The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-14

OF them are unpTOVtded Win SnseCs OF mos"
quito bars; tho mattresses are torn and SO
| filthy that they emit ioathsome stencil.
The white and negro inmates are corralled to-
gether, and no sufficient measures have been
taken TO separate the male and female pa
| TENTS. At night there Is no female attendant
| In the building, and the unfortunate female
patients are left TO the care OF, and hence
are exposed to, male employees. This Is GER
tainly loathsome picture. These unhappy
people, who are more In need Of physical
comforts and mental relief than any
other class Of people. are kept in q con-
dition which Is better calculated to drive sane
people mad than to restore to mental health
the insane The Superintendent the report
| informs us, seems to have done the best he
could with the means at his disposal; but he
has not been properly supported or aided by
the city authorities. high tribute Is paid
| to those two noble ladies, Mrs. NJ. A. Tarleton
and Mrs s. N. Moody, who have done all in
their power-and that was great deal-to re-
| lieve the misery and restitution OF the
poor creatures whom the city authorities are
charged with literally abandoning. And
herein we have melancholy Illustration OF
the difference between the average poll
tician and office seeker and holder, and
| the exalted benevOlenCe and beautiful
devotion of women. II this report does
not spur "the city authorities" to take
some step to render the asylum less dis
grace TO the civilization OF New Orleans than
1t Is now, then there must be as little shame
as there seems to be true humanity amongst
the responsible parties.
Waving just now any comments on the city
Workhouse, which costs the taxpayers OF
this city $40 per month"; and serves merely
MS q stable for horses and prostitutes, we
come to that portion of the report which
treats Of the Boys House of Refuge. Mr..
Thomas Devereaux, somewhat noted ward
politician, is the superintendent Of this institu-
ton, in which there are now about l20 boys Of
all sizes, ages and COlOrs. The whites and
blacks are crowded Unfortunately together,
practically illustrating the large and inteIIi-
gent views on the question Of social equality
which prevails in the management Of this in
stitutiOn
The boys are treated with great brutality
and often numerically logged for very slight
offenses. The miserable little creatures hav-
ing no friends or protectors, the vblor Of the
chivalrous gentlemen who, because Of their
great political services to the commonwealth,
have been appointed to oversee them, has full
play
The boys al confined in dungeons for days
and weeks and fed on bread and water, at the
pleasure Of the worthy employees. They are
beaten with heavy hickory stick and many
of them now bear the bruises and marks Of the
mercless Negotiations they have received. The
stick itself was the most eloquent witness Of
the inhuman conduct Of the superintendent
Of this institution and his appointees, stained
as it was, with the blood Of the helpless vic.
tins whose defenseless bodies had writhed
and quivered under its strokes
But beating the boys was only one of the
amusements Of the gentlemen who run the
Boys House Of Refuge, When that sort Of
pastime grew monotonous, they diverted
themselves by making the boys run the
gauntlet, an entertainment In which the
victim 10 horribly beaten and bruised, anC
not unfrequently crippled. All we fancy Mr.
Devereaux's assistants on one of theii
Jolly days with a few friends perhaps tc
enjoy the occasion with them, laughing
hilariously as some little urchin runs for dear
life between the rows of other boys, who are
whipping beating, kicking and punching him
as he flies terror-stricken down the line
shrieking with pain and horror. Good God
Is this Christian city, and this report OF the
Grand Jury true?
The report Of the Grand Jury says that Mr.
Devereaux denies any knowledge Of the cruel
ties practiced by his assistants. II the Super
intendents protestation be true, then he Is a
sweet, supplemented little angel, and the
politicians who have provided for him by Civ
ing him his present place should put him ou
to be nursed and sucked by a wet-nurse. BIZ
Mr.. Deuerenur Is man 1gho has made somt
reputation in this great city as detective.
The manner in which this institution il
now conducted Is only calculated to brutaliz
its inmates, to destroy every humane and gen
erous sentiment In their minds, and to pre-
pare them to become, as they grow up
thieves, tramps and murderers. Bette
turn them out into the streets. Even ther
, they will have better chance Of developing
D some sentiment or principle of humanity an
truth than they have within the walls
where they see, feel and learn nothing bu
d brutality.
The object Of this institution should be t
euuCaJ6 LneSe hCIIe OuCcdst5 III 0ho Ways =
Il truth and virtue, and make good citizens GU
, of them. The institution, therefore, shout
be in the charge OF man Of large and Ell
}. lightened views; gentleman, a Christia
u and humanitarian.
Why such man is not in charge Of it, is
& question the answer to which we propose t
I elicit. The Superintendent Is the immediat
I party to censure but the crushing weight {
i the responsibility for these inhuman crueltie
y rests upon the heads OF the city authorities
. and the people will demand to know why
d good and worthy man was displaced from tn
s. management OF this institution and polio
ID detective appointed to it.
q THE SOCIALISTS PLATFORM.