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NEW SERIES No. 50

THE JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY BY THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY

INSTITUTED MAY 8, 1787

NOVEMBER, 1911

OFFICE: STATE HOUSE ROW S. W. CORNER FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS PHILADELPHIA, PA.

OFFICIAL VISITORS.

No person who is not an official visitor of the prison, or who has not a written permission, according to such rules as the Inspectors may adopt as aforesaid, shall be allowed to visit the same; the official visitors are: the Governor, the Speaker and members of the Senate; the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives; the Secretary of the Commonwealth; the Judges of the Supreme Court; the Attorney-General and his Deputies; the President and Associate Judges of all the courts in the State; the Mayor and Recorders of the cities of Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Pittsburg; Commissioners and Sheriffs of the several Counties; and the “Acting Committee of the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons.” (Note: Now named “The Pennsylvania Prison Society.”)--_Section 7, Act of April 23, 1829._

The above was supplemented by the following Act, approved March 20, 1903:

AN ACT.

To make active or visiting committees of societies incorporated for the purpose of visiting and instructing prisoners official visitors of penal and reformatory institutions.

SECTION I. Be it enacted, etc., That the active or visiting committee of any society heretofore incorporated and now existing in the Commonwealth for the purpose of visiting and instructing prisoners, or persons confined in any penal or reformatory institution, and alleviating their miseries, shall be and are hereby made official visitors of any jail, penitentiary, or other penal or reformatory institution in this Commonwealth, maintained at the public expense, with the same powers, privileges, and functions as are vested in the official visitors of prisons and penitentiaries, as now prescribed by law: Provided, That no active or visiting committee of any such society shall be entitled to visit such jails or penal institutions, under this act, unless notice of the names of the members of such committee, and the terms of their appointment, is given by such society, in writing, under its corporate seal, to the warden, superintendent or other officer in charge of such jail, or other officer in charge of any such jail or other penal institution.

Approved--The 20th day of March, A. D. 1903.

SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

The foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Act of the General Assembly No. 48.

FRANK M. FULLER, _Secretary of the Commonwealth_.

NEW SERIES No. 50

THE JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY”

INSTITUTED MAY 8TH, 1787

NOVEMBER, 1911

OFFICE: STATE HOUSE ROW S. W. CORNER FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS PHILADELPHIA, PA.

SPECIAL NOTICES.

All correspondence with reference to the work of the Society, or to the JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY, should be addressed to THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY, 500 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa.

The National Prison Congress of the United States for the past ten years has designated the fourth Sunday in October, annually, as Prison Sunday. To aid the movement for reformation, some speakers may be supplied from this Society. Apply to chairman of the Committee on Prison Sunday.

FREDERICK J. POOLEY is the General Agent of the Society. His address is 500 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.

Contributions for the work of the Society may be sent to JOHN WAY, Treasurer, 409 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.

FORM OF BEQUEST OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.

I give and bequeath to “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY” the sum of .... Dollars.

FORM OF DEVISE OF REAL ESTATE.

I give and devise to “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY” all that certain piece or parcel of land. (Here describe the property.)

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR 1911

PRESIDENT

JOSHUA L. BAILY, 30 S. Fifteenth Street, Philadelphia.

VICE-PRESIDENTS

REV. HERMAN L. DUHRING, D. D., 225 S. Third Street, Philadelphia. REV. F. H SENFT, 560 N. Twentieth Street, Philadelphia.

TREASURER

JOHN WAY, 409 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

HONORARY SECRETARY

[1]JOHN J. LYTLE, Moorestown, N. J.

SECRETARY

ALBERT H. VOTAW, 500 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

HONORARY COUNSELOR

HON. WILLIAM N. ASHMAN, 44th and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia.

COUNSELORS

HENRY S. CATTELL, ESQ., 1218 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. OWEN J. ROBERTS, ESQ., West End Trust Building, Philadelphia.

