the military authorities took such a
step, it was to save them from certain
death and I gave them hope that their
exile would be of short duration. But
| left without the certainty Of having
convinced them.
Evacuation
"The order TO evacuate was to be
executed within twenty-four hours. at
midnight. At the time set, severa!
long automobiles, which In other days
had conveyed happy tourists across
France, arrived to take the inhabitants
tc the station at Muizor. They did
not resist; it was hardly worth while
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

starve. He sent me to the Welfare
League and they put me in touch
with my boss. He started me at $40
a week. That was three years ago
and they'll never see me inside
stone walls again"
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
Population DaUindled

"The population continued to grow
smaller; daily new victims were
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
The Jail Smell

Il was bad egg when | was a
kid. l didn't have much training.
except what l picked up on the
streets. l saw the inside of Sing
Sing before l was twenty-one. and
l saw it again six weeks after I
came out. Things were like that
then. When you had once got the
jail smell on you-good night! You
didn't have to do anything. You
only needed to be suspected.
IN tell you the main thing. It's
the chance to go straight. Most
crooks are intelligent, and they
know as we'll as the next man that
being crooked doesn't pay, but be-
fore they never had a chance to 90
straight. How many men were
there who would hire chap with
jail record? Not one. The only
chance man had was to keep his
record hidden, and he couldn't do
it. He might get away with it for
a day or two, or maybe sometimes
for a month. Then some Dick'd
spot him, and farewell job! I've
known cases like that, dozens of
them.
"But not now. It's surprising
how many men there are who will
give a chap a chance if tAev feel
that he's got good stuff in hin iail
smell or no jail smell. He lss to
show it, Of course, while hes in
side; but before they started his
thing he didn't have a chanceAo
show it while he was inside. THAI
the big thing-the chance to show
that the vital spark Of manhood isN
still there.
"It's up to the man himself in
the long run, Of course. If he has
a permanent bad streak in him it'll
come out, and he'll slip back; and
sometimes it's hard work, even if
a chap really means it. You can't
blame a business man for being
bit leary Of the jail smell, but it
can be done. I've been out three
and a half years. Pm making $50
week, and making it steady, and
making it honest; and I've got two
thousand in the bank, every nickel
Of it earned.
"Why, Pm even thinking of get
ting married. Can you beat that?
She's wonderful little girl, too
She knows all about me, and she's
satisfied to take the chance.
"That's the big thing. The
chance to go straight. We're going
to hold another dinner soon. Some
time in the spring. The boys are
talking about making it semi
annual affair. A sort of a reunion.
That's funny one, isn't it? A
Sing Sing Alumni Association"
R,,k
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
Finds Hin, a Job

From the Welfare League the
newly freed man comes under the
wing of the Welfare League Asso-
ciation, which undertakes to nno
him Job. In most cases the job is
waiting when the man comes out.
The employer is informed only that
the man has been in Jail and is look
ing for chance to rehabilitate him
self. The rest is up to the man.
Heretofore, says a recent man
ifesto Of the association, "prison re-
form has followed the sentimental
policy Of bestowing favors and priv
ileges on prisoners whether they
have asked for them or not and re-
gardless of whether they have
shown that they we're qualified to
receive or to make proper use of
them. The result has been, too
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14
One Who Reformed

Listen to this (the speaker is one
Of the guests at the Osborne din
New-York tribune., 1919-12-14

the Welfare League. The associa-
ton is composed of leading citizens,
who are interested in humanitarian
movements to conquer crime by
kindly treatment and the honor sys-
tenn. The league is composed of
men inside the prisons. They elect
their own officers. They pledge
themselves and their fellow mem
bers to go straight when their time
is up, and when they leave the
prison walls they cease to be men,
bers of the league. The league is a
prison organization only.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
NOGALES TOWN COUNCIL

Yesterday evening the No
gales Town Council was in reg
ular monthly session. Mayor
Fielder presiding.
The session was pro5racted,
there being a deal of routine
work, and reading minutes of the
many meetings held in the month
of August took a deal cf time.
Repair work was ordered on
Franklin, Plum, Mix, Crawford
Streets and Scniota Avenue.
Resignation of Police Judge j.
C. Underwood was read and ac-
cepted, and a vote of thanks
rendered the retiring official.
A petition numerously signed
was presented, and read. 1t re-
quested retention of Special Of
ficer Larccm, who is employed
by the business men of the town,
and made a special officer to give
him authority necessary for due
protection of their property.
The council recessed until the
evening of September 18th.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
TELEPHONE PROBE
IS STARTED IN
CALIFORNIA
United Press)

SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. e.
The State Railroad Commission
has ordered issuance of a notice
to all telephone exchanges in the
state, numbering more than 400,
as well as to the city officials
Of California towns, announcing
thot tho commission will hold .
hearing in the Flood Building
here September Is to determine
the methods and scope of the
commissions investigation into
the matters of telephone rates
in California.
The hearing was originally set
for September 5. Although the
meeting will be of a prelimin-
ary nature, it will enable the
commission to outline it's task Of
reviewing the entire rate ques'
ton which became involved wher
the rates were raised by Post
master General Burleson during
the period of federal wire control
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
A.E.F. SOLDIER
LAWYERTELLS
PROBERS HIS
EXPERIENCE
Depicts The Tyrrany And In
justice Of Army Officers, And
Describes Some OF The Of
fences They Commit On En-
listed Men.
Omitted Press Service)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2. =
w. E. Thomas, a Minneapolis
lawyer who served as a private
in the American Expeditionary
Force in France, told the Senate
Military Affairs Committee, to-
day, that in France American
Army officers tried to prevent
his defending comrades before
courts martial.
Mr.. Thomas said he was sent
to military prison four months
for being absent without leave,
when he had been in a hospital
ward all the time he was report.
ed as absent. He intimated that
the officer making the report
was aware that the witness was
in the hospital, and deliberate
ly falsified the record as a mat
ter of spite.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
CITIZEN ARMY
URGED FOR
The U. S.
General Organ Of New York
Hits The Proposition For A
Great Standing Army, And
Opposes War Department Bill.
Omitted Press Service)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2.
'"The United States should have
citizen army instead of a pro-
fessional army" was a declara-
ton made by Major Gene
Organ, of New York, in a~hea
ing before the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs, today.
General Organ opposes tn
War Departments bill on army
reorganization, taking the ground
that it creates too large stand
ing army.
The standing army should be
10000 men said Organ; and
universal training should be ap-
piled so as to have 5000 600
men in the country who have
military training.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03

dry laws and constitutional pro-
hibition amendment; and that
the answer of Secretary Lansing
was tantamount to an assertion
that it can't be done.
Tit Juana has always been q
lively place and it has given long
a charm to those who found
there many things that are taboo
on the north side Of the
imaginary line dividing the
United States from Mexico.
Adoption of prohibition by Cali
fornia, and later of the prohibi-
tion constitutional amendment
by the country at large has ad-
ded to the charm of Tia Juan2
to a large number" of Cali
fornians. 1t is to shut such peo-
pie out from going across thai
Mr.. Randall, the prohibition con-
gressman from California, hoped
to get the passport obstacle pu5
up against.
The thirsty souls who want t.
90 over to Tia Juana will hail
with delight this ruling by the
Secretary of State.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
WAR WOMEN'S
DAY OBSERVED
WELL AT FRISCO
Omitted Press Service)

(Unlted Press SerVlce)
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. e.
For months past, the nation has
been paying well deserved
homage to her defenders, the
soldiers, marines and sailors.
Today, however, the order is be-
ing reversed, and the eX-service
men still wearing uniforms of
fighting are paying homage.
This is "War Women's Day.,
and the men of the incoming
fleet, troops at the preside and
thousands of eXservice men from
San Francisco and all surround
ing cities are to join in a mas
sive parade. Red Cross workers,
Yoemanettes, Marinettes, Y. M.
G.. A. and Y. w. G. A. canteen
workers, w. C. c. S. workers,
Army nurses and the many 9TH
er women who by work, en-
couragement or deeds helped the
fighting men to overcome wounds
sickness, lonesomeness or the
temptations that heset 9 vouno
mans path are the guests of
honor.
| Thirty thousand men will be
in line this afternoon, and the
perssonel will include Secretary
of the Navy Daniels, Lie'1t.
Gen. Hunter P. Liggett and 9TH
er men high in military and
naval circles. The California
"GrizzIies", 363rd Inf2ntrv ard
a number of other units n'"-' to
march in body. Besides the e,
there will be naval detachmen5s
and strong turnOuts hv soldier
and sailor societies. The Stock
ton post of the American Le-
gion came nearly in full strength
on a special steamer. Richmond
Berkeley, Alameda and other
East Bay districts will combine
, with Oakland to send over g
tremendous division.
The procession will be follow
l ed by a patriotic meeting at thu
civic center, fireworks and ;
grand Victory Ball at Civic Au
!. ditorium.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
U. S. Filler SHOT
WHILE ON PATROL
BY MEXICANS
Was Wounded BY The Fire Made
Upon Him, Reported That
Shooting Airplanes Is Getting
Regular Sport.
Omitted Press Service)

