Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-09
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

ru Dslr, DuHp AND BLIND ASYLUM Cox.
.s,yzRsY.-Sscohd day The hrst witness
,limined on Monday, March 2, was Mr.. Or
rIle 0lds.
anal way, but offered to affirm, which the
j,dge declined accepting, saying that the Law
Flowed affirmation only to Quskers and Men
pni,.s, and that all others must qualify in
ne usual way. 1t may be noted here, how
vsr that DR.. Skinner was permitted to quail
~ in his response to the writ by affirmation,
snd he is neither Quaker nor Mennonite. Mr..
O. gave his evidence without taking any
.sb, by agreement of counsel. He said that
70 had known DR. Platt III Skinner about
VARS; deponent came to Washington about
ae middle OF November last; saw DR. Skinner
u his house; SINNERS wife was sick. and de-
psnent on her account (she having been for
rerly q pupil Of deponent's), Was willing to
rcede to SINNERS request to supply her
place as teacher in the school room, but he
puld only teach an hour or two q DAY; this
continued for 5 or weeks; deponent had had
experience in deaf and dumb schools; he was
pleased to find the children had made such
good advancement; they compared favorably
With children in other institutions who had
been year at school, and these had been only
months; the children had been under Mrs
SINNERS management. In reference to other
nstters, outside the school room, there was a
total want Of things to do with that ia to say
Il conyeniences-there was want of food, of
fuel, and somewhat too of clothing and of
bedding; there was very little variety of
food when be first went, there was bread,
bat the prevalent food was potatoes of
poor kind then In three or four weeks rice
vas used, and cooked in the plainest manner:
besides the rice were few articles, but very
Insignificant; II was generally rice alone but
,ometimes articles from Indian meal; in point
c. quantity there was . great lack; deponent
related how be first ascertained this; be saw
the boys take something from their pockets 90
IS not TO allow it to be seen; on examinat
dePOnent found it vas a bit of raw turnip; the
same sort Of thing was done another time, and
dspOnent, wishing to see what all The slyness
vas about, again found it was part of a raw
turniP; the boys had got these things in fear
and stsathily; dePonent scarcely ever know
them have enough; the food was dealt out
spariDgly; on one occasion q little girl came
into the room with the badge of disgrace thus.
II steal, am thief, / lie;" on seeing this
dspOnsnt enquired Of her You steal whst?"
the answer was 8 A yellow vegetable, steal
carrot" the children would not have taken
these but to satisfy hunger; there were many
args Of insuthcisncy Of things to eat; depc-
rsBG saw very little beating. indeed they were
Kept in q distant part Of the house; did not
zee much Of the discipline; still, on one occa-
non saw girl take a uashbowl to the teaket.
de, and break piece from the bowl by acct.
dent, when the Doctor punished her, and de-
ponent thought the blows were violent; thew
we're on the head; these blows were with the
doubled INST; on entering the school-room one
Jay Isaac VIM called attention to his ear
which was swollen and bruised, and the how
Hgnlhed that Dr. Skinner had done it; took
10 further notice except to observe that tie
boy had swollen cheek the next day; but
day after that deponent saw that under
rs (Ihe boy's) eyellds it was black and
blue, and the eyeiwas closed for two weeks:
tnis was caused by one blow. On another
oesaaion opponent noticed bruise across |
he nose Of girl, and asked her what the |
Rctor struck her with; she spelt the word |
pail" again he saw her cheek swollen and |
naas tne Doctor had given her severe beat |
ng tee head; on Christmas day, deponent |
'Oue.d great amount Of apparent confusion: |
water vas split In q room, and il froze yery
lard 81 the door; this will give sotae idea Of
Rs enpersture; DIR. Skinner told deponent
nasd whipped gIrl thr-s times d4y, and
L0 that 10 lad whipped that pointing to
M boy every day for & days; lie tiled ND
boys oui Of bed to ges Wood as late as 10 III ii
asecz al Light; depOneDt had seen him u |
$50 or more occasions snatch boys out OF cd |
MO The middle of the hUOr In reference to |
nsl, there were on some occasions nothing L. |
indie FIRE with; in the schosIrsom it was
10 cold 10 study, AND, the blind childrens' On.
s.n we're too cold TO read their letters with |
" many occasions there was an insuficiency
tasl; IN the dormitories the lights were
noksn out; this was p evioss to the 10th Of
'.naary; the rain dropped in; there were no
arpets on the floor
Judge Morsell inquired what was the prae-
zee 10 other and we'll conducted institutions
peponent replied that No had very little ex-
psnsnee except what no derived from being
nhe New York Institution; there the pupils
aAa good supply Of healthy food but no car.
~ 10 some cages there was quite a degree |
severity used; in New York they enter at |
yeAs old; but some delay till they are is,
70, " ~ years Of age; some have thus &C |
tieu oaa habits which demand severe dis
PAHei me teachers administer a moderate
go VI punishment On the hand; there ia
'sJ rarely eoThide used; DR. Peet punish |
1a asnsll cord and occasionally with the |
SHIiaei thinks that In some instances chill
ave been punished by corporal punish |
49,, sulen as general thing is not allow /
aOis, nsJ are generally treated with lenien.y;
aoNning Of the sort like bruises allowed: this
Dc reouked by the president; in causing |
,. iidfen TO dance 1t was only for their own |
aHon, and at their pleasure; there was no /
ETNson' oePonent had taught the little |
snnI gfl 20 move up and down; he then al
-. " tae case Of child there present in |
court who uas~not well; deponens saw
n. vas 'omsthing seriously the matter and |
Is s|o0; was called in; DR. Smost prescribed; |
. .I;I, ne had gone DR.. Skinner ordered the /
- Nusn on the door, whom the little girl seem |
81 NOT 70 with to comply, though she is the |
-. con plant child depopent ever saw in his
;' Skinner made her dance; the next morn
.anssrsus symptoms appeared; as to cloth |
mere was not what there should be for a |
S, II was neither decent nor in sufficient
-.nutJ; one boy walked with his feet on the
sOaIa' few days ago deponent had witness.
~. oad case Of frosted feet, (t was the boy
III, from the Navy Ysrd,) in which the
we're covered with black scales; deponent
-, ngn' Of cold from morning to night; q little
So hands suffered so much that her fingers
,.a Hohen as large above as below; depo-
10y called Mrs. SINNERS attention to thi, |
,,; gu the glrl was Ann Ssymanoski; the COW
IA On The beds was very scanty; deponent
~. ?' actually count bur thinks there were
G, pieces on one bed where four boys slept;
a,;. osa occupied by two boys was quilt and
Of saekiEg over it; this was all the COW
TX tney had durinO ths coI1.a,