Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-09

Evans is somewhat at fnult, as NJ. George T.
Newton has already pointed out This whip
ping was done in the chalr-shop. Mr.. Geo.
Newton, being outside, heard 1t, and counted
40 blows after 1t drew his attention. The blows
heard were continuous; there was no intermis-
sion until his count had reached 46. 1t is not true
that several boys were under discipline; all this
beating was bestowed upon one boy whose name
was Hogan. This case was observed by Miss O.
Hodges who saw Mr.. S. D. Newton come out of
the room with this one boy. She reported the
case at the office. II was reported by Mr. Geo.
T. Newton, also.
About week later occurred the fearful whip
ping of the Redgate boy. This is the only case
mentioned distinctly in the statement of the
trustees. 1t is the case for which Mr. S. b.
Newton seems to have been reprimanded. If
this had really been the only case Of excessive
punishment charged against him, or if there
had been only two or three such cases, we
should not ask to have his treatment of the
boys investigated But the case against him Is
not that he has beaten the boys unreasonably in
one or two instances only; he was accustomed
to infiict these unmerciful beatings, and this
was SO well understood, that the words "chair-
shop discipline" were used to indicate his vio-
lent treatment of the boys. Mr.. Evans himself
has been heard to use them with this meaning
We have stated only few of many cases. If
these brutal beatings had been inflicted only on
such boys as had given very grave provocation,
by striking some officer, throwing bricks at
him, or something else of this kind, we might
not have felt called upon to say anything about
them; but, in the cases stated by US, it was not
for such offenses that the beatings were in
flicted.
The intimation that il did not occur to us and
Others to make these charges until we left the in
stitution, is an injustice which we regard as
inexcusable. Mr. Evans knows very well that
we all reported to him these offenses Of Mr. S. b.
Newton, while we were connected with the In
sttution, and that some of US did this repeat
eddy. We did not then keep silence in regard to
them; our skill in the formalities necessary to
secure investigation may have been deficient,
but we aimed TO secure this. For some time
we supposed the proper way to reach the trustees
was through the superintendent At length we
became persuaded that Mr.. Vans was unwil-
ling to have the whole case Of nv. s. b. Newton
shown to the trustees. This persuasion may
have been erroneous, bat we foand ourselves
unable to avoid it, Then, some Of those
connected with the institution sought
to reach the trustees directly. Miss O.
Hodges wrote to one OF the trustees, Mr.. Ayres.
in compliance with his request, made after he
had received an intlmation Mat there was some
thing wrong. On discovering her intention to
write, Mr.. Evans was disposed to delay the
writing, and said to her, 1T IS no matter;
have talked it all over with Mr.. Ayres" After
wards, Miss 0. Hodges, still connected with the
institution, made personal visit to another OF
the trustees, and gave some account of the ex-
cessive punishments. Some time later, one of
us carried the matter to the governor and 10 one
OF the executive councillors, and formal charges
prepared by him were placed by this councillor
in the hands of the trustees. We understood
that the charges against Dir. 6. B. Newton
would be investigated at meeting Of the trust
ees, to be held in April. But there vas 30 in
Vestigaton. There was nothing beyond in
formal inquiry of the superintendent, and some
talk with the accused overseer.
1t Is not pleasant to US to make this state
ment of facts. We have no personal interest
that can be served BY doing it. We have no
personal feeling against the man accused. If
personal considerations had prevailed, we should
have preserved silence. But the treatment re-
ceived by the boys from the accused overseer,
came to our attention. We reported what we
saw or knew. While connected with the insti-
tuition, we aimed to secure full investigation,
in order that the trustees might know the whole
truth, and be able to Judge for themselves
whether the temper of the person accused is
habitually SO reasonable and 30 much under
control, that he can safely trust himself or be
trusted by others, not to repeat such brutal
whippings as those we have mentioned. We
have done the best we know to secure such an
investigation. If the charges are not well war
ranted by facts, this can be shown by calling
witnesses and requiring them to testify under
oath. J. II. SAMSON,
GEORGE I. NEWTON
OLIVE HOD9ES