Fort Mill times. (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, September 25, 1913, Image 3
HELP/O BACK TO
FORMER PLACE
IN IRE WORLD
Philanthropic Societies
Have Made Good Citizens
Out of Veriest
Derelicts
>
Dcrnonc DDour tut pi^to
iikwwiiuo i nuvl. inn rHOli
That the Old Saying, "Once a Thief,
Always a Thief," May Be Revised
Is the Testimony of Those Engaged
In the Work of Reform in
Various Cities?Mrs. Maud Ballington
Booth Cite6 Many Cases That
Have Come Under Her Personal
Observation In the Course of
Years.
NKW YORK.?Following swift on
the recent revolt of convicts In
Sing Slug, their deliance of warden
and keepers, their threats
to dynamite the prison and effect a
general delivery has come an insistent
question:
"'s It possible to reform a convict
and make a good citizen out of him?"
Tuke that same Sing Sing with Its
army of men Incarcerated for crimes
of almcHt every kind?burglars, highwaymen.
habitual ne'er do wells, common
thieves, housebreakers, second
story men, pickpockets, bank robbers,
bigamists, bujico steerers, grafters of
every degree, accomplished swindlers
of every kind?take this mass of depraved
humanity? is it possible really
to effect a reformation in more than
an occasional instance? is it possible
to restore a majority of these prisoners
to places of respect and responsibility
in the world of freedom?
Possibly a great majority of those
who asked the question knew that
certain religious organizations, welfare
societies and other charitable
agencies have long asserted that they
actually can, and do, succeed in reforming
criminals, men and women of
the most hardened types; that they restore
them to their families and see
them become members of society?
respected. trusted, and sometimes honored.
Hut the average man is apt to
be somewhat skeptical of such statements.
What he asks for is plain,
definite, convincing, indisputable facts.
No Doubt of Rescues.
Those who ask the question and deman
proof are, for the most part,
practical, level-headed men of affairs.
In order to ascertain whether a definite,
incontrovertible ans\ver to their
doubts can be obtained inquiry has
"bet n made of agencies and individuals
who have much to do with convicts
discharged from prisons and penitentiaries
In eacli instance the attitude
of those questioned was one of surprise
that at this day there should
bo any doubt regarding the absolute
reformation of former convicts.
One thing that will strike the inquirer
who goes carefully through the
records is the fact that while hundred;
of former convicts are today
successful in business undertakings
and in trades, a large proportion seek
not to < ngage in money making occupation
but to go into rescue work
themselves. Missions of everv kind.
industrial homes, college settlements,
all forms of social service for the
"down and outers." seem to appeal
more powerfully than anything else
to these men who have been down and
out themselves, and who throw themselves
into the work of reclaiming
other human wrecks.
Prominent among those interested
in the work of Rescuing human derelicts
is Mrs. Maud Halllngton Ilooth.
Here la her testimony on the subject:
The Way Up From Prison
By Maud Ballington Booth.
This Is the case of a former convict
whose companions nicknamed him
Skinny. During his five terms he
served over twenty-one years in prison.
Me was a young man who had
not had advantages, and in fact had
stolen from childhood.
During his last term he contracted
rheumatism, was so hont and broken
that he was unable for months to lie
down and was permitted to do a little
cobbling in his cell At times his pain
was so great that the physician would
Rive him a morphine tablet, but instead
of using them he kept them, intending
to kill himself when he had
saved enough of them.
"llow many of these would it take
to kill a man. doctor?" asked Skinny.
"About twenty," was the reply
On the day that our message reached
him he had accumulated nineteen
of these tablets, and following our
talk he went hack to his cell and
threw the nineteen away. After subsequent
Interviews ho decided to
come to our New York home, which is
one of four maintained by us for released
prisoners. lie came out on
crutches and he was indeed emaciated
His Reformation Complete.
During the eleven months ho remained
with us he built up his shattered
health, and when able to work
was employed by a gentleman at $"
a week. While his omployer was able
w*
u\"^'.~" "/ .7}-s. i.'.y
to give him a much larger wage he j
wanted to put Skinny to the test.
Day after day he proved his worth,
and his wages wore Increased accord
ingly. so that at the end of a few i
years he was in a position to marry.
Wherever he lias worked he has proved
faithful and has given every satis'
faction to his employers. He is at
present holding a position of respon- j
sibllity, is married and has two fine
young daughters. He has lived an upright
life for llt'teen years.
