The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-04-22

~ - o'1'~o AS6oA Au'Cos1k5"tsoAj S'~ e"os'
be pleased to meet Miss Iropton's
friend and attorney in open court; for
tho good faith Of his appearance here
can only be equaled by tho good taste
and good breeding he has since dis
played.' ~.> -
+ There was a general movement
throughout the room. People were
seized with disposition TO cough, and
pocket kerchieh were in demand. The
Committee concluded to hear her read
her accusations, and then appointed
Mr. Tw,nsy Secretary, to write out her
further specifications. She gave these
in the strongest language which her
strong indignation and sympathy
prompted, hoping thereby to compel an
execution OF tho threat Of legal account
ability, as the only means left for call
ing further public attention, and SO
dispossessing this woman, who had fas-
tened herself as vampire ON these
miserable orphans in tdeir magnificent
Home. She could not hope that her
witnesses, whose presence or testimony
she had no power to enforce, would
each and all b"ave libel suits, and felt
that this investigation under such
threat must fail. While ehc sat With
uncovered head in the strong gas light
facing the Committee and taxing her
powers Of terse Anglo Saxon, Mrs.
Bateman came to her and whispered !:
"Don't be afraid. I have talked
With all our witnesses. Every one will
testify, and let them bring on their Ii.
bel SUITS"
Margaret had before this realized
that woman might grow hysterical
under the influence Of excessive sym
patby, and yet DO firm as the everlast-
ing hills. Since Mrs. Bateman's res
ignation, she had remitted no effort for
the removal Of the cruel teacher; and
she and Margaret had agreed together
that while the latter became accuser,
Mrs. Bateman should frustrate every
effort to force her likewise into that po-
sitiou, and thus prevent her appearance
as a principal witness. The assurance
she now brought Of her own 6rmness
and that Of a cloud of Witnesses, was
such as to stagger ones faith in total
depravity. The accusation being fully
written out in Mr.. Tvinzy's most clerk
ly hand, read and slightly corrected,
Margaret signed it, and crossed the
room to hand it to Mr.. Brownlow.-
She then went to where Judge Knox
eat with his hands and chin resting on
the top Of his cane, and consulted him
about the liability of witnesses for it
had occurred to her that if all could be
made defendants in a libel suit there
would be an end to developments. He
raised bis upper jaw with his peculiar
little Jerk. and said
"Faugh! The gentleman is young.
Neither accuser nor witness is liable for
what is said 10 an investigation which
they profess to have sought Just pro.
ceed as you intended, and if there is
any sign Of their taking any legal ad-
vantage Of you, I shall interfere. I
thoug ght when he came might have
to take charge Of the case for You, but
I see you can attend to him."
Margaret stated that after consult
ing Judge Knox, she was glad to In
form the witnesses that the threat Of
Mr.. Brownlow was idle. Mrs. Void
was first examined, aud gave her tcsti-
mony clearly, especially to tho facts
that the children were rigidly excluded
from all parts of the house, save three
back chambers where the girls and in
fants slept, and that only these were
permitted to come in at the back hall
and 60 up stairs !; that sho was requir-
ed, while matron, to have them all up,
even infants in arms, at five o'clock,
and sent out Of the house that this
demand was made by Miss lronton, who
gave as reason that she might not be
disturbed in her morning sleep, and
sustained by the managers; that in tn.
chill mornings the children had suffer-
ed and she thought been i'll from want
Of warm bed and good fire ; that Miss
I. had been habitually violent aud abu.
sive to her aud the children, because
she often failed to enforce such rules
as Miss I. laid down; aud::w.s especial.
ly abusive because she had repeated.
ly brought some of the children IN to
sit by the diniug.room fire, or had Civ
en- them milk without first taking the
cream from it for Miss Ironton's use
that the Institution had two good cows
and Miss I. insisted that all the butte,
and cream belonged to the house table
where she, the matron, eeamstresses
and visitors took their meals thai
Miss I. drank cream, and said thai
that kind of food was necessary to sus
tain brain labor, while only vegetable
diet was proper for the children VII,
were forming muscle; that she callet
the children "those things" spoke o
them generally with contempt, excep
in presence Of the managers or visitors
that she habitually deprived them 0
food as a punishment for offenses il
school and she. Mrs. Void. thouph