of the
day. This substantial success inspired the friends to renewed
efforts.[243]

The necessity of properly qualified women in the police stations
again came up for consideration. The condition of unfortunate women
nightly consigned to these places had long been set forth by the
leaders of the suffrage movement. In New York there were thirty-two
station-houses in which, from night to night, from five to forty
women were lodged, some on criminal charges, some from extreme
poverty. All there, young and old, were entirely in the hands of
men, in sickness or distress. If search was to be made on charge of
theft, it was always a male official who performed the duty. If the
most delicate and refined lady were taken ill on the street, or
injured in any way, she was liable to be taken to the nearest
station, where the needful examinations to ascertain if life yet
lingered must be made by men. In view of these facts, a resolution
was again passed at the State convention, and request made to the
police commissioners, to permit a delegation of ladies to meet with
them in conference. The commissioners deigned no reply, but gave
the letter to the press, whereupon ensued a storm of comment and
ridicule.

On consultation with Mrs. Josephine Shaw Lowell, commissioner of
the State Board of Charities, a bill was drawn up and sent to
Albany, providing for the appointment of one or more police-matrons
at every station-house in cities of 50,000 inhabitants and upwards,
the salaries to be $600 each. Hon. J. C. Boyd presented the bill in
the Senate, where it passed April 18. In the Assembly its passage
was urged by Hon. Michael C. Murphy, chairman of the Committee on
Cities. Meantime Mayor Grace and Comptroller Campbell entered their
protest against the bill, declaring the measure ought to originate
in the city departments, where there was full power to appoint
police-matrons; also, that the proposed salaries would be a heavy
drain upon the city treasury. The comptroller was at once informed
of the previous application to the police commissioners, from whom
no reply had been received, which virtually compelled appeal to the
legislature. And as to salaries, it was suggested that there were
now on the pay-roll of the police of New York 2,500 men whose
salaries amounted to over $2,500,000, whereas the bill before the
legislature asked for only sixty matrons, whose salaries would
amount to but $36,000. This was certainly a most reasonable