The General Agent, Fred. J. Pooley, has diligently maintained his mission of mercy at the Central Station. The opportunities for helpful service have been so numerous as to justify his attendance both at the morning and afternoon sessions of the Court of the committing magistrate. In a large number of cases of suspicion or of a trivial character, the Agent has been instrumental in securing the discharge of the prisoners or in placing them at once under the care of the probation officer, thus properly saving them from the evil associations of a term in prison. The magistrates often place the accused person in the charge of our Agent. A home and employment may be found for them, and quite often they are sent to relatives either in this State or elsewhere. The full report of the Agent will be found in the JOURNAL. CONCLUSION. We desire to thank the friends by whose generous contributions our work of restoration and timely assistance has been made possible. So many stranded ones have told us they had no place whatever to go except to our sheltering care. With the means entrusted to our use, our friends have materially aided in the circulation of information and literature throughout the Commonwealth, which, we have abundant reason to believe, has been greatly instrumental in educating public sentiment and therefore in ameliorating the conditions of our correctional institutions. For many reasons we are encouraged to continue in this work of reformation in the hope that a sounder method of treating offenders will result in lessening the incentives to commit crime. On behalf of the Acting Committee, EDW. M. WISTAR, _President_. ALBERT H. VOTAW, _Secretary_. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. RECEIPTS FOR THE YEAR 1917 To Balance January 1, 1917 $2,096 30 “ Contributions 3,757 28 “ Dues, Annual Members 233 00 “ Fees, Life Membership 100 00 “ Income from Investments 2,315 83 “ Income from I. V. Williamson Charities 720 00 “ Income from Anna Blanchard Fund 220 50 “ Income from Barton Tool Fund 109 76 “ Proceeds Sale of Literature 42 35 “ Returned by Discharged Prisoners 9 22 “ Interest on Deposit Balances 60 51 “ Legacy, Estate Joshua L. Baily, deceased 5,000 00 “ Legacy, Estate H. A. Rogers, deceased 952 50 “ Distribution from Estate Geo. S. Pepper, deceased 60 00 ---------- Total Receipts $15,677 25 PAYMENTS