The New York herald., 1877-01-19
THE wEsTCHEsTER SCANDAL.

BRUTAL TREATMENT OF THE INMATES OF THE
pooRHoUsE-How PAUPER. CHILDREN ARE
rARMED OUT by THE KEEPERS.
The committee OF wcslchester County Supervisors
appointed to investigate the charges of malieasance
IN office against William H. Hammond keeper OF the
County Poorhouse continued the examination Of wit
nesses in the Court House White Plains yesterday
Charles A. Dominick, son-in-law OF Hammond. testi-
fed to having seen that official beating one OF the
paupers, who was a crazy man. He also saw the
keeper on several occasions Furnishing the
inmates when tho latter appeared TO be
unruly. ON crosse KAN nation the witness
said that there was no bitter feeling
existing between Hammond and himself up TO tho
spring OF 1875 and that paupers from the Poorhouse
did oil the domestic work tor his family at Pleasant.
vlc where no kept many as seventeen boarders at
one time In answer to question Of counsel the wit
ness said he knew that the groceries ana provisions
broup lit frequently from the Poorhouse 10 Pleasant
vile by Hammond had not been purchased by the iat-
ter by the actions OF the parties, adding that when
persons doing right they DO not invariably chooSe
Jesse Ryder, a resident OF Yorktown, testified TO
having been present At the Poorhouse III
was taken into the keepers oicc and
there urged assign hs pension TO some one, winch
he believed at the time was Hammond. On the pauper
refusing TO do this Hammond attempted to put nm
torciby Of the room, when The man Tell 10 the
floor Hammond then liitcd him UP ny tue collar VI
the coat au, pushed HIM violently against door post,
ON which the witness thought lac saw blood imine-
dinely acrward the witness considered THIS treat
Inent of the man altogether uncaed Tor William
RIOS ell who stated that hc Is related BY marriage ~
Hammond deposed reluctantly that ha has been oc-
cupying Hammond's properly at Plcasantvie since
last epte mUcr aud boards sixteen children all
cen the ages OF four aud i've, and who were Tor
merry inmates OF the Poorhousc IL WIS through
Hammond the children were sent 10 board WIN the
witness who receives 81 so per week tor each. the
money be ny pad HIM by hammond and not ny the
supefinte tendcnts CT the Poor TINS witness being
closely questioned US TO relation with Hammond,
became very much confused. his manner not being
committee He couldn't tell how much the board Of
tho children came TO Tor month or
week but denied cmphatically having ever
received provisioDs or clothing from Ham
mond for tner support Only one OF the sixteen
children goes 10 school, aud none OF them receive
either secular religious instruction on sunday.
Rivngtou lclurgy corfoOorated the testimony OF Dom
mick IN regard 10 wagon loads OF stun having been
smugglcd out oi tho Poorhouse and taken toward
Pleasantville In the night time.
The nvcstigatIon promiscs TO be a protraccd one,
as large number OF witnesses have yet 10 be called
to the stand. There seems to be determination on
the part OF the committee TO probe the affair To the
| bottom, Mcssrs. Ollie Close aud W. II. PcmbcrtOn,
two prominent representatives OF the Wcs chester
county Bar conducting the examination OF witnesses.
The accused represented by Messrs. d. W. Travis
and Wright Banks Tho investigation VIII be resumed
| next Tuesday.