“If the wives relapse into their former mode of life, they are at once placed under the survey of the police.”

French society ladies arranging marriages between female prostitutes and male convicts–what could possibly go wrong? A brief article about these special nuptials from the February 5, 1869 Brooklyn Daily Eagle:

“One thousand prostitutes are at a St. Lazaire prison, near Paris. A novel plan for making good members of society is being tried lately with considerable success. A benevolent society of French ladies, with considerable means at its disposal, ascertains the dates at which unmarried male prisoners at Mans will be discharged; they ask them if they will be willing to marry one of the St. Lazaire prisons whose term expires at the same time, if a dower of 300 francs were given to the latter. This sum is amply sufficient for a young couple to commence housekeeping in France, and many prisoners are only too glad to avail themselves of the offer. If the wives relapse into their former mode of life, they are at once placed under the survey of the police, and may be imprisoned at any moment. The plan is said to work remarkably well. No complaints whatever have been made about the conduct of the thirty-five couples whose unions were brought about in this manner.”