New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-03

That it appears, not only by the accompanying
statement of Miss Shotwell, but also by the athda
Wit of Doctor Freeman, a respectable physician
who attended professionally the Asylan, and the
affidavts of the Nurses and others, which are also
herewith submitted the children received did net
average over four months, and about one-ioUrth oil
them were not over one month old when ehey
were taken to the Asylum. Many al them were
brought there Immediately after being born, many
of them without clothing many Of them without
being washed.
That generally, and with very few exceptions,
the disease O. them were Of & dangerous descrip
ZION, snd inherited from their parents, very often
10 an extreme extent when received, that rem.
dered them incurable. That many died almost
Immediately and many very soon after their re-
ception That large numbers Of them were III
fact the offspring of the diseased, the dissipated
and dissolute-and many had been aban-
doned That such was the condition OF many
of them that extreme difficulty existed to get
nurses to receive them anywhere else
That the proportion OF them 50 received az the
Asylum who were healthy when received did not
exceed % out Of 80 and Of that proportions large
number whom they were brought were accom-
panied by their mothers.
That for the reasons above mentioned the NOR
tally among them was inevitably great,
That Doctor Freeman, above mentioned, was
professionally attached 10 the Asylum, continual
" from It's commencement, and is yet that he
has steadily and regularly daily, and several
times day and at night, when occasion required,
and generally several times week visited and
attended upon the children, and with skill, kind
ness, and attention IL his utmost ability, admins
tered to them, prescribed for and watched over
them
That the Asylum has been without cessation
continually kept in a tidy, clean snd careful con-
dtion, with sufficient force OF nurses and other
help, and abundant supply OF good beds, bedding,
clothing, and other comforts, also OF fuel, nutri'
ment food, medicine and diet of excellent de-
scripton. That the utmost care and vigilance,
nieht land day, were obseryed-that extra pay
ives given by her to those who watched at night
in fact that extreme care, kindness aud attention
were observed and, as far as can be ascertained,
nothing material was omitted.
The only proceedings to which exception may
Justly be taken and condemnation applied was,
in the instances complained OF in the manner IN
which some of those who died were inferred.
That one instance occurred at Fordham,
arising, it appears, from the carelessness aud IN"
attention of the person there, on that occasion
employed to bury them, to proper depth The
other occurred at Morrisania during the time OF
the sickness of Miss Shotvrell, and arose from the
disobedience of the person employed to bury
them on that occasion, in not following her direc'
tons.
AS to both instances there has been much ex
aggeration and misunderstanding. 1t is certainly
true that in both instances the remains were not
inferred sufficiently deep in the ground to secure
them from danger of exposure and disturbance,
nor to be consistent with proper care and respect
1t appears however that IN the hrst instance,
on the fact being made known to Miss Shotweil,
that by the aid OF DR.. Freeman she had them all
reinterred ut a proper depth and that In the
second instance her directions were such, as il
obeyed would have effected their being properly
inferred, although she then and atterward uni
formly stated that she intended the interments on
that occasion to be only temporary, and until she
could get well enough to have them ikterred &C
Potter's Field on Randa's Island,
There is no doubt that IN retaining any OF tho
bodies under temporary lnterment, ana not ia
every case within praper time after each de-
cease, sending the body in an appropriate manner
and with the needful certificates Tor interment at
Potter's Field, an error was committed, but tnls
was an error in good faith, though not justiiiable.
1t was while she was sick, and perhaps some al
l0wance may be admitted Tor that reason.
That part of the complaint which alleges thot
at Fordeam the hogs disturbed some OF the re-
moins is sustained by the affidavit OF only one
witness MIR. Lodge to the extent following, VIZ
THAT he saw one which had been buried nearly
level with the ground, where the hogs had been
and rooted part OF the lid OF the coffin OIL he
Judged by the tracks OF their feet, by the roofing
OF the ground there and round it; the body ap-
peared to be partly drawn out he did not see the
hogs do it; he did not mention 1t to Miss Shot
| well, bat two or three months aterward he men
| toned it to some of the villagers" 1t appears
however, from the affidavit OF Mr. Darcy that
man buried his own child in tho same lot over q
sand.pit which was afterward dug into and the
coffin probably washed bare--it is most likely
this is the body to which Mr. Lodge refers. Bat
whether this be so or not, the wrong, In the re-
mains of these children or any OF them who died,
having been buried TO an insufficient depth below
the surface and not III more appropriate places,
is equally the same and though the chief censure
NAV fall on those to whom she delegated the task,
for the wrongful manner in which it was done yet
wrong it was, and must be so regarded. The
affidavit of Nicholas Jackson, herewith submitted,
proves the directions given to him to have been
as Miss Shotwe has stated as to the manner Oh
his making the nterments at Monisania, and
also the fact that such nterments were meant to
be temporary, as above mentioned IL demon
strates also the extent OF prejudice to which Mr..
Weeks has INDUCED, aud how lar his feelings
have hurried him.
Frpm the investigation which the Committee
have made they are satisfied that Miss Shotwel
has accounted for all the children comnttedto her
care by this Department: that she has uniformly
and INCREASINGLY. to her utmost endeayors, oosery
ed and extended to them extreme kindness, Ylgl.
lance attendance and benevolencei has used
every available means in all cases TO cure them
and 10 alleviate their sufterings that the Asylum
was conducted as 10 force and supplies, as TO
medical aid and attention, as to nursing, nutrl-
ment diet and cleanliness, in an excellent manner:
that the improper manner Of interring the remains
Of those who died in the instances above mention
ed arose from the carelessness and inattention Of
those to whom she had in good faith committed
the performance of that duty and that, though
she erred in not having all of them within proper
time decently Inferred in a correct manner at Pot
ters Field, yet this was an error committed in
good faith and with good motives
The Committee upon careful consideration,
deem, that because the Asylum is not within this
county and within its limits, that it is ipjudicious
to continue to place any children OF the Depart
ment therein, but more in consonance with the
efficient administration Of the Department to keep
all the objects of its care as much as possible with.
in the limits OF the county; and that it s wrong,
unless emnently necessary, to be accessory in es-