?iifn nin e was mo caso or Tom,
who had Bervcd two short tortus in
Sinn Sing prior to 1XS9. Upon the 1
evening of the day of his second discharge
front Sing Sing Tbm, wandering
down the Ilowery, mot two of his
friends, who invited him into one of
the saloons to have a drink. After j
their third or fourth drink they were
i placed under arrest by detectives front
headquarters, who charged thent with
a robbery committed that very day.
His Innocence of No Avail.
Tom protested his innocence, saying
that he was not the man, that he had t
only just conte from Sing Slug, and in
fact did not have time to do a job of
that kind. Despite his denials he was
locked up, for. unfortunately, Tom's
appearance tallied almost exactly with j
the description of the missing third of j
the three men who had done the rob
bery.
On the day of trial the other two
men pleaded guilty and received IIf- j
teen year sentences, at the same time
affirming that Tom had no part in the
robbery. Tom again protested his innocence.
saying that he had not com|
initted the crime, that he had done
I nothing for which he should have been
j arrested, lie declined to take a plea i
I and decided to stand trial. On his
record he was found guilty in short
order, and as lie put the county to the
expense of a trial he was sentenced
to twenty years in prison. He went i
back to Sing Sing soured and sullen
and with a desire in his heart to vet I
even with society for tho wrong it
ha?l done him and a determination
that he would get even when he came
I out.
How well I remember the many
I talks I have had with Tom. and how
I at times it seemed as though nothing
that might be said would move him.
! but at last Hod working in His own
mysterious way saw fit to change his
heart. Tom put the evil desires and j
evil inclinations back of hint and came
out of prison a saved man.
Twelve Years of Upright Life.
It is now twelve years since Tom j
left prison. He is holding a good
position In one of the towns of Penn
sylvanla. We hear from him fre- j
quently and the burden of liis letters
to us is that he thanks Hod that the
Volunteer Prison league came into his
life, and now he has wished that lie
had barkened earlier to the godly j
counsel and wise precepts.
John C? was liberated in 1907. having
come under the operation of the
parole law which permitted life prisoners
who had served twenty years
and whose conduct had been good to
be paroled. For twenty-seven years
John had been an inmate of Sing Sing
prison and for many years of that
time hope and John were strangers.
We went into that prison carrying
a message of hope to such poor souls
mo ho on<4 i?
.... onu > nun null K'ailllCSS HI ill
he received the message, and he has ,
told u? now he hoped and prayed that
the time would come when he would
secure his release, and thanks to the '
wise measures Instituted by our lawmakers
he was one of the first who i
came under tho operation of the |
"lifer" parole law. He now holds a i
position of trust and responsibility in I
one of the larRest corporation In New
York city.
Forty-seven Years in Prison.
Another example, and this one Is
elRhty-three years old. He was, I
think, the dean of the prisoners of
this slate, for he had spent forty-seven
years of his life In the prison. In I>annemora
every one knew old Frank.
He too was a beneficiary of the life
men's parole law, for he Is now much
bent and at times somewhat feeble i
%
i ' HT
s
lie Is very prouil of his kitchen garden
and tin; fact that ho is the organist
fur our services.
l*ist summer he went as caretaker
to some vacant lints in Brooklyn, lie
rented thetn all, and the agent let
li I in have another house with the
same result, lie returned to the home
with $30 of his earnings, and un- ,
known to us in the winter spent $7
of that amount for flowers for our
grounds in the spring.
Itev ! '. li. It. was pastor of a
thriving church in Philadelphia llis
wife died after presenting him with
a bahy i-uter he became involved in
a scandal which was of such a character
as to render his pastorate unten
able. lie resigned. In a short time j
is.- was a physical and moral wreck
In New York he was picked up by
the police and sent to lllackwell's island.
Made a Useful Citizen
Alter his release he i\me to us,
traukly tohl his story und accepted our
proffered aid. One of the most eloquent
and scholarly ministers in l'hilad'
iphia, whose letter is on tile .it the
prison department, wrote Captain \nderson
urging him not to Rive the fallen
pastor any money, hut to accord
him such assistance as would enable
him to obtain some sort of a foothold
The assistance was Riven, advice was
tendered, the man was iiidueed to believe
that all hope was not dead, and
he soon recovered some of los lost
ground.
