GENERAL AGENT’S REPORT.

Another year has passed and it becomes my duty to present to you a report of the work of the General Agent. During the past year I have visited over 6,000 men and women in the prisons in Philadelphia, and talked to them of the past and the future. I feel that much good has been accomplished and that while it is impossible to measure the amount of good accomplished by any fixed rule, yet there is evidence in all directions that the seed sown in the Master’s name is bearing fruit abundantly. All over this broad land of ours, in every prison may be found the lost son or daughter; it gives the world but little concern so long as it is some one else’s son or daughter who occupies a prison cell. Go through the prisons of our State and nine times out of every ten the prisoners will tell you they never would have thought of getting into prison; in a moment of temptation they fell and the world turns from them when the walls of the prison separates them from the outer world. My experience has taught me that if we were more sympathetic, more interested in fallen humanity, there would be less of crime. One Sabbath afternoon I visited a prison in western Pennsylvania. I arrived at the prison just about the time for service. As I was a member of the Pennsylvania Prison Society I was requested to say a few words to the men and women. My remarks were brief, and I closed with, “Your mother or wife, or sister is praying for you to-day, and when you leave your prison cell, go home to your mother, your wife, or to your sister; go back to your church, and God will bless and help you to be a better man or woman.” One prisoner went to his cell weeping. I followed him to his cell and said to him, “Brother, why do you weep?” and he answered, “When you said ‘mother’ it touched a tender spot, and when I leave here I will go right home to her and will be a better man.”

Scattered over the ocean there are many pieces of wreckage floating in different directions, first carried by one current and then by another; they are simply drifting. They have no purpose; they are afraid to trust themselves. I believe it to be our duty to bring to these men and women in prison the strongest force we know, the power of love. Faith is a great power; so is hope; but charity, or love, is the greatest. Geologists tell us that the silent influences of the atmosphere are far more powerful than the noisy forces of nature. Quiet sunshine is mightier than the thunder, and gentle rain influences the earth more than an earthquake. Guided by this gentleness and faith, I have tried to be the instrument in God’s hands of leading some poor souls to the path which leads to happiness and peace. It will probably be of interest to know something of the work of the General Agent at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

From January 1 to December 1, 1910: 493 prisoners were discharged: to these were given 298 suits of clothing, 382 hats, 301 shirts, 425 suspenders and neckties and 321 suits of underclothes.

In addition tools, etc., have been provided for several of these prisoners.

On December 1, 1910, Secretary Albert H. Votaw took charge of the work of the Pennsylvania Prison Society at the Eastern State Penitentiary in consequence of your General Agent having other duties at the Central Police Station, City Hall. I desire to thank the Inspectors, Warden, Chaplain and all the officials connected with the Eastern Penitentiary for assistance rendered me in the performance of my official duties.

Since October 1, 1898, I have made regular visits to Moyamensing Prison and the Philadelphia County Prison at Holmesburg. During 1910 more than 600 discharged prisoners were assisted with railroad tickets, board, lodging, room rent, tools, etc., and more than 700 letters written to relatives and friends at a distance, thus getting them quickly in touch with folks at home, and in many cases resulting in acquittal at court when a prisoner’s good record was shown. The Inspectors, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Prison Agent and Matron, and all connected with the prison have rendered me every possible assistance, which I more than appreciate. The commitments to Moyamensing Prison during 1910 were as follows:

White MalesWhite FemalesBlack MalesBlack FemalesTotal
13,5181,138 2,54770617,909
Total Committed 1909,17,685

From October 1, 1909, to September 30, 1910, 914 prisoners were sent to the County Prison at Holmesburg and 867 prisoners were discharged.

A glance at the above figures will show what a wonderful field of work there is for the Prison Agent and General Agent of the Pennsylvania Prison Society.

For the past two years I have felt very strongly the importance of visiting the prisoners at the Central Station, City Hall. The reason for this desire was brought about through a young man who was held in Moyamensing Prison on suspicion of larceny for a further hearing. I had a talk with him and he told me he left Louisville, Ky., seventeen years since, and had not written home in that time, and now he felt ashamed to write. After a long talk with him, he consented to let me write. When the letter came from the mother telling of her joy at the news of her long-lost son, whom she had long thought dead, I at once went to the prison and found the man had that morning been discharged—the letter came too late. Had I met the man when he was first arrested, that letter would have arrived before the second hearing, and upon his discharge he would have gone home.

