, 1859-09-19

The PiGsburghers are greatly excited about
some startling disclosures which hare been made
concerning alleged immortal practices At the
House Of Refuge. Mr. Thomas Rutherford
the Superintendent of the House Of Refuge for
Western Pennsylvania, a man who has stood
high in the esteem Of the public, is seriously
compromised by these regelatioas. The Pitts
burKh Ga=ttts says:
Some time in the summer or fall of 1853 ru-
mors obtained publicity that Mr. rutherford,
had taken advantage Of his position Is Super
intendeut, and of the dcfcusetess position Of
some OF the girls submitted to his care for re-
formation to prostitute them to bis passions.
The Board Of Directors Immediately eonreucd
and Investigated the matter. They seem to have
arrived at The conclusion that the aecusations
bad no Foundation in fact ut least not 10 justify
either eensufe OF reuora1.
Last week, however,, these rumors we're re-
yiTed with redoubied actirisy and positivenes.,
and the impression produced On all rho heard
them was Tery profound. They cane with such
distirctness Of detail. and with such reference
to specific details and Individuals, that it would
have been impossible to overlook them. The
Mayor; - the Chief Magistrate Of The city, H.
%ost TO- daily committing girls to the House Of
ltelnge, felt 1t TO be duty however unpleasant
to ascertain whether he WA sending girls 10 a
place OF reformation or not lie sent for three
or four girls said to hare been victimized, and
TOOK their testimony under oath. The details
Of their aflidarits nc could hot make pabiic,
were they accessible to the press, bot we can
give their substance. It alleged in them thas
for year or two past the st6lnts haIr, upou
various occasions, had criminal intcrcourse with
Ar. r.; that he had keys by which be had gained
access to thei1. apartments at midnight. This
they assert, was repeated on more than one &C.
easion, the details Of which arc set forth in the
af6dny1ts.
It is but just to Mr, r. to say that two or
three OF the girls were before the Board, when
The rtmoFs against him were investigated in
ls55, and thas they then gave them fat denial-
This, they say in their atidasits. they we're in-
duced to DO through influences brought to bear
upon them By the Superintendent himself. uho
represented 10 them the crushing effect such
immortality, If known. would hare upon him,
and the disastrous influence it would exert on
the Institution The iufoFmations we're taken
separately, but have strong eor1oboFaSire
character.
The Board Of Managers convened in the House
on Mondsy, and commenced an examination
which j. not Jet concluded The Mayor be-
hesing it to be his duty to be present, waited
upon the Boasd, and after some discussion, WAS
admitted. and Was present during the inyessi-
CATION. The result has not yet tsanspired, but
It is rumored, and with come correctness We
think, that the evidence elected, sustained the
charges set forth in the afidarits, aud make up
a case havinE more probability than We wish,
for the credit Of the Superintendent and the IN
stitutior, it had. i young Lady aiFeady notori-
ous to the public. who was committed By the
Mayor somc months ago. with strong hopes Of
etIsctual reformation, and who, since her COM
initial has been made = teacher, it is alleged.
has maintained Illicit relations to the Superin-
tendent for a considerable time, ned now, when
questioned, adui.s it,