628 
Z>hc  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
Odd  Jobs  for  Women 
A  Jersey  Woman  as  Jailer 
If  all  jails  and  prisons  could  Is*  man¬ 
aged  on  the  system  developed  by  Miss 
Constance  Kopp,  under  sheriff  of  Bergen 
County,  New  Jersey,  one  might,  expect, 
that  more  crimes  would  he  committed  in 
order  to  get  inside  under  her  jurisdic¬ 
tion.  .Miss  Kopp  is  also  matron  of  the 
jail,  and  after  going  through  the  entire 
building  with  her,  it  is  quite  an  easy  mat¬ 
te]-  to  reach  the  same  conclusion  as  one 
of  the  prisoners  who  says  he  “would 
rather  rot  there  than  pay  certain  moneys 
to  his  wife.” 
It  is  true  that  much  has  been  said  of 
prison  reform,  and  making  these  institu¬ 
tions  reformatory  rather  than  punitive, 
hut  none  has  worked  out  a  more  conipre* 
hensive  scheme  than  the  one  devised  and 
followed  by  Miss  Kopp.  She  is  sup¬ 
ported  by  the  sheriff,  Robert  N.  Heath, 
who  lias  made  a  close  study  of  modern 
prison  reform,  since  his  appointment  as 
under  sheriff,  five  years  ago. 
As  one  can  plainly  understand,  Miss 
Kopp  has  an  interesting  personality,  and 
during  the  past  few  years  has  had  many 
exciting  experiences  crowded  into  her  life, 
K'teh  as  the  average  woman  rarely  could 
have.  She  has  captured  many ' dangerous 
and  desperate  criminals,  which  has  estab¬ 
lished  for  her  an  enviable  record  in  the 
annals  of  detective  work,  ranging  from 
the  discovery  of  Harry  Kaufman,  the 
writer  of  poison  pen  letters,  whieli  afflict¬ 
ed  members  of  her  family,  to  the  arrest  of 
almost  a  dozen  desperate  Italian  white 
slavers.  She  has  been  engaged  in  all  sorts 
of  plots  and  many  of  the  prisoners  she 
has  finally  ur rested  have  tried  to  trap 
her.  But  still  she  goes  on.  and  is  not  sat¬ 
isfied  to  sit  down  quietly,  but  prefers  to 
be  about  her  work,  Henerally  a  day’s 
work  consists  of  from  17  to  ”1  hours, 
often  it  is  almost:  sunrise  before  she  goes 
to  rest. 
'I  his  young  woman  began  life  quite  like 
the  rest  of  us,  came  from  a  good  family 
and  during  her  early  years  had  no  re¬ 
markable  adventures,  hut  of-  late  has 
taken  part  ill  more  exciting  events  than 
any  other  woman  in  America,  Her  first 
exploit  which  attracted  public  attention 
was  the  discovery  of  the  man  who  had 
been  sending  poison  pen  letters  to  mem¬ 
bers  of  her  family.  Her  discovery  was 
followed  by  arrest  and  arrest  by  convic¬ 
tion  and  line. 
After  assisting  some  lawyer  friends 
with  a  few  cases  Miss  Kopp  felt  as  though 
she  couldn’t  settle  down  in  her  country 
home  with  her  mother  and  sisters.  So 
she  applied  for  and  received  a  position  as 
chief  of  detectives  in  one  of  the  large  de¬ 
partment  stores  in  New  York  t’ity.  She 
had  many  interesting  experiences  while 
engaged  in  this  work,  and  to  hear  her  tell 
Miss  Constance  Kopp,  Woman  Jailer 
of  the  many  shop-lifters,  or  the  more 
fashionable  term,  kleptomaniacs,  or  those 
who  are  charged  with  attempting  to  ob¬ 
tain  goods  without  money,  one.  wouid 
think  that  a  large  number  of  customer# 
make  this  a  business.  It.  was  while  she 
was  employed  thus  that  Mr.  Heath  heard 
of  her  and  asked  her  assistance  in  run¬ 
ning  down  a  fugitive,  the  Rev,  Herman 
A.  von  Mattliesius,  who  escaped  from  the 
Hackensack  Hospital.  While  arresting 
him  she  look  part  in  a  rough  and  tumble 
light  in  Brooklyn,  and  was  alone  with 
him  for  three  minutes,  before  the  sheriff 
could  gel  to  her  assistance.  Now  Dr.  von 
Mattliesius  says  lie  is  glad  Miss  Kopp  did 
get  him  and  is  confident  tlmt  she  will  get 
him  out. 
