Chapter I: Front Matter

NEW SERIES No. 46

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY
BY THE
PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY
INSTITUTED MAY 8TH, 1787.

THE JOURNAL
OF
PRISON DISCIPLINE
AND
PHILANTHROPY

JANUARY, 1907

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

CONSTITUTION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.

When we consider that the obligations of benevolence, which are founded on the precepts and example of the Author of Christianity, are not canceled by the follies or crimes of our fellow-creatures, and when we reflect upon the miseries which penury, hunger, cold, unnecessary severity, unwholesome apartments, and guilt (the usual attendants of prisons) involve with them, it becomes us to extend our compassions to that part of mankind who are the subjects of those miseries. By the aid of humanity their undue and illegal sufferings may be prevented; the link which should bind the whole family of mankind together under all circumstances, be preserved unbroken; and such degree and modes of punishment may be discovered and suggested as may, instead of continuing habits of vice, become the means of restoring our fellow-creatures to virtue and happiness. From a conviction of the truth and obligations of these principles, the subscribers have associated themselves under the title of “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.”

For effecting these purposes they have adopted the following Constitution:

ARTICLE I.

The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, two Secretaries, a Treasurer (who may be an undoubted first-class Trust and Safe Deposit Company regularly chartered by the State or National Authorities), and two Counselors.

The Committee on Membership in the “Acting Committee” shall be the nominating committee of the Society, whose duty it shall be after careful consideration to nominate members of the Society most suitable in their judgment for the above named offices. The officers and the Acting Committee shall be chosen by ballot, at the Annual Meeting of the Society, which shall be on the fourth Thursday in the First month (January) of each year and they shall continue in office until their successors are elected. A majority of the whole number of votes cast shall be necessary to the choice of any nominee for office.

In case an election for any cause shall not be held at the time above mentioned, it shall be the duty of the President to call a Special Meeting of the Society, within thirty days for the purpose of holding such election, of which at least three days’ notice shall be given.

ARTICLE II.

The President shall preside in all meetings, and subscribe all public acts of the Society. He may call special meetings whenever he may deem it expedient, and shall do so when requested in writing by five members. In his absence one of the Vice-Presidents may act in his place.

ARTICLE III.

The Secretaries shall keep fair records of the proceedings of the Society, and shall conduct its correspondence.

ARTICLE IV.

The Treasurer shall pay all orders of the Society or of the Acting Committee, signed by the presiding officer and the Secretary, and shall present a statement of the receipts and expenditures at each stated meeting of the Society, and an annual report at the annual meeting in the First month (January).

All capital moneys, investments, securities and property belonging to the Society may be placed in the care and custody of such trust company as the Society may by resolution direct, for safe keeping and for the collection of the income and principal thereof.

All investments and re-investments of capital money shall be made by direction of at least three members of the Finance Committee of the Society.

All bequests and life subscriptions which may be received shall be safely invested, the income only thereupon to be applied to the current expenses of the Society.

[CONTINUED ON THIRD PAGE OF COVER.]

President Pennsylvania Prison Society, 1907.

See page 15.]

NEW SERIES No. 46.

THE JOURNAL
OF
PRISON DISCIPLINE
AND
PHILANTHROPY

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY”
INSTITUTED MAY 8th, 1787

JANUARY, 1907

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

The

PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY

(FORMERLY CALLED THE PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR ALLEVIATING THE
MISERIES OF PUBLIC PRISONS.)

Place of Meeting, State House Row, Philadelphia.
S. W. Cor. Fifth and Chestnut Sts.

The 120th Annual Meeting of “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY” was held on the afternoon of the First month (January), 24th, 1907, with SAMUEL BIDDLE as Chairman, and GEO. S. WETHERELL as Secretary. The Minutes of the 119th Annual meeting were read and approved, after which the Treasurer presented his report.

Memorials on the death of the President, GEO. W. HALL, and the First Vice-President, the REV. JAMES ROBERTS, D. D., were submitted and ordered spread on the Minutes.

The officers and the members of the Acting Committee for 1907 were elected (See next page).

Article IV of the Constitution as amended was adopted.

The Editorial Committee was directed to print 7,500 copies of the JOURNAL, and to make such alterations and additions as might be necessary.

JOHN J. LYTLE, _Gen. Secretary_.

Editorial Committee for 1907: REV. R. HEBER BARNES,
Chairman; REV. J. F. OHL, DEBORAH C. LEEDS,
JOSEPH C. NOBLIT, DR. WILLIAM C. STORKES.

Persons receiving the Journal are invited to correspond with, and
send any publications on Prison and Prison Discipline, and articles
for the Journal to the Chairman of the Editorial Board, 600 North
Thirty-second Street, Philadelphia, Pa., or S. W. Cor. Fifth and
Chestnut Streets.

The National Prison Congress of the U. S. for the past eight years
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 the chairman of that Committee.

👉 JOHN J. LYTLE, S. W. Cor. Fifth and Chestnut Streets,
Philadelphia, is the General Secretary of the Society, giving
especial attention to the Eastern Penitentiary.

👉 FREDERICK J. POOLEY is Agent for the County Prison,
appointed by the Prison Society. Address mail to 500 Chestnut
Street, Office of Pennsylvania Prison Society.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR 1907.

