The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-05
Daisy and You


There viii be 90 pardon for Daisy Sullivan,
the 18-year-old Bloomfield girl who forged
check for $3.50 and bought some oranges.
Unless. of course. the Governor of the state
disagrees with the women members Of the
prison board who decided that the girl IS bet
Ter off IN a penitentiary than she could be on
the outside
None Of the fifty homes that were offered
TO the girl if she were released viii be called
upon 10 extend the kindly ministrations Of
mercy on the one chance that care, sympathy,
training might save this bit Of human jetsam
which had been tossed about on the rocky
roads OF Greene county and found itself
bruised, MANNED and hurt.
Nor viii the industrial institution in this
city. whose workers operate and conduct its
affairs. the Columbia Conserve Company, re-
ceive her as worker winning her way back
10 self-respect through wages that would en-
able he- to enjoy some independence and self
respect and at the same time extend to her the
interest Of those who might have worked at
her side
The prison trustees announced that they
had made an inquiry that disclosed two other
small fraudulent checks. They decided that
the girl was better off as the companion Of
the hardened women of crime than she could
be on the outside.
'fThe quality of mercy is not strained, .
wrote Shakespeare long, long ago. He is still
right
So if happens, unless the Governor is I'M
pressed with a different idea, that for the next
two years this girl will be a felon. Whether she
then is released depends on the ideas that the
trustees may have as to the advisabiHty Of such
a course. She can be kept there for fourteen
years for those two oranges, if the trustees de-
eide that she is still better off in Jail
'She viii not be Inundated by the fact that
she does not have as good clothes as those
around her, was the defense of the probation
officer Of Greene county. That is the one GER
tain fact
Having disposed of Daisy and securely safe
guarded her with number and a CELL what
about those who made it possible for girl to
sing on her way to her cell at an age When the
girls from protected homes are being carefully
watched by mothers and fathers, and whose
chief worry is the color of their next party
dress?
What about the males of Greene county,
who. so it is declared, were very anxious that
the whole story OF Daisy be not written but
only whispered to bIacEen and destroy her?
What about the churches of the county and
of the state? VIII they sit idly by while this
Judgment is being passed upon the girl and a
chance. Just chance, refused her to have the
influence and care of kindly souls instead of
the harsh discipline of guards
Of course, the state has gained something.
It has demonstrated that a girl who is friend
less, penniless and hungry can be sent to peni-
Tertiary within eighteen hours after her arrest.
The state has failed in some other notable
efforts to stop crime. It's former Governor
pleaded the statute of limitations when con-
fronted with evidence of his effort to buy a
prosecutorship for the gang The boss of the
machine was excused for the same reason.
No statute of limitations ran for Daisy.
The state has failed, thus far, to place its
former mayor Ill cell, although jury has
ordered him to jail Two years have passed.
The courts deliberate. Daisy is in her cell
But at last there is law and justice, even if
there be no mercy.
The law triumphs. 1t caught, convicted
sentenced and imprisoned young girl.
Perhaps Daisy can stand it. Can you?
Ii you are interested, you might write to
Governor Harry G. Leslie at the statehouse and
tell him about it.