Sheriff  Heath  at  this  time  designated 
Miss  Kopp  as  matron  of  the  jail.  As  soon 
as  installed  she  demonstrated  that,  her 
personality  had  found  its  place,  and  the 
criminal  annals  of  Bergen  County  are  the 
brighter  for  her  presence.  All  the  pris¬ 
oners  view  her  with  confidence.  Why? 
That  is  hard  lo  «ay.  It  is  contrary  to  the 
experience  of  most  police  officials,  but 
she  is  the  comrade  of  all.  If  anyone  has 
any  trouble  or  does  not  feel  well,  be  sends 
for  .Miss  Kopp,  and  if  possible  she  will 
help.  There  is  always  some  medicine  or 
liniment,  for  one  who  doesn’t  feel  well, 
and  the  doctor  will  come  if  if  is  neces¬ 
sary.  And  she  knows  when  it  is  neces¬ 
sary,  too,  since  she  visits  them  nil  and 
knows  all  about  their  condition.  She 
seems  to  know  each  one  by  name  and  al¬ 
ways  lias  a  pleasant  word  as  she  passes 
through  the  different  corridors.  She  is 
endeavoring  to  prove  those  innocent  who 
she  thinks  are  not  guilty,  and  even  though 
she  imprisoned  them,  it.  is  often  by  her 
hand  they  are  freed. 
As  matron  of  the  jail  she  has  estab¬ 
lished  a  system  of  housekeeping,  which 
might,  be  used  as  a  model  by  any 
housekeeper.  In  the  first  place  every¬ 
thing  is  immaculately  clean.  One 
reason  for  her  popularity  is  that  she  oc¬ 
cupies  one  of  the  cells  herself  when  she 
is  within  reach  of  it.  (’ells  are  naturally 
hare  and  uninviting,  and  the  one  she  oc¬ 
cupies  is  no  better  than  the  rest.  In  fact 
it  has  hut  one  window,  while  others  have 
two  ami  three.  Rarely  is  a  matron  looked 
in  a  eell  like  a  prisoner  at  night.  Many 
nights  she  said  the  women  sit  on  her  bed 
and  talk  until  the  early  hours  of  the 
morning. 
As  impressive  of  her  methods  is  her  sys¬ 
tem  of  conducting  devotional  services. 
She  has  managed  l<>  take  in  some  of  the 
spirit  and  popularity  of  Billy  Sunday 
himself.  They  use  his  hymn  books  at  all 
services,  and  they  are  scattered  about  the 
institution  quite  as  they  are  at  his  taber¬ 
nacles.  To  punish  a  refractory  prisoner 
lie  is  forbidden  t  lie  privileges  of  attend¬ 
ing  these  meetings.  While  all  the  rest 
nre  singing  the  Sunday  hymns,  he  is 
looked  in  his  cell,  where  he  may  catch  but 
a  chord  now  and  then  of  the  music  which 
finds  its  way  through  the  interstices  of 
the  steel  doors.  It  does  seem  as  though 
il  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  anything 
more  incongruous  than  a  prisoner  in  jail 
complaining  because  ho  could  not  attend 
ii  religious  meeting. 
The  women  are  punished  in  a  different 
way.  When  they  have  broken  a  rule,  slm 
keeps  away  from  their  department  for  a 
day  and  leaves  them  to  follow  their  own 
devices.  When  they  have  done  well  she 
allows  them  to  have  their  fancy  work  and 
will  sit  with  them  for  n  greater  or  less 
time  as  her  duties  permit.  They  si  11  look 
forward  to  this  with  as  much  pleasure  as 
one  outside  does  to  an  entertainment  long 
coveted.  One  young  woman  is  so  solici¬ 
tous  for  her  welfare  that  she  will  sit  up 
as  late  as  three  o’clock  in  the  morning 
awaiting  her  return  from  some  more  or 
less  perilous  journey. 
