New-York tribune., 1871-09-12
ANOTHER UOIHEBOTS HALL.
sERIOrs CHARGES AGAINST THE MANAGEMENT
OF TIE sUSQUEHASNA VALLEY HOME-A
REVEREND TORTURER.

sERIOrs CHARGES AGAINST THE MANAGEMENT
OF TIE sUsQUEHASNA VALLEY HoME-A
REVEREND TORTURER.
BINGHAMTON, n Y, Sept 9,-Nuch excite
ment prevails here concerning the charges Of cruelty
preferred against the Rev. Mr. Van pps, Superntcnd
ent Of the susquehanna Valley Home charitable nst
tuition for children. One Of the inmates Frederick Bow
man. age Q, was found week ago with heavy log Of
wood chained to his neck and two Committees one OF
nine gentlemen and the other Of ten ladies'
gagged in examining the affairs Of the Home.
warrant has been issued for the arrest Of Van Epps
who is Boston. The principal charges are made by
respectable widow, Mrs Mary Backnam, who worked at
the Home for month"; and then left because she could
not endure see the inmates abused as they We're She
has two children in the institution, boy OF and girl
Of 49, Before Van Epps placed In charge she says
they treated we'll, but his treatment OF them has
been brutal that she intends to remove them as soon
az she can. He and Of his assistants habtually
knock the children about and have been known for the
merest re to orderth shoes and stockings off Of little
boys and girls In Winter and make them walk about In
the One boy, who had Gst recovered from fever
last Winter did something that dspcased tho Superin
endent and was made to remove his shoes and stock
ings, and walk for hour around a hole dug in the
snow This woman said the superintendent one day
made boy stand for long time with heavy wooden
chain on lis head as a punishment for some ofense.
For slight it is said the children are deprived Of
their meals, and at best are not provided with more
than half enough to eat
This woman also airms that she has known the por-
zion Of the building occupied by the children to m SO
cold in Winter that OF them had their toes lroh
Another favOrite mode Of punishment adopted by the
SUPERINTENDENT 10 take offenders into the cellar
and whether boys girls strip them and dash icecold
water their bodies She says she asked for her
Children & at sns but tbe1 ,no aid nct want
any more children taken ont before Fail,
brcause the institution would down they CON
tuued let children go away. She says Van Epps has
forbidden children seeing their parents except once
month upon day appointed for all and then no mother
can her child alone. Parents had the privilege here
tofOrc calling their children whenever they desired
at suitable hours.
Mrs Anna Parks had two children at the Home. girl
and boy. ages and g. Hearing complaints that they
were iltrrated, she succeeded after considerable
trouble and delay, in getting hcI little girl away but the
boy she forced to leave. The children have pubiic
dinner every year. and the Fuurtn OF July last, when
the procession hing 10 the place where the din
be given she got her boy out ot the line aud
subject of the water punishment: did not receive
enough To eat, and nearly frozen in Winter.
These statements are generally believed hy the public
and s decided against Van Elps and the
of the institution when II under the management OF
Samuel Lee; but Mrs. Hance, who had charge before
Van Epps il charged with being very cruel to the child
rem Mr. Lee says that the Bowman boy. I" whom the
log chained at the Home while he was Suerin
tendent and he never had any trouble with him.
j. p NOys one Of the Invest eating Committee. has
resigned his position and made public statement. in
which he defends Van EpIs and his administration Of
affairs the Home. He says that he does not see any
thing OF the in the SuIerin treatment
think Of any means Of restraint which would have been
so efectual, and ut the same time cause so k suffer
ing as the plan adopted by Mr.. Van Epps" This state
mept has met with general disapproval