them, so that it is almost impossible to keep track of them. We have found in. many cases where the same families were receiving aid from a good many sources, and I am fully satisfied that the work of the Society has paid for itself.

One case that I remember was that of a widow. She applied for help and when asked about her family replied that she had one son, but that he had gone away. We turned to our register and found that the boy was in the Penitentiary. We went to the man for whom the boy had worked and f ouud that [the boy was not a bad boy, but that he had gotten into some trouble and was sent to the Penitentiary. We prevailed upon that employer to promise to take the boy back if we procured his release. This he did and the boy was freed and taken back to him. That boy at the last accounts, was with his employer doing well, and was saved from probably an evil life and the family saved from pauperism.

Gen. Taylor: Sometime last summer I received a letter from the Charities Commissioners of New York, asking information in regard to the number of tramps that*werein town, and also certain other questions in regard to my opinion about the best way of treating these tramps, whether they should be made to work, and asking if we put them to work. I do not remember whether I answered that letter or not. I would like to know if there are any of those gentlemen here, and if they came to any conclusion in regard to the best x y of treating tramps?

Mr. Fairchild: That communication came from the Committee on Dealing with Able Bodied Paupers, of the State Charity Aid Association of which I am President. They were making these investigations with reference to lodging tramps in Police Stations night after night. They wrote to all the principal cities of the country for the purpose of gathering statistics and the opinions of people whom they thought knew about it. I think the conclusion they came to was that something like the Boston Lodging House would be the best thing possible, and I believe we will have three or four such places in New York City this winter. The Conference then took a recess until evening.

9

FOURTH SESSION.

Tuesday Evening, September 25,18 84

The Report from the State of Indiana was made by Rev. A. Bessonies as follows:

Father Bessonies, of Indianapolis: There have been many changes in our State recently and the changes have been for the better. We stand much better than we did a year ago. Our Institutions for Blind and Deaf and Dumb are all that can be desired. In the last report our Asylum for the Insane was deficient.

It was well kept, but there was not room enough. We have now two very large Asylums for the Insane at Indianapolis very well kept, and by the finishing of the new one a great number can be accomodated. Beside these the state of Indiana has gone further. As we had a great many insane people that could not be kept, because they could not be cared for, they h£d to be sent to the different poor houses.

Last winter our Legislature made arrangements to build three more besides the ones we have at Indianapolis, and there is now one at Evansville, one at Richmond; and one at Logansport.

Thus we will have five well equipped asylums for the insane which will accommodate all our insane if we do not get crazy too fast. As to prisons, we have two prisons, one at Michigan City and one across the river, at Jeffersonville. These two state institutions, the prison north and the prison south, are self-supporting. •

The one at Michigan City is more than self-supporting, but the one at Jeff ersonville is not quite so; however, taken together they are self supporting. We have an institution at Indianapolis called the Female Reformatory or Female Prison, but of course this is not self-supporting, but is an expense to the state. Still they are doing an enormous amount of work for the state, washing and sewing.

I was thunderstruck the other day when I saw in the report of a gentleman from Ohio, that the prisons in this state cost two millions. I am sure that in Indiana we have as good if not better prisons, and do not pay one-tenth the price. We have a Reform School for Boys at Plainfield. This is really a model institution. It is not self-supporting by any means, nor can it be expected. It is kept on the family system. They have different houses, and in each house there is a family that takes care of a certain number of boys, say fifty or sixty. During the day they make them work. There is a great improvement on the previous time. Formerly they were making chairs only and now they are being taught many useful trades. This season they have turned out from that institution sixteen first-class brick layers.

They are all made to work constantly. If you keep boys there and do not make them work they become lazy and worthless, and it is only a step from the Reform School to the Penitentiary. But make them work all the time; keep them occupied and you can turn them out good and useful citizens.

I have an objection to the institution, but it is not the fault of the institution, but of the legislature. I find in that institution boys six, seven and eight years of age, and from that up to twenty. These little boys should not be sent there. There should be a separate asylum for them. The law allows them to go there at eight, but they take them at six or seven. I do not think they should be allowed to go there at least until they are ten years old. We have an institution for the poor at Indianapolis. The poor are taken care of there at a small expense. The poor are given tickets, no money, so that they cannot get whisky, and they are given a supper and a clean bed at the Friendly Inn, and in the morning they are made to work to pay for it, and for the extra work they get a small amount of money.

We have scarcely any beggars in Indianapolis. It is often said that in our church (the Catholic) we send our poor all over the country and that nearly all the Irish want charity. At Indianapolis, at the Little Sisters of the Poor, there are seventy-seven old people kept free of charge. If they were not kept there they would be in the County Poor Houses; so we save the county that expense. In the House of the Good Shepherd we have forty-five or forty-six girls, who, if they were not there, would be in the city and disgrace themselves in the city. They are kept there and made to work and support themselves. We have besides that an Orphan Asylum for boys and one for girls, with as many as one hundred and fifty inmates in each. We take care of them for nine thousand dollars, and if the state had them, it would cost thirty. So, instead of being a charge to the state, our church is really a relief. You will pardon these extempore remarks. If I have ever again a chance and the honor to address you, I will have a written report that will prove more satisfactory.

REPORT FOR MISSOURI.

9 BY BISHOP C. F. ROBERTSON.

In this state there is no general Board of Charities; therefore it will not be possible to give the condition of the penal and charitable work in the counties of the state; moreover the facts are not accessible by which any accurate statement could be made, as to the work of a similar character, done by religious and other voluntary effort. This report will cover, therefore, the details of the institutions under the control of the state and those in St. Louis. •

There was an effort made during the session of the legislature last winter, to induce the passage of an act creating a State Board of Charities and Corrections, and a letter was prepared by the undersigned, of which a