It is with much pleasure I am able to state that on November 16, 1910, Director Clay granted me permission to visit the cell room at City Hall and directed the Superintendent of Police to issue me a permit, which reads as follows:

Department of Public Safety,
Bureau of Police.
Philadelphia, November 16, 1910.

Permission is hereby granted Frederick J. Pooley, General Agent Pennsylvania Prison Society, the courtesy and privilege of visiting prisoners in Central Station committed to County Prison.

(Signed) John B. Taylor,
Superintendent of Police.

Since receiving permission I have made daily visits to the Central Station and have written 126 letters to different parts of the country. One letter brought a young man’s father from Johnstown, Pa., and another from Richmond, Va., and when the cases came to court they were discharged. At the request of the Detective Department three women who were found on the street without a home were placed in care of Mrs. H. Fassitt, and Mrs. Fassitt had them sent to the Door of Blessing, and afterwards had one woman sent to her home in West Virginia and another to her home in Maryland, and the other to a hospital for treatment. In some cases the magistrates have requested me to look into the case, and upon my report they were discharged and sent home. I look for wonderful results from this field of work. Only the other day a man came to me and said, “We had not heard from sister for five months and had it not been for your talk with her at the City Hall we do not know when she would have decided to come home.” I think the words of our President, Joshua L. Baily, to the Magistrate when he visited the City Hall recently explains the new work of the Pennsylvania Prison Society when he said. “Our new work here is to try to keep men and women from going to prison.” The Magistrates and officials of the City Hall are doing all they can to help to make the work of your General Agent a success.

If any little love of ours
Can make one life the sweeter;
If any little care of ours
Can make one step the fleeter;
If any little help may ease
The burden of another;
God give us love and care and strength
To help along each other.

In the spirit of these words I enter upon my new work. The Motto Calendars, so kindly given us each year for distribution at the Eastern State Penitentiary, Holmesburg and Moyamensing, with message of inspiration, are much appreciated.

The thanks of the members of the Pennsylvania Prison Society are due to the following for sending magazines and religious papers for the prisoners: Rev. R. H. Barnes, Louis C. Galenbeck, the late Miss Mary S. Whelen, Attorney-at-Law William A. Davis, Mrs. Charles Chauncey, Miss A. M. Johnson, Robert P. Nicholson, Estelle A. King, C. Langenstein, Anna M. Tarr, Miss M. Louisa Baker, C. deB. L. Bright, Mrs. R. T. Taylor and Friends’ Institute. Thanks are also due John J. Lytle for several hundred copies of Sabbath Reading which have been sent weekly to Eastern Penitentiary, Moyamensing and County Prison, Holmesburg. In addition I have recently received, through the kindness of Dr. Beverley Robinson, of New York City, $25.00 from Mrs. Charles Chauncey, and from Mrs. A. Sydney Biddle the same amount to help along the work, and from Mr. Emlen Hutchinson, Chairman of the Board of Inspectors Philadelphia County Prison, $60.00 with which to send home runaway boys. These amounts have been handed to our Treasurer for use when necessary.

I feel the work that the Pennsylvania Prison Society is doing is becoming more appreciated as the years roll on. With much faith in the future of our Society,

Yours very sincerely,
Frederick J. Pooley,
General Agent.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Bureau of Police
DETECTIVE SERVICE

Philadelphia, October 26, 1911.

Joshua L. Baily, Esq., President of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, 500 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

Dear Sir:—Your General Agent, Mr. Frederick J. Pooley, commenced work (as you know) at the Central Police Station last November, and we have found his work very helpful to this department and hope the good work your Society is doing through Mr. Pooley may be continued for many years to come.

Wm. H. Griffing, Clerk.

Yours very truly,
Alfred I. Souder,
Captain of Detectives.

I most cheerfully endorse the above letter and can vouch for the good work Mr. Pooley does in connection with this Court.

David S. Scott,
Magistrate Police Court, City Hall.