The New York herald., 1879-09-29
THE HOUSE OF REFUGE.
An Investigation Ordered by the State
Board of Charities.
COLONEL CLAY AND HIS CHARGES
Serious Allegations of Mismanagement,
Crueties and Neglect

In the HEaALp of Tuesday. the 18th inst. was
published statement of Colonel H. De B. Clay in
reference to his connection with the New York
House of Refuge his interviews and correspondence
with several of the members of the Board Of Man
ayers. and copy of the letter and charges against
the above institution. sent to the State Board Of
Charities. On the day that this communication was
published the following letter received by
Colonel Clay from Mr.. Hoyt. the Secretary of the
State Board of Charities:-
DEAR srR-At a meeting Of this Board held at Saratoga
on the 9th inst the charges preferred by you against the
blouse Refugee presented to the Board and COM
% ha they % probably
in New York and they will then communicates with in
regard TO the matter
In view of an expected formal official investi-
CATION Of these charges reporter of the HERALD
called upon Colonel Clay to ask him to give some of
the details upon which these charges were founded.
Colonel Clay replied that he would prefer not giving
any specific minute details in the present aspect
II the case. but that he would refer. generally to
Instances within his personal knowledge that
would support all the allegations that he had
brought against the institution.
BRUTAL AND EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT.
Perhaps" said Colonel Clay, II had better first
tell you some little of what know about punish
ments. There too many cases Of corporal punish
ment at the House of Refuge owing to a faulty and
insufficient code in relation thereto. Flogging is
oftentimes too severe for the offence committed.
The offences not sufficiently graded The ad-
ministration of the punishment is wholly subject
to the caprice of the officer who administers
it. frequently under the influence of PASSION. have
known subordinate officers to knock boys down.
have officers strike boys with their clenched
fist in the face without provocaton. have reported
Act to Mr nd he maid q
to my reports. 1t was of frequent occurrence that
an official would order boy to put his arms down
by his sides and then strike the boy both sides of
the head, repeating the blows several times. have
had boys come to me on the hospital line bleeding
from wounds they had received in punishment, and
ut times have their heads cut from the Same
cause. 1t occurred several occasions that boys
would have to 60 to the hospital from the injuries
received in q fiogging. 1t must not be understood
that the officers are always to be blamed
even for the results of corporal punishment
The rules Of the House require that certain officers
infict punishment. The strap is used for hog-
ging. and is really instrument of torture 1t Is
not possible to strike a boy with it without bruis-
ing or decorating his fesh Notwithstanding, it is
the weapon provided for by the rules of the nsttu
ton. The rules Of the House require that certain
officers inhict punishment. and myself have in
the execution Of my Office. been required to chastse
boys. which protested against. BY the rules the
subordinate officers and teachers, numbering some
thirty or forty, not allowed to lay hand on q
boy, but the truth is that nearly all these employees
strike kick, cuff and abuse the boys. have known
boys again and again to complain to the Superin-
tendent of the brutal treatment they had received
at the hands OF subordinate officers; in some
the boys having to 60 to hospital for treatment Of
the wounds inflicted. 1t unusual thing for
fights to occur between the employees and the boys.
have known boys to be tied up and logged till the
blood came.'
PUNISHED FOR SLIGHT CAUSE.
''For what offences are punishments chiefly In
hictedY'
"a boy may be whipped because he is short of his
task, because he does bad work, talks in the shop
or to his companion at meals or In sleeping halls
tobacco tells ies steals picks locks, plans to
CAPE for swearing fighting. dsobedience s careless
Indifferent misses his lesson in school. steps
out of his line to from school, fails report the
absence of his comrade from parade work. If he
10 insubordinste or mutnous or injuries any article
or property of the society"
els each single offence punished with . whip
pingY'
mot necessarily; the punishment is awarded by
tho officer or teacher under whose notice the offence
Is committed or brought. and he or sho deals with
according to his or her views US to the magnitude
Of the transgression. and his or her own condition
mind at the time. The boy is dealt with though
no had offended the individual personally and not
the law that should govern. Some officers for whis-
pcring doing bad work. oarelessness, being short of
task will punish the boy severely as though he
had picked lock. forced door assaulted off,
Some officers will encourage boys in acts that
pthcr officers will strike them for An officer will
have favorite among the boys. who in hts
nHa xvbt tla c<Yn
who dislikes the boy will maltreat him on all
sions. have seen boys with the skin hsyed from
lher bodies and who have complained to mo of tho
manner In which they have been punished. They
were unable to sit down. sent those boys to tho
hospital and reported tho to the Superinten-
dent. Corporal punishment is degrading and should
never be resortsd 10 except in extreme cases. The
rules of the House require that record be made of
only degraded in the eyes OF himself and comrades
but is recorded the books having boen
whipped. Frequent complaints were made by boys
TO superintendent Jones of the injustice done them
by the subordinate officers and teachers in marks
given the boy. and which affected most seriously
his standing or grade in the House and his stay in
the institution Demerit marks are given to boys
from carelessness. indifference. ignorance and re-
venge on the part of employees. Sometimes boys
bave been marked and ioggcd for offences which
afterward IL was found Investigation the boys
had not been guilty Of"
sHfvEIIsG COLD.
DO tho inmates OF tho House OF Refuge furnish
their own clothingy'
wear any. is furnished by their friends The cloth
ing in winter time was entirely insufficient for out
OF doors There underclothing at all at any
season OF the year. the dress consisting of jacket
trousers and woollen shirt stockings and shoes. l
have seen officials in cold weather wrapped up In
overcoats and mufiers, gloves and ovcrshoes, and
unable To keep themselves warm, while the boys
out of doors were suffering intensely from the
cold. have seen them in the yard huddlcd to-
gc:her seeking the protection Of the walls of tho
buildings IN the endcavor to keep each othor
warm. AS result every winter thero always
tn n on n lar
treatment for frost bitten fingers ana feet. often
saw instances of where the Jackets and trousers Of
boys rotten that they would tear while being
put on Even tho boys on the boats were only al
lowed an additional jacket in winter time and not
that ~ rule. In going 10 and fro from their meals
10 the workshops and schools they pass distance
OF from nifty to hundred and nifty yards In rain
and snow and havo to sit for two or threo hours in
the school room in their wet clothing. They have
been known to socp with their clothing OH because
they have not had sufficient covering to keep them
warm in winter time"