Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-29
SATURDAY.. JULY go, 1871
The Wcstboro Reform school.

The WestbOro Reform school.
One OF our contemporaries intimates that I
more definite staten ent OF the charges made by
Mr.. J. H. Samson against the reform school a
westboro is desirable. We are told that a yer!
definite statement of the charges has been mad
to those in authority, and that an investigation
by the trustees was expected, which, however
did not take place. We will give statement o
some of the specifications set down in Mr.. Sam
sons communication. They implicate only on
of the employees, and censure the superintend
ent for retaining this offending person in tn
service of the school. He has charge of one o
the shops. Some of the allegations mad
against him are as follows;
"Some time in the latter part of March, {
man employed in the institution whose nam'
is givenl, passing the shop Mr.. 1.-THE offender.
has in charge had his attention arrested by the
cries of a boy saying don't" Mr.. - Don't
whip me SOP and, after he stopped to listen, he
counted forty-six blows. The ladies in the
sewing room stood it as long as they could, and
ran to the Office and reported it. Mr.. Samson
says Also Il went privately to the superintendent
and asked him if he knew how cruelty Mr.. -
whipped tine uONSs I1C Haiu IL hsu SNSH PN'ASN
TO him, and he had ordered no more whipping
with the strap"
The strap" is an instrument which the
brutal employee in question had made for such
use. Mr. Samson describes it thus -" The in
strument of torture is round leather tug, IS
inches long and three fourths of an inch in di-
ameter; Mr. got it made down atthe harness
shop in Westboro' village" Notwithstanding
the superinteudent's order, it appears to have
been used again, soon afterwards, still more
cruelty. Mr.. Samson says
About a week afterwards, Mr.. 1.-THE same
man took boy by the name of Redgate, for
the trivial offense of speaking in the yard after
the parade was called, and beat him so unmer-
citully that he carried the marks for long time
The officers were so enraged about it, that it
was for long time talked about and denounced
Some of them examined the boy and told me
how badly his skin was cut. | doubted and
was asked to examine for myself. The boy was
beat on Monday, and the following Sunday he
was still sick in his dormitory. saw him and
counted twenty places, from half an inch to two
inches long, where the skin was cut off"
Again, "An officer of the institution says, he
saw Mr.. 1.-THE same man go up 10 a boy in the
diningroom and knock him down three times in
succession. and kick him every time until he
kicked him up again; the boy was not over ten
years old. This was reported to Mr.. Evans who
inquired OF the officer in question and was told
the report was true" sr-.-.s s,..6
We know Mr. Samson and have no reason
whatever to doubt the correctness Of his state
ment. Not many persons will doubt that such
charges should be carefully investigated. He is
sure the trustees would not tolerate these bru-
talities, nor allow the superintendent to retain
the man who has perpetrated them, if they
would take measures to ascertain that the
charges are true; but those who make the
charges have never been allowed an opportuni-
ty to prove them. They ask hearing where
they can bring forward witnesses who shall ties.
tify under oath. If the charges are unfounded,
it can be shown, not by informal inquiry of Mr..
Evans, but by proper and careful investiga-
ton. If they are true, measures should be
taken to put stop to such practices, and TO re-
move from the institution every man RESPONSE
Bile for them. If there be a man employed in
the state reform school, who is guilty of such
brutahties, he should not be allowed to remain
there If the superintendent lacks either force
or disposition to discharge the perpetrator of
removed. On the other hand, if the employee
in question is wrongfully accused, let him be
vindcated by a satisfactory investigation.