GENERAL AGENT

FREDERICK J. POOLEY, 500 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

THE ACTING COMMITTEE

FOR ONE YEAR

Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins, D.D., Rev. J. F. Ohl, Harry Kennedy, Layyah Barakat, William E. Tatum, Mary S. Wetherell, George S. Wetherell, Henry C. Cassel, Albert Oetinger, Rev. Philip Lamerdin, Mrs. E. W. Gormly, A. Jackson Wright, Frank H. Longshore, Charles H. LeFevre, Rev. M. Reed Minnich.

FOR TWO YEARS

[1]John J. Lytle, P. H. Spellissy, Fred J. Pooley, William Scattergood, Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, William Koelle, Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Dr. William C. Stokes, Deborah C. Leeds, Mrs. Horace Fassitt, Joseph C. Noblit. Miss C. V. Hodges, Rebecca P. Latimer, Joseph Rhoads.

FOR THREE YEARS

Charles P. Hastings, Isaac P. Miller, Elias H. White, John Smallzell, John A. Duncan, Samuel B. Garrigues, Charles McDole, Harrison Walton, Mrs. Mary S. Grigg, Robert B. Adams, William Morris, Emma L. Thompson. Annie McFedries, [1]Robert P. Nicholson, Rev. Thomas Latimer.

[1] Deceased 1911.

COMMITTEES FOR 1911

_Visiting Committee for the Eastern State Penitentiary_:

[2]John J. Lytle, Frank H. Longshore, William Morris, P. H. Spellissy, A. Jackson Wright, Robert B. Adams, Dr. William C. Stokes, Charles H. LeFevre, Rev. M. Reed Minnich, Rev. F. H. Senft, Charles P. Hastings, [2] Robert P. Nicholson, William Koelle, John Smallzell, Deborah C. Leeds, Joseph C. Noblit, Charles McDole, Mrs. Horace Fassitt, Rev. Philip Lamerdin, Samuel B. Garrigues, Miss Rebecca P. Latimer, Harry Kennedy, Harrison Walton, Layyah Barakat, Rev. J. F. Ohl, Albert H. Votaw, Mary S. Wetherell, William E. Tatum, Rev. Thomas Latimer, Mrs. Mary S. Grigg, George S. Wetherell, J. A. Duncan, Emma L. Thompson. Henry C. Cassel, Isaac P. Miller,

_Visiting Committee for the Philadelphia County Prison_:

Joseph C. Noblit, Albert H. Votaw, Miss C. V. Hodges, John A. Duncan, Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, Miss Rebecca P. Latimer. Isaac P. Miller, Deborah C. Leeds, William Morris, Mrs. Horace Fassitt,

_For the Holmesburg Prison_:

Frederick J. Pooley, Rev. Philip Lamerdin, William Morris.

_For the Philadelphia House of Correction_:

William Koelle, William Morris, Deborah C. Leeds. Layyah Barakat,

_For the Chester and Delaware County Prison_:

William Scattergood, John Way, Mrs. Deborah C. Leeds. Joseph Rhoads,

_For the Bucks County Prison_: (One vacancy.)

Albert Oetinger.

_Committee on Western Penitentiary and Allegheny County Prison_:

Miss Annie McFedries, Mrs. E. W. Gormly.

_Committee on Discharged Prisoners_:

Joseph C. Noblit, George S. Wetherell, Miss C. V. Hodges. Dr. William C. Stokes, Mrs. Horace Fassitt,

_Committee on Police Matrons_:

Mrs. Mary S. Grigg, Miss C. V. Hodges, Miss Rebecca P. Latimer.

