New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-28
PERIL OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.


DEATH OF THE CHILD IN THE FIVE POINTS HOUSE
OF INpUsTRY-THE CHILL AFTER THE BATHS AND
NOT THE WHIPPING ALLEGED TO BE THE CAUSE
OF DEATH
The accounts of the death of Giuseppe VAN
fche the Italian boy had been for several months
an inmate of the Five Points House Of Industry 'where
he entered Joseph Vandussa seem 70 nave peen
considerably exaggerated and the statements nave
been so contra dctory that doubts have been ex
pressed whether the whipping which he received on the
morning of his death had anything to do with the fatal
result
DR.. w,lliAni f Rounds. the physician Of the Five
Ponts House of Industry the story yesterday as
follows: The habits OF the Italian boys in that lnsuu
ton are very unclean, and the gentleman III charge VI
the boys Frank Smith, has frequently had TO ENFORCE HIS
correction of these habits by punishment MI eh'n
has had considerable experience with these boys anu
understands their cement and the faults pecuar
m each one Mr. Smith had become worn out Nath
work and took few days vacation. During TINS Paea
ton the boys placed under Charles H. Barnard
brother Of the superintendent. William f. barnaiu
Joseph had been filthy in his habits, and had been TWO
or three times reported FOR this 20 Mr. Barnard VINO
reprimanded the boy, and told him that he woud DC
pnnshed II he repeated the oAense On Monday morn
ING one OF the boys told Mr. Barnard that the boy hau
again committed the ofense He MADE no compiain' VI
benq sick and his oense seemed to have been commit
ted willfuly Mr. Barnard told me that he ordered Jo'
seph TO be placed tepd bath. and taking his rattan
he went into the bathroom and whipped him lightly
upon his bare legs and thighs. L am uncertain
| whether the whipping before or after Jo-
| semi had taken his bath. The boy was
| dressed, and a short time afterward III was
reported to Mr. Barnard that Joseph had again as
obeyed the rules Mr.. Barnard sent for him. and when
he entered the room exclaimed "Why the boy is SICK"
He then ordered him TO he sent to the hospital Joseph
was again placed in the bath, and after he had been
dressed In clean clothes of the larger boys took him
| to tue hospital Mr.. Barnard ate his breakfast and
afterward went to the bathroom There he found that
Joseph having soied his clothing for the thlrdtme had
been washed for the third me but the older boy who
assisted Joseph had not provided clean clothing 10 DC
put on but gone it, leaving Joseph naked in the
bathroom Mr. Barnard dressed Joseph as soon as the
clothing could be brought but his naked body was ex-
posed to the chilly atmosphere for some minutes AS
soon as he could dressed Joseph taken to the hos
pita but before he got there he fell into state OF
| collapse. When saws him, continued Dr. Rounds
lie was in the hospital His hands, feet ana Dody were
thoroughly chilled and pulse could be detected at his
wrists. About his mouth he white, there was
little color In his lips, and his body was dark purple
color ordered strong milk punch to be made Win
plenty Of brandy, and administered two teaspoonfus
every eight minutes. alternating with the same dose OF
tfncture campbor water. After 10 minutes the
| child began TO be warmer, and upon oeng asked
whether he felt better answered that he did. asked
him whether knew me- and he said that he did. In
tlreeQuarterS nOur tue chiu nau SO revived
| that when the medicine offered to him he would
show strong aversion to taking it and turn upon his
side For an hour after first him he continued to
| improve Tue thermometer was then applied to his
arm-pt and sthe temperature of his body was indi-
Gated 1912 Part of this time Joseph's hands and
chaed About two orthree hours after Joseph
4 was taken the hospital, his mother came TO the
House OF Industry and insisted upon taking her child
home with her. She obliged to talk through an In
terpreter, because she could speak no English; tod
her that to do this would greatly endanger her sons
life. Reaction slowly coming on and slight pers
praon was just beginning TO appear; she would have
to carry child Of doors in taking him anywhere
away from the hospital and feared the change OF
atmosphere would endanger his life and at least in
crease the chances of fatal result. The mother be-
came excited, and said that all that could be said would
| make difference. She was determined TO take the
child home with her at once Remonsrance was OF no
avail The child dressed in his coat, short panta
looms and hat, and carried in his mothers arms
He had no shoes stockings and his bare feet ana
legs were exposed to the chilly atmosphere. That
| the last saw of the boy.
In answer to the question whether DR.. Rounds
any marks of serious hageation upon the body Of the
child he SAID was busly engaged in preserving
the small spark OF life that remained IN the boy that
| did not think of the punishment he had received In
turning down the bed clothing the matron noticed two
black blue streak, and then 1t struck me- for the
first time, that the boy had been whipped 1t IL we'll
known fact all the employees OF this Institution that
very slight blow will cause black aud blue spot to ap-
pear In the soft and Gabby skin Oh the Dovs. nave
never marks OF whipping upon the person OF
any of the boys since have been connected with the
institution. Joseph died on tue nght oI the same day
| that he was taken III.
| At the inquest on Wednesday Charles Roche,
| another inmate of the House OF Industry. tes-
| titled that Vandriche quiet little boy.
Mr. Barnard whipped him in the bathroom after he was
stripped to his shirt, and afterward for repetition of
| his offense whipped him again. Domnick Vandrichc,
House of Industry, testified that Mr.. Barnard whipped
the boy twice Sunday nigat and twice again Mon
| oNf tTpn nf he ina
ofiense Alter he had been whipped the last time.
boy Mr. Blrnards order took hun up stairs and put
Dr. Rounds said that these boys afterward declared
that they Lad not intended mat tney Should have been
whipped Joseph more than once They SAID that they
pee 81 from what they had wished and that they
had known OF Mr. BarDards whipping Joseph once only
Coroner Croker committed Charles H. Barnard yeser
day TO the Tombs without bail One OF the trustees of
urged hm accept bail for Baruards appearance, or
fering to furnish ANY amount which the Coroner
suggest but the latter considered 1t best to keep Mr.
Barnard locked up and refused the offer The inquest
When Mr. Barnard was asked about the case at first
he declined to say anything until he had consulted
with his lawyer, that he had been carman OF the
House OF Industry abouta year. aud had previously been
a sailor. engaged IN whaling voyages Su0sequently,on
OF the case said that the persons having charge OF
the boys sleeping had complained to him OF their
acts OF uncleanlness, although the accommodations
were such as render such oenses entirely
sary He spoke to the boys ON the subject, and told
Menday he was informed that Joseph had tr4nssrcsed
tine rules, and therefore whipped hun in the bathroom
He used rattan striking him only three or four times
the back OF his legs. and not very hard He was
willing to stand up and have any man whip him IN the
same way. The rattan was about two feet IN length
aud about thick mans little finger He
whipped the b0y only once and the story Of his having
continued the punishment foe several minutes he sad
was falsehood. While he was at breakfast, the hey
Was again guilty Of uncleaDness, and believing him
thsn 10 De sick, he had him removed to the hospital.
House Oh Industry, said that whipping rarely In
nictec alhouRh sometimes necessary for refractory
boys me occurrence was very unfortunate, but he
thought had been greatly exaggerated and Xonld ha