The  average  man  outside  would  hardly 
care  to  patronize  Miss  Kopp’s  barber 
shop.  The  barber  is  an  Italian  and  an 
expert,  but  is  a  murderer  who  once  used 
his  razor  for  a  different  purpose  than 
shaving  a  beard,  Of  course,  no  one  com¬ 
plains,  but  it  is  conceivable  that  if  most 
men  were  forced  to  patronize  that,  shop 
safety  razors  would  promptly  be  in  great 
demand,  or  the  long  beard  and  hair  would 
become  the  prevailing  style.  One  can 
readily  understand  that  most  of  us  would 
feel  a  little  chilly  while  sitting  in  that 
chair  being  shaved. 
As  might,  be  expected  a  personality 
with  so  much  originality  lias  changed  in 
some  degree  the  methods  of  administra¬ 
tion.  Instead  of  paying  special  officers  to 
escort  convicted  persons  to  State  prison 
at  Trenton,  or  to  the  Stale  Insane  Hos¬ 
pital,  Miss  Kopp  goes  with  them,  and  lias 
no  hesitation  in  starting  in  an  automo¬ 
bile  with  a  desperate  criminal  who  has 
been  sentenced.  Kven  though  the  spirit, 
may  be  broken,  it.  can  be  understood  that 
a  person  might  attempt:  to  escape,  hut 
thus  far  sin*  has  had  no  trouble.  For¬ 
merly  the  county  employed  n  chef  to  take 
care  of  the  preparation  and  serving  of  the 
food,  lint  under  her  management  the  work 
is  done  by  inmates.  She  looks  upon  it  as 
a  help  to  the  prisoners,  since  it  keeps 
some  of  them  usefully  employed.  She  has 
founded  a  library  containing  a  good  col¬ 
lection  of  helpful  and  inspiring  books, 
contributed  by  different  persons  through¬ 
out  the  county.  Inmates  are  allowed  to 
change  these  books  twice  a  week.  A  trio 
of  colored  men  sang  “Sweet  and  Bow” 
with  an  appreciation  of  its  real  beauties, 
Which  was  good  to  hear. 
Il  is  a  remarkable  work  for  such  a 
wonderful  personality,  but  it  can  hardly 
continue  indefinitely  because  of  tin*  long 
hours  Miss  Kopp  is  using  for  her  county. 
Never  does  she  work  less  than  17  and 
often  the  whole  1M  hours.  No  one  can 
aland  sneli  a  strain  continuously,  but  she 
bus  been  at  work  upon  some'  very  impor¬ 
tant  cases,  and  has  been  away  from  home 
many  days.  In  fact  she  never  knows 
when  slid  starts  out  when  she  will  return. 
KSTIIKK  A.  C088E. 
Woman  as  Village  Blacksmith 
There  are  women  in  many  trades  at 
the  present  time  anil  many  women  are 
farming,  but  the  Woman  in  the  picture 
enjoys  the  unique  distinction  of  being  a 
village  blacksmith.  She  is  Mary  Harris, 
of  the  little  village  of  (Irani,  Michigan. 
She  works  with  her  husband  in  the  shop 
and  can  do  any  part  of  the  work  with  as 
much  skill  as  he  can  do  it.  She  says  that 
she  would  prefer  shoeing  a  horse  or  re¬ 
pairing  the  iron  work  of  a  wagon  to 
April  15,  1010. 
housework  at  any  time,  she  is  proud  of 
her  skill.  She  picked  up  the  trade  by 
keeping  her  husband  company  in  the 
shop,  and  she  is  very  skillful  at  willing, 
can  handle  hammer  or  tongs  ns  cleverly 
as  any  man  working  at  this  trade.  For 
25  years  she  lias  done  her  share  of  work 
in  this  simp,  shoeing  the  gentle  horses, 
while  her  husband  handles  the  trouble¬ 
some  ones.  Mrs,  Harris  finds  no  trouble 
in  hammering  a  horseshoe  to  fit. 