_Committee on Prison Sunday_:

Rev. H. L. Duhring, D.D., Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Rev. Philip Lamerdin. Rev. J. F. Ohl, Rev. F. H. Senft,

_Editorial Committee_:

Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Rev. J. F. Ohl, Dr. William C. Stokes. Albert H. Votaw, The President (ex officio)

_Committee on Legislation_:

Rev. J. F. Ohl, Elias H. White, [2]Robert P. Nicholson. Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Joseph C. Noblit,

_Membership Committee_:

Dr. William C. Stokes, Elias H. White, Henry C. Cassel. George S. Wetherell, Isaac P. Miller,

_Finance Committee_:

George S. Wetherell, Isaac P. Miller, Joseph Rhoads. Joseph C. Noblit, A. Jackson Wright,

_Auditors_:

Charles P. Hastings, John A. Duncan, [2]Robert P. Nicholson.

[2] Deceased 1911.

JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH YEAR 1787. OF 1911. THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY

The 124th Annual Meeting of “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY” was held January 27, 1911, at the office of the Society at the S. W. Corner of Fifth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia.

The meeting was called to order by the President, JOSHUA L. BAILY.

The Minutes of the 123d Annual Meeting were read and approved.

Twenty-six members of the Society were present.

Reports were read from the Acting Committee and from the General Agent, FRED. J. POOLEY, which were approved and directed to be printed in the forthcoming JOURNAL.

The Treasurer, JOHN WAY, produced a detailed statement of the receipts and disbursements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1910. (See page 15.)

The following Amendment to the Constitution was proposed, and directed to be laid before the next meeting of the Society, _viz._:

“The number of Members of the Acting Committee may be increased to not exceeding sixty, provided the additional members shall be residents of Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia.

“These Members may be elected from time to time at any meeting of the Acting Committee, according to the provisions of the By-Laws for filling vacancies, but the terms for which they are elected shall be for the unexpired portion of the current fiscal year only. These additional Members will be eligible for reëlection at the next Annual Meeting, and their respective terms of service shall then be assigned so as to be coördinate with the terms of service of the other Members of the Committee.”

JOHN J. LYTLE, on behalf of the Nominating Committee, appointed at the last Annual Meeting, presented in writing the nominations for the officers of the Society and for the members of the Acting Committee whose terms expire at this time. The President appointed as Tellers, JOSEPH C. NOBLIT, A. JACKSON WRIGHT and WILLIAM E. TATUM. The election having been duly conducted, the Tellers announced that a unanimous vote of the Society was cast for the ballot as presented by the Nominating Committee. (See page 3.)

The Nominating Committee proposed that HON. WILLIAM N. ASHMAN be elected Honorary Counselor. On motion the recommendation of the Committee was adopted with expression of appreciation of the long and faithful services of JUDGE ASHMAN for the Society.

The President appointed the following committee to nominate to the next Annual Meeting the names of officers, and members of the Acting Committee to fill the place of those whose terms then expire, _viz._: GEORGE S. WETHERELL, JOSEPH C. NOBLIT, MRS. HORACE FASSITT, MRS. MARY S. GRIGG and PAUL D. I. MAIER.

The President (Joshua L. Baily) expressed his appreciation of the honor done him by his reëlection for a fifth term. He said it was sixty years ago this month that he was elected a member of the Prison Society. Soon thereafter he was placed on the Acting Committee and for ten or twelve years he was a regular visitor at the Eastern Penitentiary. He also visited a number of our county jails and most of the penitentiaries of the Atlantic States and some of those in the West. But not being satisfied with the results, he gave up prison visiting and took up what he then believed to be more hopeful service.

“Now, after the lapse of many years,” he said, “I find myself again among you with a new vision as to the obligations and possibilities of the work in which we are engaged.” In the few recent years, he said, that he had had opportunity for observation, he had not found the evidence that the prisons of this state (perhaps with a few exceptions) are in any better condition as to equipment and administration and facilities for the improvement of the inmates than they were fifty years ago.

“In all other lines of humanitarian and benevolent endeavor there has been a wonderful augmentation of the efforts put forth, and the means provided, and with corresponding beneficent results, but the work of prison reform has not kept pace with what is so observable in other fields of service.