LAREDO, Texas. Sept. Z.
Captain David B. EicNabb, COM
nlander second Eight, Eighth
aero squadron, u, S. A., was shot
and dangerously wounded by
Mexican soldiers while flying
over the Rio Grande near the
Mexican border, today.
McNabb said there were about
twenty-five soldiers in the party
that fired on him, sending more
than one hundred shots in his
direction.
Lieuntenant johnson, mechan-
ician, who was with McNabb, was
unhurt.
McNabb was flying at low al
titude when he saw the MeXi-
cans. Before he could ascend tc
get out of range they opened fire.
riddling the aeroplane. One bull
|let struck McNabb behind the
ear.
A report of the affair has
been forward to the War De-
partment at Washington.
Reports of firing on border -
patrols have been current for
several days, both Mexican sol
dier and customs guads are said
to have been very free in use O.
their firearms whenever an
American patrolling airplane ap-
peared anywhere in the vicinity
| of the international line.
The affair has cansed intense
lexcitement in Laredo and vicini
Ity.
Captain McNabb was brought
here after landing at an Amerl-
can ranch, some miles out of the
citv
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
CHURCH ENTERTAINMENT

Mrs. Elisa de Chenoweth and
other leading ladies' Of both Mo-
gales have arranged an amateur
dramatic entertainment that will
be given tomorrow in the Hill
algo Theatre, in Nogales, Sonora
for benefit of the Catholic church
in that city. Prominent and we'll
known young ladies and gentle
men have been in training by
Mrs. Chenoweth and her assist
ants; and it is reported that they
have become very efficient in
their various parts, 1t is anti
cipated that the show will be a
great success.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
HENRY FORD
WILL BUILD A
BIG FACTORY
IN MEXICO
Will Manufacture Tractors, And
Other Agricultural Machinery
For Use In The Republic, And
Give Employment To ThOus-
andS.
United Press Service)

WASHINGTON, Sept. I'm
spite of political disturbances in
Mexico Henry Ford is going
ahead with plans to build in
northern Mexico an extensive
factory for Fordson tractors,
and such other agricultural ma
chinery as the Ford activities
contemplate.
The fact set forth above was
conveyed in a recent letter from
Mr.. Ford to American bankers
in Chihuahua, a copy of which
letter has been received here.
1t is reported that Mr.. Fords
plans embrace a very extensive
modern factory building with q
large and completely equipped
mechanical plant, giving employ
ment to several thousand work
men, and selling machinery iii
sTl parts of Mexieo. 1t is Mr..
Ford's theory that such plart
would, be far n.ele effective IN
restoring ccnd..- IONS in Mexico to
normal, and bringing about peace
than would armed Intervention
The men given employment In
the great tory would be a pc
tent influnce of peace; and
their output scattered through
Mexico, and in constant opera
ton, would be a most wonderful
ram:f;caticn of that desire for
peace emanating from the fac
tory.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03

It is reported that Manu-
Vargas, one of the defeated car
didates for presidente in Nc
gales, Sonora, has gone to He
mosillo, accompanied by some q
his adherents, to intercede wit
state authorities to intervene III i
nullify the election. ''The Oasis
repeats the statement as a II
NOR only.
The daily morning oasis., 1919-09-03
Omitted Press Service)

WASHINGTON, Sept. e.
Today Secretary of State Lans-
ing informed Representative
Randall Of California that war
time passport regulation could
not be used to prevent Ameri-
cans going to Tia Juana, Mex
leo, opposite San Diego, if un-
restricted entrance into Mexico
allowed it.
1t is gathered that Mr.. Ran
dali sought to have the State De-
partment put the passport OBJ
stacle in the way of those who
want to cross over from San
Diego to Tia Juana to get the
spirituous consolation they are
denied in California, under the