New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-26

! lRrsef COMMUNICATIONS PatbIished--L opo
Ones Invariably Reected--7Ae Editor no,
Responsible for the Sentiments Expressed
IL, the COMMUNICATIONS
Mr.. schyvind,s Defense.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
sLet Justice be done though the heavens
fall; / beg to be permitted to enlighten
the public, through the columns of the RE-
PUBLICAN. in reference to that portion of
the testimony and facts of my alleged
cruelty to the inmates of the BOYS House
of Refuge that has been omitted by NV ae-
cusers. for what purpose | leave the public
to Judge for themselves.
As to the principal witnesses and movers
in this outrage upon the feelings of the pub
lie, | have to state that the testimony of
MI Harrison, who has no authority dele
gated to him by virtue of his position as tin
smith in the Refuge fails to show that his
testimony was given pending the investiga-
ton of charges, preferred against him by
the superintendent, of intemperance, VIC
lence. obscenity, Standardization, sending
the bows of the institution outside of the
same for liquor by the glass, and afterward
giving the same to them, and for profanity,
all of which acts can be proved, and more,
and are in violation of the rules of the in
stitution.
Mr.. Harrison also stated to my scholars
and the inmates, referring to me, that "that
id Dutchman has come here to teach You
religion and niger equality" This same
humane man has attacked boys in his owl
shop with hammer, and struck one boy on
the head with a pan, leaving mark which
he carries vet This evidence was given be-
fore the Administrators. Where has it been
referred to!
Mr.. Bowen, keeper of the Workhouse
another of NV accusers, stated to the SUI
perintendent. Mr.. Henry, previous to the in
vestigation, that if he worked against his
friend Harrison he would not leave the
State of Louisiana. In other words if he
attempted to defend me he would be assas-
sinated. leave the character of this wit
ness by simply saying that, subsequent to
the investigation, one of the Administra-
tors stated that, judging the man from his
manner while testitying, he would discharge
him if he was in his department.
The reporter of the Picay1t5te. who is not
acquainted with Mr. Henry, the superin-
tendent. or myself, speaking privately, said
that | was id scoundrel, and that he
would get Ine cut, and IN connection with
his remark. ] have to say that l am pre-
pared to prove that after three months or
more Of hard labor the above mentioned
persons have brought up these false accusa-
lions for no other purpose than the one ex-
pressed by the Picayllne reporter. l might
go further with these gentlemen, but it
takes space to shovel dirt in even. and do
not like the task.
The Egide,.ee-Mrs. Kelly testifes that
she rerer So1g the whipping but swears
that the strap introduced Is rot the one
used. l leave Mrs. Kelly right here. They
all testified that they did not see the whip
ping: that the administration of affairs was
not bratal. The testimony shows that the
boys are not inmates, nor have they been
for months. Have never. by or through
their parents, or otherwise, of their own
tree Will, made complaints of brutality, but
on the contrary, one of the "mutilated
boys" states that he received from fifteen
TO twenty-five strokes; that he deserved it,
that il was not excessive, and his father
expresses the same opinion, and both SO
testify. The boy who received the hardest
punishment committed an offense, lied
about it, resisted me, and | gave him
sound thrashing; had marks On'his skin, &C
cording to the testimony of my accusers,
for a space as large as the two hands, and
according to the published statement of the
same witness, was beaten to pulp and mu-
tilated from head to foot. 1t is useless to
talk about the testimony of these men, who
are guilty of the crimes, or similar ones,
that they allege, and who propose 10 swear
to anything TO condemn me, while they
threaten assassination if | defend myself.
/ would say TO the public that the boys,
some of them twenty years old, one espe
cially, who has been convicted of murder,
and is so powerful that he could handle
any of my accusers with ease, are no babes.
They have set fire to the institution, con-
spired to overcome the officers and escape,
resisted the officers when it took two strong
men to handle one of them; and while
have tried to exert good moral influence
over them all, my accusers stand SOOTHING
at my attempts at religion In January
last, Mr.. Henry ordered that all whipping
by the officers of the institution, other than
himself, should cease, and except during
his absence from the city have never
whipped boy. If it is impossible for me
to prove the outrageous character of these
accusations and Of NY aecusers, because
the reporter of the Picdy,tne is interested in
making out case that he knows nothing
about, and because my witnesses are to be
inundated or assassinated, l ask the public
to examine the institution, talk with its in
mates, and last but not least, to compare
the characters and habits of the accused
and his accusers. Very truly yours.
CHARLES SCHWIND.