The sun., 1919-10-10
MANY GIRLS SAVED
BYPOLICEWOMEN
$50 Rescued From Dangerous
Company at Coney, Says
Mrs. O'Grady.

An interesting story OF how wandering
feet have been turned back to the
straight trail by the city's women police
will be told in the next annual report of
Mrs. Ellen o'Grsdy. Fifth Deputy Po-
lice Commissioner. For one thing. ESQ
girls between the ages OF ~ and IS
years were rescued from perilous COM
pany at Coney Island this summer
Thlrty-hve OF them we're runaways
They were sent back to their homes. and
through the cooperation of other dis
t. let policewomen, parents and welfare
societies, most of them were cured OF
their truancy.
Mrs. O'Grady said yesterday that
when she was a probation officer she
often thought Of what might be done
at Coney Island by persons with the will
and the time to do It. An appropriation
increasing her number OF women de-
tectives. to twenty enabled her this year
to assign two of them, Miss Madeline
O'Neill and Miss Hortense Thompson.
to night duty at the resort. They roved
open eyed from p. m. to 4 a. m. They
observed the freauenters Of concert and
dance halls. and through experience ac-
CURED ability to distinguish girls who
didn't belong" from those who did or
were properly chaperoned.
Girls seen talking to Objectionable mel
were led aside for quiet conversation and
warning II necessary. the name and
address were taken, the parents notified
and sometimes home conditions investi-
gated. In few extreme instances re-
be!lious girls were arrested. there being
no other way to detain them until
inquiry could be made.
1he Deputy Commissioner has plotted
the city into districts, with at least one
of her woman aides assigned TO each
district. When a girl was sent home
the policewoman of her district called
there regularly.
In the day time four pollcewomen-
the whole twenty are in plain clothes
patrolled the Coney Island beaches and
were instrumental in sending to their
homes ESQ girls who. 1t seemed, would
be better off with their families Others
of the squad have been on similar duty
in the parks
This seasons observation has
strengthened Mrs. O'Grady's conviction
that the city ought to have a curfew
ordinance. She deems II The best
preventive of youthful delinquency.
Moreover. public school teachers have
often told her that children who should
have been In bed early the night before
come to school so sleepy and tired in
the morning that they cannot compre-
bend their. lessons. A curfew law en-
towering the police to pick up children
on the streets at night is needed, the
Commissioner says, to compel parents
to do what they ought to do without
compulsion.
When she was asked IL war time pro-
hibition was aiding her in her work
Mrs. OGrady said there was a marked
decrease in the number of women ar
rested for drunkenness and for offences
attributed to strong drink. She added
that 1t was too early to form a conclu-
sion.
Mrs. O'Grady indicated one way in
which employers do good. You see that
factory there?' she said, pointing
through a window. Look at those dirty
windows They are almost opaque, and
have never seen them any other way
If had the authority I'd say to the
owner. Clean those windows and keep
them clean He would save in gas bills
and in preserving the eyesight and
health Of his employees.
How can people keep their health
and be happy in places where daylight
to cay nothing of sunshine, ever gets in
What a lot could be accomplished il
people would only wake up to small
things"