Today ho occupies a prominent position
with a large organization engaged
in the work of human uplift. 11? is a
forceful speaker and an indefatigable
worker. Ills faith in human nature
and in tin ability of the (Soil assisted
man to rise on "his dead self" is one
of his most potent assets
George F Warnel! had been so frequently
in prison that lie could not
enter a town without receiving immediate
orders from the chief ,if police
to depart. He came to us saying that
he could find no place upon which he
could set his weary feet. We inter
c d?d for him, obtained a plaeo for
him on a farm In Now Jersey. He
proved faithful and today owns the
farm and is doing a general and prosperous
real estate business. Sometime*
lie visits us and often sends
us a donation for the purpose of helping
others who were us unfortunate or
wieken as himself.
Now has this all been worth while?
I could take up all the space of this
issue ot The Sun telling the story of
the reformation of men who at some
time or other have believed that every
man's hand was against them. Our
league has proved that good can come
out of prisons. If all that has been
made public nbout our prisons during
the pasl few weeks will hut llnd logdment
in the hearts and minds of your
leaders it will mean more for those
behind the gray wall than one can
well imagine New York Sun.
improved Dieting Rules.
The rules for dieting in which the
Medical Congress has been so prolific
< iMuiu.-t tl nuiri ill (lie I.IIIIIIOII IMIly
Chronicle of Raskin's method of arranging
his food supplies during his
illness. He procured from his (lector
a list of all the things that he must
not eat. took them ail. and recovered.
He made it his rule to eat whatever
his fane y suggested, and he lived to
he over eighty. The moral is obvious.
Never surrender to the stomach.
Hully it. l>efy it In an emergency
ask yourself, "What would be the
worst thing for me to cat?" Then eat
it and live forever.?Kxehange.
At the Indian Schools.
Nearly 50,000 Indian children went
to school hint year, more than half of
them being educated at government
schools. Mission schools cared for
15,000 and more than 17,000 had so far
adopted the white man's ways as to
be enrolled in regular public schools,
according to a statement on Indian
education furnished by the Indian office
of the United States Itureau of
Education.
BLOODHOUND DIGS
UP A 'Mr
Camphor Scent in Police Station
Leads to Cache.
FINDS "GRFAT" HOARD
Lockup Keepers of Chicago Jail
Thought Negro "Runner" for Prii.
oners Had "Fortune" Hidden and
Start Sherlock Holmes Search.
Chicago. After three days of digKins
in the basement of the South
C'lurk street police station, a treasure
hoard amounting to $l.:h) was uncovered
the other day by Hob. a Siberian
bloodhound, owned by i'inky Isenstein,
who conducts a second-hand
hardware store next door to the sta
tion.
The treasure belongs to Sam Wilson.
a negro, who for the last seven
years lias been a "regular boarder" at
the station, lie Is the only man in
the employ of the police department
who is satisfied with the salary he receives
lie never has asked for an
increase, and a few months ago, when
Mayor Harrison announced a reduction
In policemen's salaries owing tc
a shortage of funds. Wilson sent
word to the mayor that he was willing
to help hiin out.
Wilson is something of a humorist.
The only salary he gels is what
prisoners give him for running errands.
He takes coffee and pin and
sandwiches to those behind the bars,
and the usual tip is f> cents. Sometimes
he gets 10 cents for a run by
purchasing a nickel cigar and charging
the prisoner a dime for it.
For a long time there lias been a
suspicion among the policemen at the
station that Wilson was in adluent
circumstances. The lockup keeper?
probably were to blame for the stor*
that "Wilson had a plant "
"That fellow." meaning Wilson. ,
I.orluip Keeper l.eonnrd said to Cap
tain O'llrien. "has got all kinds of
money, lie runs from twenty to fifty
errands every day .and there's al
ways a piece of change for Sam. 1
would not he surprised if he had
several hundred dollar' buried somewhere
in tlie basement "
Other loekup keepers told t similar j
story about Wilson's buried treasure,
and for mouths a close watch was
kept on him to see if lie would go to
the place where tin- hoard was hidden.
A few days ago Wilson go' into ar
argument with Sergt. Arthur !>: .. by
as to the ingredients In rhidlins. a
southern dish of which Wil <>n is inordinately
fond. It ended to Wilson
offering to bet St that lie v.-ari 'h*
Ilnnahy took him up
Wilson disappeared for a half I: :r.
