that said institution shall be officered by Christian women, and that all women criminals shall be incarcerated therein."

Thus I came up to the Legislature forearmed so far as the petitions were concerned, having nearly a bushel basket full of them and found them of the same intrinsic value that the Honorable Senator placed upon them. But now came another contest as judgment was passed upon me by a part, at least, of the executive committee for not acting according to the order of the State Convention. After having met the sternest reprimand, I quietly said, "Well I have had my whipping and do not feel so very bad after all." At this the fire was kindled again. Some of the hard things that were said I will not repeat. I will, however, state what I received from the editor of our State organ: "The Benedict Home would have come into existence and run on just as well without you." I had my own opinion about that and turned my thought on the work before me saying, "I cannot spend further time here for I want to see Senator Smith of this city before the Legislature opens, so must go at once." At which it was suggested that Mrs. Aldrich, being president of the State Union, ought surely to accompany me, which she positively refused to do at first as her anger had not yet cooled. But being urged to reconsider, she consented not only to call on the Honorable Senator, but it was also thought best that we should call on some parties who had recently been in attendance on a meeting held in the interest of reformatory work. By the time we had made the round and reached the Senator's office, we had imbibed enough of old Boreas to cool down the fire of anger or any other fire. So we stood before the honorable gentleman as sisters without any trace of the difference of sentiment that had so disturbed us but a short time before. And as I explained to the Senator the necessity of more stringent laws concerning prostitution, and also of a reformatory and prison where women criminals could be confined separate and apart from the prison where male convicts are incarcerated, Mrs. Aldrich looked up in one of her moods of glad surprise and

said, "See how she understands it? We do not always agree with Mother Benedict, but somehow afterwards we feel that we have been fighting against the Lord."

The next thing in order was the framing of the bills. For the care bestowed on this work I cannot express my gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Foster in too warm terms, especially the former in the framing of the bill for change of Code, as I so distinctly remember of how careful he put down in legal terms just the form of bill that would cover the ground that I so prayerfully desired. The bills as introduced were as follows:

SENATE FILE No. 56.

BY MARSHALL.

A bill for an act to repeal Section 4013, Chapter 9, Title 24 of the Code, relating to houses of ill fame and to enact a substitute therefor.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

SECTION 1. That section 4013 of chapter 9, title 24 of the Code be and the same is hereby repealed and that there be and is hereby enacted in lieu thereof the following, to-wit :

SECTION 4013. If any person keep a house of ill fame resorted to for the purpose of prostitution or lewdness he or she shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less tban three nor more than five years; and any person who, for purpose of prostitution or lewdness, resorts to, uses, occupies or inhabits any house of ill fame or place kept for the purpose aforesaid; and any person found at any hotel, boarding house or other place leading a life of prostitution and lewdness or who shall, by any artifice or inducement, endeavor to entice any other person into a life of shame or prostitution or endeavor to entice back into a life of shame any person who has been heretofore guilty of the crime of prostitution shall be deemed guilty of the crime of prostitution and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than two nor more than three years, and it shall be presumptive evidence of guilt under the provisions of this section if a person be found in any house or place kept or used for purposes of prostitution or lewdness.

SENATE FILE No. 79.

BY SMITH.

A bill for an act to establish an institution for females to be known as the Iowa Industrial School and Reformatory and Prison for Females. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

NAME.

SECTION 1. That there shall be and is hereby established at Mitchellville, Polk county, Iowa, an institution for females to be known as the Iowa Industrial School and Reformatory and Prisor for Females, said institution to be officered by women as hereinafter provided.

OBJECT.

SEC. 2. Said institution shall be for the safe custody and reformation of such girls as have been heretofore committed to the girls' department of the Iowa reform school and for such females as may be hereafter sentenced to imprisonment for criminal offenses for which such females might be sentenced to imprisonment in the penitentiary were the institution by this act created not established; and the imprisonment, safe custody and reformation of such females as have been sentenced to the penitentiary and are now imprisoned therein.

TRUSTEES-1634.

SEC. 3. There shall be a board of trustees whose name and style shall be, "The Board of Trustees of the Iowa Industrial School and Reformatory and Prison for Females;" and it shall consist of five persons who shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, no two of whom shall be taken from the same congressional district, and who shall hold office for the term of six years each, and until their successors are appointed and qualified.