E.  E  c. 
A  Woman  School  Janitor  Talks 
Since  nil  sorts  of  people  read  The  It. 
N.-Y.  I  have  concluded  there  must  be 
some  readers  like  myself,  who  are  not: 
farmers,  but  janitors  of  schools  or  other 
public  buildings.  This  school  year  has 
been  my  first:  experience  doing  janitor 
work,  and  I  have  thought  perhaps  an 
older  hand  could  give  me  some  pointers 
and  ideas  on  doing  the  work  more  effec¬ 
tively  with  a  minimum  expenditure  of 
time  and  effort.  I  wish  to  know  in  par¬ 
ticular  of  the  best  kind  of  floor  oil  or 
other  dtlst  Settler,  also  the  best  broom  to 
use  for  sweeping  under  desks  and  seats. 
1  should  like  to  know  also  the  wages 
others  receive. 
Our  schoolhouse  lias  eight  rooms,  all 
heated  by  stoves  burning  wood ;  live  of 
them  on  the  second  floor.  I  have  to  carry 
this  wood  into  the  building  and  upstairs; 
sweep  every  room  every  night  after 
school;  wJuitt  snow  or  mud  is  trucked  into 
tile  building  the  main  hall  and  stairway 
are  swept  four  times  a  day,  each  time 
after  I  he  students  march  in.  I  pumped 
and  carried  the  water  for  two  10-gallon 
fountains,  keeping  them  filled  while 
school  was  in  session  (we  couldn't  use 
them  in  cold  weather)  ;  shoveled  snow 
when  there  was  any  to  shovel,  and  re¬ 
ceived  $12.50  a  month  of  20  actual  school 
days.  I  am  not  paid  for  holidays  as  the 
teachers  are.  What:  are  the  laws  and  cus¬ 
toms  regarding  this?  These  are  the  prin¬ 
cipal  big  tasks  to  say  nothing  of  the  hun¬ 
dred  and  one  little  things  the  janitor  is 
called  on  to  do. 
I  gave  the  whole  building  a  thorough 
cleaning  last  Fall  before  school  started, 
and  received  nothing  extra  for  it.  I  am 
required  to  be  in  the  building  all  the 
time  school  is  in  session.  I  am  55,  the 
mother  of  six  children,  live  of  whom  and 
myself  I  have  to  support.  My  two  oldest 
girls,  aged  15  and  14,  help  me  with  the 
sweeping  and  dusting;  I  would  not  let 
t hem  carry  wood.  We  have  done  all  our 
own  housework,  cooking,  baking  and  sew¬ 
ing.  We  pay  rent  $5  a  month  and  buy 
fuel,  wood  $5  a  cord,  coal  $7  a  ton.  We 
all  enjoy  good  health  and  are  happy  bo- 
Thc  Woman  School  Janitor 
cause  we  are  independent.  Some  people 
might  think  it  a  hard  life  for  a  mother; 
but  there  are  worse.  i„  m.  8. 
Two  Tested  Recipes 
Miikinn.  One  egg.  one  tablespoon 
of  sugar,  one  teaspoon  lard  or  butter 
melted,  one  cup  milk,  two  cups  Hour,  one 
heaping  teaspoon  baking  powder  one- 
half  ten  spoon  salt.  But  in  greased  muf¬ 
fin  I  ins  and  bake  about  15  mjjiutes  in 
quick  oven.  By  using  butlermilk  with 
one-fourth  teaspoon  of  soda  added,  and 
graham  flour,  it  makes  tine  graham  muf¬ 
fins. 
Johnny  Cake.— Three  cups  «»f  tine 
white  cornmeal.  one  cup  of  (lour,  three 
cups  of  buttermilk,  one  teaspoon  of  soda, 
two  eggs,  one-half  cup  of  molasses,  four 
tablespoons  of  lard  or  butter,  melted, 
one  teaspoon  of  salt.  Bake  one-lmlf  hour 
in  rather  hot  oven  in  two  tins. 
The  Woman  Blacksmith,  Mrs.  Mary  Harris 
ADA  flKl.M. 