When he returned he had i dollar
i j / ' 1
L /r ^
i
Tl-.e Dog Had Dug a Hole
bill that smelled of camphor. It had
como from the "plant."
Danahy was sure there were seven
or eight hundred more dollars where
that camphor smelling bill catno from
At that moment Hob. the Siberian
bloodhound, wagged his way into the
station. Danahy snatched the hill
from Wilson's hand and nave tin
dog a sniff. He then led the beast to
the basement and told Hob to find
the treasure, but without success.
The following day Hob was again
given the scent of the camphorated
bill and this time lie led the treasure
seekers to til" front part of the base- (
rnent. which is concreted. Picks
were sunk into the adamant composition
and every man in the station
who was on reserve duty was called
out of bed to help in the v.ork. When
they quit the basement was complete
ly .'.tig up.
I.oud yelps ft cm Hob brought the
police on the run to the alley In the
r? ,-ii i>i in* mauon. I no dog Ti;i<l dug 1
; n hole about two foot deep nt the j
, Fide of the rear door. Or,re more
i the picks and shovels wore brought
Into service and after a few minutes'
i work the treasure box was found
i Besides the money it contained a
presidential campaign button of
William Jennings Bryan and a clu e!:
good for 2% cents on a IT,-rent drink.
Really I
Chicago. Chicago men spend $7"if>
000 every yenr for their nighties, according
to a report issued by the
board of commerce. Shirts alone con
theui JT.&OO.OOO.
v v - "'v
* J1 '"'i|
11
Pian Publin Golf Links
?****1^ ^ |
ASHING ION President Wilson's
now commissioners for the Dis- i
trtot of Columbia are planning to pro- 1
vide the national capital with public (
golf links, and golfers already are j
wagering that when the new linkn n ro !
available the chief executive will be
found playing on them.
At present he gives the two ho- i
called fashionable golf clubs the go- ;
by and motors over the hills of Vlr- j
glnia, where the common folks maintain
the Washington Golf club.
The membership of the club Is
made up mainly of government clerks j
and other persons who have to look |
sharp to make both ends meet financially.
The democracy of the play- |
ground seemed to appeal to the pros- ]
ident.
All golfers agree that golf is played
for either one or two purposes?exercise
or pleasure If you play a good
game, yoy play for pleasure. If your
game is bad. you play for exercise?
and you get plenty of It.
Now. the President Is not so had
Wanted Senator to Loot
Tlli-I other day Senator Knute Nel
son was startled by the receipt
of a letter which contained the following
clipping from a publication
called Cupid's Column. Ills surprise
grew us he read the clipping, which
was as follows:
"2TS"! Washington. 1>. ?I am a
young widow, twenty-live years of age.
No children: 5-0, i;lO pounds, blonde
hair, gray eyes, very good form, good
disposition, French Methodist; have a.
small Income; like botli city and
country life. Would like to correspond
with some young man matrimonially
inclined. See my photo."
io inc rignt or tiiis touching missive
was a picture. also clipped from
a newspaper, of a remarkably pretty
girl, wearing a low collar and an
elaborate picture hat
The senator, who is over seventy
years of age and married, at once began
to suspect that some widow had
her eyes on him. lint taking another
look into the envelope he found the
following letter and a photograph of
a young num. The letter read:
"1 am mailing your picture and
your description," said the note, "to
the city of Washington, I). (\ 1 hope
you will get it and write to me at
once, for I am a young bachelor, and
my father owns a farm in Minnesota,
They Tell IVlcAdoo How 1
TIIK people who know how- to run
the United States irnvernmont
better than the uuui who made it are
numerous, and they always have their
Information on tap. The other day a
v man. who is tired of government
interference, wroto to Secretary McAdoo
as follows: I
"Hon. Sooty McAdloo.
"Sir: Why do It for you to persecute
the little stocks of Steel and New
lluven and Telefun. Only a little 1
have and now all gone so that I
rant make any will to give to my oun.
.My lawyer says it is alright hecus
Wilson will do it, hut he gets my
money, and my husband is a striker.
My bank says it it* was Mr. Tuft &
This Job Hunter Certainl;
A STOItY which is going around the ]
?Tt lobbies and cloakrooms at the
(apitol in these days of scant patron- i
age had its origin at the national
capital with Secretary Uedfiehi of the ;
department of commerce.
