The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-18
THE HOUSE OF REFUGE.


COLONEL CLAY REITERATEs HIS ALLEGATIONS
OF MIsMASAGEMENT BEFORE THE COMMITTEES
OF THE STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.
The committee of the State Board of Charities
having in charge the investigation Of the charges
against the management of the House of Refuge ON
Randalls Island held another meeting yesterday. the
only witness under examination being Colonel H.
De b. Clay. by whom the charges were preferred.
Colonel Clay's examination was not con-
cluded. although nearly eight hours so far
have been spent by the committee in hearing
his testimony On the first day of the
investigation the witness examined generally.
but yesterday he was aided by his notes and he
dates. conversations and the names employees and
inmates who were parties to Affected by the man
agement of the institution
COLONEL oLAY's TESTIMONY.
Colonel Clay testified in regard the bread fur
nished the inmates that rule it was sour dirty
badly prepared and unfit to eat; that the meat
nished to the children was insufficient in quantity
and often rotten; that the potatoes were at times
offensive and docayed; that the dining rooms and
the dining room furniture and table service were
always hthy and repnlsive with dirt and
grease that there al insulliciency
dietary list for the sick convalescent and that
hospital subjects afflicted with repuIsive sores and
diseases We're placed indlscriminately among the
healthy children in the dining room workshops n,lI
schools. He asserted that many boys were pre-
vented by the character of the work re-
quired from them from attending school and
religious services; that the work was of such
n nature as to impair their health. nccessitating
their being sent to the hospital and that many the
boys complained of hunger. The witness also swore
that all these matters were brought by him to the
attention OF Mr.. Israel c. JONES' the superintendent
and that he failed to made any improvements or
rcctions in regard to these abuses.
CONTRACT SYSTEM.
| Colonel Clay then testified in regard to the
! tract system taking up the methods adopted by the
management and the character OF the work i'm
| posed upon the boys. He told the committee
| that the very fact that contractors were admitted
to the institution and the labor OF the boys hired to
| them in itself an indication that reform
subordinated to the interests OF the contractors In
regard to the material furnished by the contractors
he said it was inferior in quality and that the
roundings occasoned by this contract system were
| necessarily immoral in tendency The witness gave
instances of the boys being cursed by some OF the
employees, who, he said. set them bad example in
the practice of deceit. Misrepresentation and pro-
| family. Witness also said that proper effort
| made to check the unnatural depravity OF the
youth. On all these points the cross examination by
| the committee was thorough, and the members all
declare that their whole object i'll this investigation
| is to ascertain the truth.
| 1t is understood that the examination. although
technically confined to the first two charges took
wider range. and many points were raised not con-
tempated by the charges themselves. These grew
out OF the determination OF the committee to make
the investigation private. Colonel Clay informed
the committee that he was satisfied with their action
in this respect provided the accused per-
sSe matter Re was pans
| to be present ut the deliberations of the COM
mittee he said he would claim the right to be repre-
| the institution, he informed the committee were
more or less under the influence of Mr.. Ketchum
and Mr.. Jones. and from these Colonel Clay said
| it would be difficult to extract the whole truth,
especially il these gentlemen were allowed to be
| present and to hear the testimony. The examine
ton Of the witness will be resumed tins morning.