The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-27
The Deaf and Dumb Institutfon.


charges preferred by John E. Fawkner, OF
this city, against Thomas McIntire, Super
intendent of the State Deaf and Dumb In
stitution and the documents upon which
these charges are based. The matter Is of
such character that this paper regrets the
necessity of publishing it; but the man
agement of this institution Is an
affair of such importance to the community
that no mere newspaper prudery should
prevent the people from knowing exactly
what frightful accusations are brought
against the Superintendent and the evidence
supporting those accusations. The Sentinel
has determined that the institution shall
have thorough examination in open day
light, so that if guilt exists within its walls
it may be detected and punished. and
with this design this journal has taken the
responsibility of throwing open the whole
subject to the public. There has been one
vindication, after secret and careless exam
nation, and it would be well, If another
vindication is sought, that it should be the
result of such public and searching investi-
CATION as will convince all classes Of I'll e
purity of the institution.
The present charges of Fawk nsr
may be said to spring nai-
rectly from the investigation or Tered
| last winter on the basis of an anony nreous
letter signed "w. Brown" The conn nission
appointed by the governor to make this in
vestigation, took up Browns charge q against
Superintendent McIntire, which were clas-
sified under three heads: " Imp roper init
macy with female pupils" mi application
of funds" and "Cruelty to inn nates." On
each of these counts tho COM missioners de-
clared the Superintendent gui ltless, and they
endorsed his management through and
through. Their report was published in the
Sentinel of April 18th, and it may not be
Inappropriate to remark in regard to it, that
the gentlemen OF the commission were ev-
identity averse to pushing their investi-
cations into details, believing in Mr.. McIn-
4 tires innocence from the beginning. In the
course of their examination, however, the
fact came out that one of the senior class
in the institution Ida X. Fawkner had been
seduced and was made the. victim of an
abortion. The commission on the testimony
of the girl exonerated every body at the
asylum and charged the guilt upon her
uncle John e. Fawkner. The Sentinel pub
lished the full particulars of the case at the
time and expressed the opinion that the
girls story looked dubious and in
consistent. After her dismissal from
the institution, she denied her former
statement matchmaking hex uncle and
charged the parentage of her child and the
responsibility of the abortion upon teacher
in the asylum named E. G.. Valentine, al
Ieaing that she made her former declaration
under duress. A struggle took place
at once between Fawkner and the
authorities of the asylum. The former
was determined to vindicate himself
from the cruel charge originally made by
his niece, and the latter were resolved,
as matter of self defense, to fssten the
guilt irrevocably upon Fawkner. There
was a protracted contest before the grand
Jury, each party aiming at securing an in
dictment. The result was that Fawkner
was indicted for abortion. He then turned
to the courts for vindication and
demanded an immediate trial. but
the prosecution, represented by some
of the leading firms in the city,
had the affair postponed until the Sth of
June. Not to be beaten in this way, Fswk
ner assumed the offensive, and placed in
the hands of the trustees OF the asylum the
charges published in another column, with
some of the evidence which he had gathered
in making investigations looking to his
own exculpation.
The charges and the accompanying affida-
Wits need no comment, They are easily IN
derstood and their truth or falsehood is
matter for the gravest consideration. 1t can
not be said, as formerly urged, that they
made anonymously, as they are presented
by Fawkner, and vouched for by five
women who swear to their truth. 1t can
not be said that their investigation threat
ems the peace of innocent women as the
women in question appear as accusers.
The charge of criminal solicitation is
made in the cases of Marietta
Enochs and Candice Z. Johnson.
The charge of criminal intercourse made
in the cases of Adelina Davis and Annie
Carey The charge of criminal connivsnce
and conspiracy is made in the case of Ida K.
Fawkner.
The Sentinel demands in the interest of
public polity that these awful accusations
be thoroughly tested. The peculiar nature
of the Deaf and Dumb Institution would
render the presence of an impure superin-
tendent an outrage upon the helpless pupils
under his charge and a disgrace to the peo-
pie of the state. 1t is worthy of note that
the husbands of two of the atlantis appear as
witnesses, and that the most serious charges
are made by girl, Miss Carey, of whom Mr..
McIntire said in his evidence before the
commission: "The fifth young lady men,
toned in said statement. entered the insti-
tuition in 1860 and left it in 1868. She grad
mated and has since taught for some five
years In the Catholic Deaf and Dumb Asy-
LII,