“People generally are not much interested in the inmates of our prisons. They think that those who have committed crimes should be punished, and so they should; but it is not Christian to think that their criminality places them outside the pale of human sympathy and help. Even some of the greatest offenders may by kindness and good influences be restored to society, as some have, and become exemplary and useful citizens.

“I may not enlarge upon this subject at this time, but I want to say to you that I know of no line of benevolent activity that has a greater claim upon our intelligent and hearty service.”

A. Jackson Wright expressed his concurrence in the views of the President, especially as to this great opportunity which our work offers for service in the cause of humanity.

ALBERT H. VOTAW, _Secretary_.

An Act of 1911 relating to Visitors to Prisons.

No letters, notes, monies, or contraband goods of any kind shall be brought into or taken out of any Prison, except after inspection and with the permission of the Warden.

The Warden or Superintendent of the Prison is hereby authorized to search or to have searched any person coming to the Prison as a visitor, or in any other capacity, who is suspected of having any weapon or other implement which may be used to injure any convict or person, or in assisting any convict to escape from imprisonment, or any spirituous liquor, drug, medicine, poison, opium, morphine, or any other kind or character of narcotics, upon his person.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment in the State Prison not exceeding five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the Court.

Approved the eleventh day of May, A. D. 1911.

JOHN K. TENER, _Governor_.

REPORT OF THE ACTING COMMITTEE

FOR THE YEAR 1910 TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.

During the year 1910 the monthly meetings of the Acting Committee have been regularly held with the usual exception of two meetings of the summer months.

It has been a year of much interest and importance to students of penology and especially to the active workers who have charge of our prisons and reformatories.

PROBATION FOR ADULTS.

In the State of Pennsylvania the law providing for probation or suspended sentences for adult offenders under the care of probation officers, to whom reports must be made, has been in effect for almost eighteen months. Very general approval is expressed regarding the operation of this law. It is believed to be a very efficient means of restoring those who have lapsed from the right path to better methods of life and to a deeper realization of their duties to society. They have not become inoculated with the prison virus. The law applies to certain classes of crimes and to first offenders. It is understood that much of the efficiency of such a law depends on the character and vigor of the probation officer, who should be most earnest in presenting before such offenders higher ideals of civic virtue.

THE INDETERMINATE SENTENCE. PAROLE.

Since the last annual report of this Committee, in the State of Pennsylvania a system of parole for criminals sentenced to the Eastern and to the Western Penitentiaries in accordance with legislative enactment, went into effect. The act provides that the court in pronouncing sentence shall state the minimum and maximum limits thereof, with the understanding that the minimum time of such imprisonment shall be the minimum now or hereafter prescribed by statute for the punishment of such offense, and that the maximum shall be the maximum now or hereafter prescribed as the penalty. Hence it does not follow, as has been supposed by many, that the minimum sentence is in every case one fourth of the maximum sentence, though there is a provision that when there is no minimum time prescribed by law, then the court shall impose a minimum sentence, which is not to exceed one fourth of the maximum time for the crime in question. Neither is a prisoner entitled to release at the expiration of his minimum sentence, unless it shall have appeared to the officers of the prison and to the inspectors that the applicant for parole has given evidence of being ready to become useful to the community. The new law has not been in force for a period sufficiently long to enable us to decide absolutely as to its merits, yet, if we are to have confidence in reports from other States which have tested such a law, we hope that a fair trying out of its provisions will demonstrate its benefit both to the convict and to society. The man or woman on parole by the necessity of the conditions involved therewith must give satisfaction until the maximum time for which he was sentenced has expired, by which time we believe many of them will have formed a habit of living decently and orderly. Ex-Governor Hanly, of Indiana, acknowledges that when he took office he felt great antagonism toward a law providing for parole before the expiration of the conventional sentence, but after closely observing the practical working of such system of parole during his term of four years, he became an enthusiastic advocate of the principle of the indeterminate sentence. State after State, nation after nation, have been for some years applying this principle in some form or other, and now many intelligent jurists and administrators of prison discipline have recognized that this element of the new penology has come to stay. This method of reforming criminals, moreover, was approved, after spirited discussion, by the late International Prison Congress, held at Washington, D. C., October 2-8, 1910. This Congress was not composed of mere theorists. Men of national and international renown as wardens and superintendents of great prisons and reformatories took part in the discussions and acquiesced in the conclusions. Warden Benham, of the New York State Penitentiary at Auburn, regards the indeterminate sentence as a leading influence in the process of reforming the lives of those who have fallen. By some jurists in this and other States, fears have been expressed with regard to the practical service and to the execution of such a system of curtailed punishment. It is quite possible that experience may show that in this State some modification of the existing law may at some time be adopted, but great care should be exercised lest the reforming possibilities of the act should be weakened. It is to be hoped that a full opportunity may be given to observe the effects of this law, the essential principles of which are the same as have been found successful in other States.