PRESIDENT

JOSHUA L. BAILY

VICE-PRESIDENTS

REV. HERMAN L. DUHRING, D. D. REV. F. H. SENFT

TREASURER

JOHN WAY

SECRETARIES

JOHN J. LYTLE FREDERICK J. POOLEY

COUNSELORS

HON. WM. N. ASHMAN HENRY S. CATTELL

MEMBERS OF THE ACTING COMMITTEE

P. H. Spelissy, Miss C. V. Hodges, A. J. Wright,
John H. Dillingham, Rebecca P. Latimer, Charles H. LeFevre,
Dr. Emily J. Ingram, Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins, Mrs. E. M. Stillwell,
William Scattergood, Samuel L. Whitson, Solomon G. Engle,
Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, Harry Kennedy, Richard H. Lytle,
Mary S. Whelen, Layyah Barakat, Charles P. Hastings,
Isaac Slack, Rev. J. F. Ohl, Rev. C. Rowland Hill,
William Koelle, William E. Tatum Isaac P. Miller
Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Mary S. Wetherell, Elias H. White,
Dr. William C. Stokes, George S. Wetherell, John Smallzell,
William T. W. Jester, Henry C. Cassel, Jacob Hoffman,
Mrs. Horace Fassett, Albert Oetinger, John D. Hampton,
William F. Overman, Rev. Philip Lamerdin, Charles McDole,
Deborah C. Leeds, David Sulzberger, Jonas G. Clemmer,
J. Albert Koons, Mrs. E. W. Gormley, Susanna W. Lippincott,
George R. Meloney, Frank H. Longshore, John A. Duncan.
Joseph C. Noblit, Rev. H. E. Meyer,

_Visiting Committee for the Eastern State Penitentiary_:

John J. Lytle, Harry Kennedy, Rev. Solomon G. Engle,
P. H. Spellissy, Layyah Barakat, Charles P. Hastings,
John H. Dillingham, Rev. J. F. Ohl, Rev. F. H. Senft,
Isaac Slack, William E. Tatum, Rev. C. Rowland Hill,
Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Mary S. Wetherell, Isaac P. Miller,
Dr. William C. Stokes, George S. Wetherell, Elias H. White,
William T. W. Jester, Albert Oetinger, John Smallzell,
Deborah C. Leeds, Henry C. Cassel, Jacob Hoffman,
Mrs. Horace Fassett, Rev. Philip Lamerdin, John D. Hampton,
George R. Meloney, David Sulzberger, Susanna W. Lippincott,
Joseph C. Noblit, Frank H. Longshore, Charles McDole,
Rebecca P. Latimer, Rev. H. E. Meyer, Jonas G. Clemmer.
Samuel L. Whitson, Charles H. LeFevre,

_Visiting Committee for the Philadelphia County Prison_:

F. J. Pooley, Mrs. E. M. Stillwell, George S. Wetherell,
Deborah C. Leeds, William T. W. Jester, Layyah Barakat,
Miss C. V. Hodges Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, John A. Duncan,
David Sulzberger, Mrs. Horace Fassett, Susanna W. Lippincott.
Rev. H. E. Meyer, Mary S. Wetherell,

_For the Holmesburg Prison_:

F. A. Pooley, Isaac Slack, David Sulzberger.
Layyah Barakat,

_For the Chester County Prison_:

William Scattergood, Deborah C. Leeds,

_For the Delaware County Prison_:

Deborah C. Leeds.

_For the Western Penitentiary and Allegheny County Prison_:

Mrs. E. W. Gormley.

_For the Counties of the State at Large_:

Mrs. E. W. Gormley, Deborah C. Leeds, Frederick J. Pooley,
Layyah Barakat.

_For the House of Correction_:

F. J. Pooley, Layyah Barakat, Isaac Slack.
Deborah C. Leeds, David Sulzberger,

STANDING COMMITTEES FOR 1907.

_On Library_:

Rev. J. F. Ohl, Rev. R. Heber Barnes, F. J. Pooley.

_On Accounts_:

Charles P. Hastings, Albert Oetinger, John Smallzell.

_Editorial Committee_:

Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Deborah C. Leeds, Dr. William C. Stokes.
Rev. J. F. Ohl, Joseph C. Noblit,

_On Membership in the Acting Committee_:

Dr. William C. Stokes, Albert Oetinger, Charles P. Hastings.
George S. Wetherell, Elias H. White,

_On Finance_:

George S. Wetherell, David Sulzberger, William Scattergood,
A. J. Wright.

_On Employment of Discharged Prisoners_:

Isaac Slack, John D. Hampton, Mrs. Horace Fassett,
Albert Oetinger, Rev. H. L. Duhring, D. D., John A. Duncan,
William Koelle, Frederick J. Pooley, Mrs. P. W. Lawrence.
Henry C. Cassel,

_Auditing Committee_:

Joseph C. Noblit, John H. Dillingham.

_On Police Matrons in Station Houses_:

Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, Dr. Emily J. Ingram, Mary S. Wetherell.

_On Prison Sunday_:

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

_On Legislation_:

Rev. J. F. Ohl, Joseph Noblit, William Scattergood.
Rev. H. C. Meyer, Rev. R. Heber Barnes,

Exterior of Office, S. W. Cor. Fifth and Chestnut Streets.]

JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH YEAR
1787 OF 1907
THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT OF JOHN J. LYTLE, GENERAL SECRETARY

In submitting this, my Seventeenth Annual Report, it is with renewed feelings of devout thankfulness to my Heavenly Father that He has spared my life through another year, and given me the health and strength to perform a service so near and dear to my heart.

In one respect the work of the Pennsylvania Prison Society is unique. Besides the General Secretary, whose labors are confined chiefly to the Eastern Penitentiary, and the Agent for the County Prison, the Society has an “Acting Committee” of fifty members, who by two legislative enactments have the rights of official visitors. The first of these acts became operative in 1829. This was supplemented by the act approved March 20, 1903, which is as follows:

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.