The New York herald., 1877-01-13
THE CHlLDRENS FOLD.
Charges Of Cruelty Against
the President.
A Clergyman and His Wife Accused Of Kicking
aid llaltreating Orphan Children.
AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.

the Chdrens Fold, charitable institution under tho
auspices Of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and To-
Gated Ut No 157 East Sxteth street, IN this cmy Tho
investigation Is being conducted privately by CON-
mttee appointed by the State Board OF Charities con-
sisting Of Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, Mr.. Henry L.
Hoguet and Mrs. Josephine s. Lowell. This scommittee
has held meetings several times each week since the
18th OF December and examined witnesses who had
formerly resided in tho institution. The committee
laid the report before the Board State Charities at
No. IL High street, Albany at three =. NJ. yesterday
Tho principal charges cruelty on tho part OF the
president Rev. Edward Cowlcy, and his wife, Mr.
Melville Brown chiefly instrumental in bringing
these charges the notice of tho State Board OF Char
ties by presenting certain aHdavis made by persons
supposed to be convcrsant with the management Of
tho institution The Childrens Fold instituted for
tho care orphan children those who had lost one or
both parents, and is chiefly supported by voluntary
contributions 1t organized over seven years ago
by committee OF ladies, some Of whom had been
interested IN the Shepherds Fold, the Rev. Edward
Cowley presiding In 1874, through the influence OF
the late Richard Garrittson, bill was introduced
into the Legislature by which the institution was
incorporated accorded certain privileges and ben
en. For instance the president, with the sanction
OF the trustees permitted to place the children
out at service they had arrived at the age Of
fourteen, and the Fold allowed So week from the
child whose friends unable to contribute any
thing This weekly sum, Mr. Cowley says, only covers
three-fourths of the expense per CAPITA The
Board OF Trustees of the Fold consists Of
Rev. Edward Cowley, Rev. Thomas Gallaudet, ID. D. i
William r. Gardner, William H. Newman. Elias j.
Pattison James Pott, Nahum Stetson, Jr Mrs. George
Dcpew, Mrs. s. NJ. G. Cowley aud Mrs. H. y. Wyman
The reason assigned by tho committee appointed by
the Board Tor keep ng the matter secret until
they should be prepared TO act upon the testimony s
that the premature publication Of the facts might
cause a withdrawal OF the voluntary contributions
break up the institution and leave the poor children
about 1U9 in number-destitute Tho committee,
therefore, refused to give any information in
reference to the charges against Mr.. Cowley,
until their testimony should oe complete. The writer
this article happened TO get on the track OF the wit
nesses examined, visited them at their respective
places OF abode after they had been before the commit
tee requested them to repeat the evidence they had
given there took shorthand verbatim report OF
It, He also interviewed the Rev. Edward Cowloy, who
repudates the charges in toto, says he has been the
victim OF a foul conspiracy, Of which Mr.. Melville
Brown is the leading SPIRIT that he can expose inc
plot has been in OF formation Tor several
years depose him from The presidency OF the nsti-
tution and that he only wants fair investigation by
WHAT JENNY MILLs KNOWS ABOUT THE FOLD
| Jenny Mills, an intelligent girl OF eighteen, who
lived eight years In the Fold says that Mr. Cowley
was In The habit Of treating the children very cruay nelly
marks all over his body, cut his head with ms
shoe until the blood ran down and saturated his
shirt, and that matter what other mode Of
punishment Mr.. Cowley used, he seldom forgot TO
kick his unhappy little victims, and always seemed
formsnce. sre said, however, that Mrs. Cowley was
moro 20 blame than her husband, as she was never
done complaining OF the children, and when be came
in and heard her complaints he would rush a. the
children and whip them severely with a Dolly Warden
| whip. sometimes when the whip at hand he
| nj mil OH
until they black and blue Jenny alleges that he
punished girl OF twelve named Fanny McCarthy IN
barbarous manner, and had brought her into such
slavish subsection by his harsh treatment that she
would lal her knees 10 the most craven attl,ude
before him: that occasion he beat her black
aud blue and raised large lump upon her eye, which
Mra Cowley bathed with arnica every day Tor week
refused to clean after Mrs Cowiey's nephew. Mr.