The reports from those who have been paroled within the last year in this State are so far very encouraging.

Parole Officer John Egan of the Western Penitentiary reports on the first day of the current year that there were twenty-three under his charge on parole, and that the reports from them were with one exception satisfactory. There were ten then confined in the Western Penitentiary who were proper subjects for parole provided sponsors and employment could be obtained for them.

Full statistics from the Eastern Penitentiary have not been obtained. About thirty had been paroled by the end of last year from whom satisfactory reports had been received. About the same number were awaiting decisions from the Board of Pardons.

WORK OF GENERAL AGENT.

We desire to commend to the special attention of the Society and to the public, the efficient work of our General Agent, Fred. J. Pooley.

He has been constantly engaged in giving counsel to the prisoners, and particular attention to them at the time of their release. A large number of cases have been investigated, and where there have appeared to be mitigating circumstances, or where some relative or judicious friend has agreed to stand as sponsor, a remission or suspension of the sentence has been obtained from the court. We have heard of no instance in which such favor has been abused. In one month of the last year over one hundred arrested and accused persons were discharged without receiving the stigma of a convicted felon. In the latter part of the autumn the privilege of an interview at the Central Station with the prisoners who have been committed to the County Prison after a hearing before the magistrates, was accorded to our General Agent by the Director of Public Safety. In order that he may thus occupy this very promising field for service, the Secretary has assumed a portion of the duties at the Eastern Penitentiary which had formerly been under the care of the agent. A full report of the work of the agent will be presented at the Annual Meeting, and will be printed in the JOURNAL.

COMMITTEE ON EASTERN PENITENTIARY.

Reports of the various members of this Committee show that besides a considerable number of visits that have not been reported, 6,130 visits to prisoners have been made during the past year. Some of our members have participated in the gospel services at the Penitentiary. We are firmly of the opinion that this work of visitation, which has been carried on by this Society for nearly a century and a quarter has been very helpful, although from the nature of the circumstances accurate statistics cannot be presented. The officials of the Penitentiary manifestly sympathize with the objects of these visits. Cleanliness and good order characterize the various departments of this large prison, to which ends a general overhauling of the plumbing with other improvements have been made conducive. A new three-story block, containing one hundred and twenty cells is in process of construction, and it is quite gratifying to report that nearly all the work of construction is being done by the prisoners. This affords employment for from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty prisoners. While some other prisoners have employment in weaving, knitting stockings, chair seating and in helping in the kitchen and laundry, still many of them spend a large portion of their time in enforced idleness. This is a condition which is conducive to most serious evils, since it is liable to affect their entire career after they have left the prison walls. Is the State justified in forcing these unfortunate human beings to remain idle year after year? Should we not rather use every means in our power to prepare them for useful citizenship?

Reports of the agent show that 333 prisoners have been supplied at the time of their discharge with suits either entirely or in part. We are increasing our efforts to find positions for such as need employment.