FRIEND TO CONVICTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 150, 7 April 1930, Page 8

FRIEND TO CONVICTS

AMERICAN S LIFE WORK. SAMARITAN AT PRISON DOOR. “lii Cleveland is a man who lias made a fortune several times, and given it all to charities. Seventy-three years old, he prefers to live in comparative obscurity. Sam S. Williams is a private citizen. But that does not stop him from helping Uncle Sam reduce his £60,000,000 annual crime bill,” says the “Christian Science Monitor.”

“He does it by helping ex-convicts gain a new start in society. He finds them jobs, puts them on their feet again. In this way lie lias rebuilt thousands of homes. ‘God’s university course for me,’ he calls it. He does not charge for his services. “In his office closely filled files take up a great deal of space. Strange tales are wrapped therein—tales told with throbbing hearts and tears. ‘They come every day—those heart-breaking letters,’ lie related. ‘Pleas from mothers, wives, sisters, and sweethearts, whose loved ones ave paying the penalty society exacts. Can I get them out? They all think I can. At rests with the authorities. But when I see a man is trying in earnest to come back on ta the‘•straight road, when I see a mother striving hard to keep her family going, I will fight for her and the children.’

“ ‘Wlieii we seqd a man to prison we shy that society is punishing him for his wrong-doing. We think that confinement will make him repentant,

and when he comes out he will be a better man and'more fit to live among us. But many come out physical wrecks! Many are more intent to rob and kill! “ ‘I have no theories about crimes and criminals,’ lie said. ‘But I think they should be treated as one treats a sick person, so when they come out they will be in better condition, mentally and physically. Even a convicted criminal has a sense of honour. Usually, if you give him a chance to go straight he will not disappoint you. Only three of the 7000 paroled to me in more than, half a century broke their pledge.’

“ ‘But is it a risk?’ I asked. ‘Yes,’ he admitted, vVith a twinkle nf sincerity in his eye, ‘there is a risk. If they do not make good they come back to me for help. The first time I see them, I talk to them as a father to his children. I appeal to their reason and sense of fair play.’ “ ‘Do not the authorities do the same thing?’ I interrupted. “He said that they did. ‘They appeal with a club in one hand. That does not do. I put the whole matter un to them, and do not bother them. They always do their part and live up to it.’

“It was in Chicago’s stockyards lie got interested in ex-convicts. As he watched them apply for jobs, they would be turned down to' walk the streets again—starved, dirty-looking, and ready to steal and kill.

“Tired of seeing them refused everv day, Williams walked boldly into the executive-officers of Swift and Co., and equested Mr Swift to employ some of them op his (Williams’) responsibility. Air Swift took a few. The result was satisfactory, and from that time on M illiams has been busy- vouching for ex-priSoners. He has been doing it for 50 years. f

“It is the sincerity of this man that has won for him countless friends and supporters. What he has done speaks for itself.”