The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-10
An Inhuman Monster.

The examination of Harris, Superin-
intendent of the Industrial School, now
being held before a Committee of the
San Francisco Board of Supervision,
reveals a depth of depravity and devil
ishness that makes us shudder for the
depravity of mankind. As an illustra-
tion of the brutality of this wretch, we
copy couple of extracts from the testi-
mOny elected before the Committee.
The first relates to the boy Riley, who
had been accused of stealing a pistol
from one of the assistant teachers. The
boy said he knew nothing about the
pistol, and il was subsequently found in
the lamp-rOOm where it had been placed
by another boy. For the purpose of eX-
tOrting a confession from the boy, Har-
ris ordered him to strip and get down
on his knees, when he was brutally
flogged with a leather strap. This was
repeated at intervals throughout the
day; and other ingenious modes of tor
ture were practiced upon him day and
night for period of sixty hours. Here
is sample of the evidence:
Mr.. GeOrge-When the boy was first
accused, who questioned him ?
Witness-Alr. Harris and myself
Mr.. George-Nou have said that the
boy denied his guilt What was your
impression at that time as to his guilt or
innocence?
Witness-I was satisfied that the boy
was innOcent-that he knew nothing
about the pistol.
Mr.. George-And Harris, nothwith-
standing the protestatiOns Of innocence,
ordered him to strip and ordered you to
fog him?
Witness-Yes, sir.
Mr.. George-What was your impress
sion in regard to the degree Of punish
ment and its possible effect?
Witness-I thought it was entirely
too severe, and expressed to some OF the
other officers fear that serious conse-
quences to the boys health might re-
suit.
Mr.. Forbes-Do you mean to say that
you thought the boys mind was af-
fected by his punishment?
Witness-NOt exactly. / did say to
one of the officers that L had heard of
people becoming insane from loss OF
sleep, and that as Riley looked haggard
and wild about the eyes, was afraid
his mind might have been affected.
Mr.. GOodwin-Was the boy not al
lowed to sleep at all from Tuesday morn
ing until Friday night?
Witness-He was not.
Here is how the boy Mcmahon, aged
seventeen, was treated. He was accused
of being concerned in a design TO es-
cape:
Witness-The boy Mcmahon was
! stripped and laid on the floor, and Har-
ris fiogged him. One of the blows cut
/ the boy in the most tender part of his
body. He screamed with pain and rose
/ from the floor. Harris grasped him by
the arms, whirled him around, threw
him on the floor and then resumed the
! aOgging.
Mr.. Menzies-What sort of a whip
did he use? A rawhide whip.
Odd he lay on the blows with all
/ his force, as far as you could judge ?
/ Ale did. The blows left large welts,
and some of them, / think, drew blood.
In addition to his cruel treatment oi
/ the boys under him, it is shown that
/ Harris INDUCED to excess in intoXicat-
| ing liquor, used the coarsest and most
brutal language to the boys, and was
! also guilty of other gross irregularities.
Such conduct in the superintendent oi
an institution, where nought but kind
ness should prevail, is sickening. Such
men are only fit for first-class devils
/ San Jose Mercury.