All vacancies in said Board shall be filled by appointment by the governor of the State. No member of the General Assembly shall be hereafter chosen as trustee of this institution.

1645.

SEC. 4. Said Trustees shall, before entering upon the discharge of their duties, take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the constitution of the United States and of this State and faithfully discharge the duties required of them.

COMPENSATION, 1646.

SEC. 5. The members of said Board shall receive no compensation except the same mileage going to and returning from the place of meeting as members of the General Assembly, computed for the actual distance from their residence to the place of meeting.

OFFICERS CHOSEN, 1647.

SEC. 6. Said Board of Trustees shall from the Board appoint a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and shall take charge of the general interests of the institution; shall have power to enact by-laws and rules for the regulation of all its concerns not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of this State; to see that its affairs are conducted in accordance with the requirements of law and that strict discipline maintained therein; to provide employment and instruction for the inmates; to appoint a Superintendent, a Steward, a Teacher or Teachers and such other officers as in their judgment the wants of the institution may require and prescribe their duties; to exercise a vigilant supervision over the institution, its officers and inmates; to remove such officers at their pleasure and appoint others in their stead and determine the salaries to be paid to the officers; and shall also require the Treasurer to execute a bond to the State of Iowa in a sufficient amount to be approved by the executive council and filed in the office of the Secretary of State.

1648

SEC. 7. They shall cause the inmates under their charge to be instructed in piety and morality, and in such branches of useful knowledge as are adapted to their age and capacity; in some regular course of labor, either mechanical, manufacturing, or agricultural as is best suited to their age, strength, disposition and capacity and as may seem best adapted to secure their reformation and future welfare.

SCHOOLS VISITED, 1650.

SEC. 8. One or more of the Trustees shall visit the institution once in every month and inspect all its departments. A record of these visits shall be kept in the books of the Superintendent. Once in each year, or oftener, if the Trustees think it necessary, they shall examine the accounts of the Superintendent and prepare a report on the condition of the institution on the first Monday in November next preceding the meeting of the General Assembly, which, together with a full report of the Superintendent and a list of the officers and their salaries with an estimate of the value of the personal property of the State in connection with the institution shall be laid before the General Assembly.

SUPERINTENDENT, 1651.

SEC. 9. The Superintendent with such subordinate officers as the Trustees may appoint, shall have the charge and custody of the inmates; she shall discipline, govern, instruct, employ and use her best endeavors to reform the inmates in such manner as while preserving their health, will secure the promotion as far as possible of moral, religious and indus

trious habits and regular, thorough progress and improvement in their studies, trade and employment.

BOND, 1652.

SEC. 10. She shall, before entering upon her duties give a bond to the State with sureties, the amount and sureties to be satisfactory to the Board of Trustees, conditioned, that she shall faithfully perform all her duties and account for all money received by her as Superintendent, which bond shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State; she shall have charge of all the property of the institution within the precincts thereof; she shall keep in suitable books, complete accounts of all her receipts and expenditures and of all property intrusted to her, showing the income and expenses of the institution and in such manner as the Trustees may require for all money received by her. Her books and documents relating to the institution shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Trustees. She shall keep a register containing the name, age and circumstances connected with the early history of each inmate and shall add such facts as shall come to her knowledge relating to her history while at the institution and after leaving it.

CONVICTED OF CRIME, 1653.

SEC. 11. When any girl under the age of sixteen years shall in any court of record be found guilty of any crime excepting murder, the said court may, if in its opinion the acused is a proper subject therefor, instead of entering judgment, cause an order to be entered that said girl be sent to the Industrial School department of this institution, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and a copy of said order duly certified by the clerk under the seal of said court shall be a sufficient warrant for conveying said girl to the said Industrial School and for her commitment to the custody of the Superintendent thereof.

CONVICTED IN JUSTICE COURT, 1654.

SEC. 12. When a girl under the age of sixteen shall be convicted before a justice of the peace, or other inferior court, of any crime, or of being a disorderly person, it shall be lawful for the magistrate before whom she may be convicted to forthwith send such girl, together with all the papers filed in his office on the subject, under the control of some officer to a judge of a court of record who shall then issue an order to the parent or guardian of said girl or such person as may have her in charge or with whom she last resided or one known to be nearly related to her, or if she be alone and friendless, then to such person as said judge may appoint to act as guardian for the purposes of the case, requiring her to appear at a time and place stated in said order to