The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-03-13

certain members of the police who have be-
come disabled from their services in the police;
which was referred TO the Committee on the
Police
The Council, after considering some resolu'
tions and communications, adjourned to meet
on Thursday evening at O'Clock.
THE AIMS. .HousE AFFAIR.-Much has been
said about the case of MIR. w. s. Phillips, Su-
pcrintendent, which the report of the Com
mittee on the Aims House In the Council yes
terday, and other developments, have proved
to be entirely without foundation. 1t appears
that, In December last, oue Mrs. Jeter, then an
inmate Of the aims house, wrote letter 10
General Terry, making very serious charges
against the Superintendent This letter was
referred by General Terry to General Turner.
The latter was at the time absent from the
city and in his absence, Colonel DAVIS, his
adjutant l. general, detailed a subordinate OIL
Ger to make an investigation of the facts al
legged. This officer went TO the aims house
and took the depositions of certain inmates,
and upon their dispositions the following
report was made:
RICHMOND, VA, March 3, 1866.
Brecet Major General J. ". Turner, commanding
District of Henrico, Richmond, "a:
General,-I have the honor TO inform you
that l have investigated the complaint made
about the alms-house of this city, and hnd
that the statements contained in the Wltnln
letter TO be- in the main, true.
endeayored to have an occular demon
stration Of what was going on in the
aims house, but found it tmpracttcabie,
fact that there is only one entrance through
which visitors can gain access, and that Is
under the eye of the Superintendent, Will
liam 5. Phillips, who takes especial care to
show visitors around the premises, and give
no opportunity for conversation with the
inmates. From several females who We're
inmates of the aims house, received the fol
lowing information, which can be corroborated
by any of the present inmates OF the building,
if they have good assurance that the Superin-
tendent (Phillips) will not be allowed to punish
them for exposing him.
Without some assurance of this kind, not
one of the inmates, however bold he or she
might be, would dare TO utter syllable other
than in praise of the said Superintendent, as
they but know too well the penalty they
would incur. During my short stay at the
building / could discern that when the said
Superintendent spoke to any of the inmates
as it might seem to the common observer In
general way, il did not act like charm upon
them, for they SUNK away as ii with instinc-
tive dread.
Another thing so different from the rule of
any aims house in cities north is, that none OF
the inmates of the building are allowed to
leave without the permission of the Superin-
tendent, not even to go to the city TO get
employment; and as the superintendent
allows none TO leave the building except his
fayorites, it can readily be seen that they have
no opportunity to make their grievances known
to the world, and are compelled to submit to
live life more degrading than it is expected
human nature can submit TO bear.
MODES OF PUSIsHING, AND FOR WHAT REASONS.
In the month of December, 1865, Mrs. Nc
Kinney, who still remains at the aims house,
went to the city to procure some work sew
ing think, in order that she might earn
money enough to purchase some clothing and
shoes for the children, who are entirely desti-
tute of those articles, which are not fur
nished by the alms-hous and upon her re-
turning TO the building, the Superintendent
had her thrown into a bathing tub of water
several times, with her clothes on. and then
placed in q cell for two weeks, and allowed no
food.
am informed that, in the months of De-
cember, 1865, and January, 1866, the Super
intendent ordered some of the female inmates
of the building TO 60 TO the wash-house, where
the water was three inches deep on the floor,
TO do washing when the said females had
no shoes, nor stockings, and some were with
out anything except single garment IA
chemise).
Also, the said Superintendent has forced
females out of their beds TO do heavy work
when they were suffering with "relapse of the
uterus aud other sickness. Where the mana
of charity should be extended to the oppressed,
il seems that corruption and oppression is the
rule as am informed that the said Superin.
tendent makes base propositions TO the females
under his care and while some reject, Others
submit through fear, TO his wishes. The said
has 4 wife and family residing
on Clay, near Jackson street.
DANGER.
,la,, to1N
the aims house i'll such q manner that none OF
the inmates, except of a colored family In ms
employ, can get out, and he (Phillips) goes
home, and sometimes does not return until the
following day at p. M, and until that time
the inmates must remain without food.
1t can very readily be seen from this mis-
management that should q fire occur, which
is likely to take place 1t any time in building
containing the numbers that are In the aims
house, that the inmates would be doomed To
perish horrid death before the keys OF the
building could come from Clay and jackson
streets to the north end of Second street.
Witnesses to the above facts are rs follows,
viz: Mrs. E. M. Jeter, Mrs. M. A. Pitt, and
Miss G. Fletcher-residence on north end OF
Third street, third house east of burial ground
Also Mrs. Mckinney, Mrs. Conway, and Miss
Lucy Fletcher at Aims House, Richmond, Va
p. A. DAVIS, A. A. G.
1t is proper here to call attention to the fac
that, on Tuesday last, Mrs. Jeter, one of the
witnesses referred to in the above report, was
committed to the city Jail for keeping house
of i'll fame, and that on the following day
Amanda Pitt, Georgiana Fletcher, and Lucy
Fletcher, three other Of the witnesses, were
committed on the same charge.
The above report was received by General
Turner on his return to the city, and sent BY
him to the Mayor, with the endorsement thai
he had nothing TO do with the matter, who
referred it to the Council, by which, in turn
it was referred to the Committee on the Aims
House This committee made an investigation
of the whole affair, and on yesterday made the
following report 10 the Council
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The committee to whom was referred the
communication from Major General Turner
forwarding charges against the superintendent
Of the City Aims House, respectfully submit,
that, after fun investigation, they find not
the slightest evidence TO support the charges
but, on the contrary, establishing beyond ques,
ton that the Superintendent has discharged
his duties faithfully, promptly, and efiicien tly
and that the only complaints are from those
who were recent inmates Of the aims house
left the place without permission, and who
by offending against the laws OF the city, nave
been placed in Jail by the Mayor.
,ss En~