Cowley, she SAID, very severe on girl named
Jenny Fuller, whom be locked up In water closet all
night on one OCCASION and when her uncle alter
hoard II ne had her removed from the Fold
Az another time she alleges tnat MIS- Cowley urged
her husband TO abuse a little boy named John Camp
bell, who had been enormously suspected OF stealing
hair from mattress saying 70 nim .ha. u ne aa moi moi
herself his wife agaln. She also alleges that MI.
Cowlcy was in he habit of swearing nercey at the
chtdren using opprobrous epithcts toward them,
calling them baslards and reminding them occasion.
ally that had picked them out Of the gutter, and
that thcir parents had died miseraby ON the Island
she also states that Mrs. Convey was in the habit OF
using very harsh unknd and vulgar terms to the chill
dren that she into room where several OF tho
little girls were rompng about and making consider
able noise and remarked that they we're only nt for
bad house on Wooster Miss Mills made some
siius,on 70 young widow who had acted in the
capacity Of teacher Tor some time at the Fold, VINO
Also treated the children very severely and amused
hsrssif occasionalIy by throwing little boy on his
back and standing on his stomach she was great
favorto with Mr. Cowley, who frequently escorted her
| 10 church and places of amusement 1t seems these
polite attentions to the handsome young widow had
hot very happy effect on the temper oI Mrs CowIcy.
jealousy Being questioned In reference to the
cnlldren's food, Jenny replied that they generally
got enough to eat, and that the FOOD was
Of a fair quality, except occasion TOR a lew
months, when Mr.. Cowley obtained the refuse from
boarding house IN tho and nasn o.
aud smelt badly After using u while many Of the
children became afflicted with disease OF the skin,
which, she believes was due TO the poisonous matter
contained In the stale meat.
FANNY MBgIDE's ACCOUNT OF THE YoLD.
Fanny Mcbride, petite, pretty far-haircd girl Of
sixteen, who Is servant in an elegant uptown man
son gave synopsis Of her experience In the Fold IN
Cowey !" she says, in a very OF hand style, twas q
very cruel man, and was in the habit OF abusing the
but was more frig ghtcned than hurt saw him beat
Fannie Mccurdy I'LL she was black and blue. saw
, Mrs Cowley was as bad as he was Very seldom q day
passed did not beat some OF tho children very
severely, leaving them black aud blue and making
This riri seemed to be considerably influenced by
feeling Of honest indignation against the managers Of
tho Fold and seemed tnnk very hard thing that
such nacrant abuses should not have been sooner ex
posed, as she imagInes they must have been known
Kate McCurdy, grl OF eighteen, who had been
nvo years At tho Fold, In reply to the
nohsr Of n sssS sseSF's az ss oa and Sa
done something up stars that nice, and Mrs.
Cowley called up my sister Fannie. aged twelve, tc
: clean IT, and she refused. Mrs. Cowley told her TO &c
down stairs, and when her nephew went away Mr..
Cowley rang the common room bell and Fannie came
up and the nrst thing knew he had the door locked
and heard her and heard the cracks OF tht
whip she was saying, 'Mr. Cowley, will be good
| and he said, Don't dare to call my name" Fannie
.. .. did not come down TO supper that night anC
u / thought thero was something wrong
II went iuto Mr. Conveys room, aud l saw
:. that Fanne's clothes were of and Mrs
Cowley was bathing Fanne's head with arnlca Hell
head was cut ana her eye was all swollen, and heI
u body was covered all with black and blue marks
d This was about years ago. Mrs. Cowley also pun
y ished her night alterward She beat her with
L.. ..I1aiz A