"It happened at a time when there !
was keen rivalry for government po- j
sition.i." said Secretary Kcdfleld,
mat a young man named Alien do- |
.dred a place in the postolheo department.
and applied to his congressman.
He was told he could set no place
until a vacancy arose. Me waited
for several weeks and one day, when
his money was nearly exhausted, he
wfcnt down to a beach nearby. There
were many people bathing thero and
among them was a man whom Allen
recognized as a clerk in the division
vhich he sought for a place.
"This clerk ventured beyond his
depth und was drowned. When the
>ody was brought ashore Allen hurried
up to his congressman and exrlalmed:
"'1 can have that Job now! There
a vacaucy!'
at the National Capital
as they make them, by quite a loos
way, but he still Is In the exercise
class.
He plays golf for the good it does
him and because he never expects to
maku his living teaching golf to beginners.
He goes out to the club with two
automobiles. He is in the front one
with Dr. Cary Grayson, while the second
carries a secret service man or
two.
The president usually reaches the
club about 3:30.
Ho plays the first nine holes very
leisurely, without the least sign of
having to hurry back to the White
House. Then he usually cuts off to
the seventeenth, playing that hole
and tho eighteenth. Then, without
going Into the club house, he gets into
tho automobile and rides back to the
White House.
With tho president, golfing serves
as no silk-stocking umusement. He
never plays golf with the nabobs of
the town. His almost exclusive golflug
companion Is Dr. Grayson.
Indeed. President Wilson has not
devoted himself in the least to making
friends In the wealthy.
Indeed, If the president were in pursuit
of society, he would not play
golf at the Washington Golf club. Society
is not found there?not the kind
that 1b spelled with capitals. SOCI1
ETY abides at the Chevy Chase club.
: Up a Prospective Wife
fHf MUST A
/V THINK I'M
// X/^y^Mt^Wl /VJATRiMOfHAL
\
with a ditch running through it, and
I am sure that we will be happy
here. 1 am 5 feet 8 Inches " and
much more to that effect. On th?
hack of this was written:
"Dear Senator: This young woman
lives in your city. Please look her
up for mo, an I want to marry her.
I put her photograph outside the envelope,
but the poBtofllco authorities
returned it to me. If you will look
her up and tell her to write me I will
bo much obliged to you and will remember
your kind favor."
All tho senator said when hs
dropped the envolope and its contents
into the wastebasket was:
"Ho wants mo to open a matrimonial
agency for his special benefit.
Now, I'll do any number of things
for tho people, but I'll be blamed if I
will do that."
:o Run U. S. Treasury
Mr. Wlckersham, and my SavlngB Department
nays it is Wilson & Mr. MeAdloo.
Respectfully Yours, "*
Another letter which Secretary McAdoo
received is even funnier than the
foregoing. I
j "U. S. Gov?t" wrlteB from Fresno,
<Jal. The letter is dated June 2 and is
as follows: %
"Mr. McAdee: In regard to all government
money Loan none out unless
you can get 8 per cent. Have sll
Departments Deposit every week In
National Treasury money collect that
week. Keep everything in first-claBS
: shapo equipped Treasury Department
with a Hurglar alarm system if necessary
and have for protection four Arm
I Guards at night. Swear them in to
| be loyal to the Government, which is
48 States and island Possessions.
Yours truly,
"Signed In full: U. S. GOV?T."
Under the signature appears th?
following: "Approved at 5:30 P. M."
The left-hand margin has been
utilized for the following postscript:
"Ixnin It on the same terms as bankers
do. Good Uye."
/ Was a Good Guesser
woWOER^i f Ttt
WMV T?AT f. (xj lf phoms
cur i s \y^'x h*S
WATCHtflCf
_hog richt
" 'Where?' said the congressman.
w ny, a ciotk in that division was
drowned this afternoon.'
"The congressman looked at him
sadly. '1 regret to Inform you,' he
said, 'that you are too late; the place
' has been filled.'
1 " 'How can that be?' shouted Allen.
' 'The man has just been drowned!'
| " 'Yes, I know,' answered the con!
gresRman, "but the place was obtained
by a Massachusetts man who saw
I the clerk go in swimming. He made
a correct guess that the clerk conld
not swim and made his application by
telephone ten minutes before tha
clerk's body was brought to shore.'"
I :
i
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