New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-20


Tberc i enough in The facts already dis
closed respecting the condition of the inmates
Of thc Shephcrd's Fold to arouse our deepest
sympathy but it will only be just ana pru-
dcut to refrain from wholesale denunciati0n
of the establishment until the charges nave
been carefully investigated. a large proper
ton of the destitute and abandoned children
received into such institutions are the OH
srr;uo of crime and disease, and proper care
will NOT ALWAYS relieve them from the terrible
inheritance of a tainted blood. There can
hardly I've any doubt that the Rev. Mr.. Cowley
is not suitable person to intrlSt WIN
the care of such children, but 1t may
turn out that he Is not absolutely
criminal. We need not harrow the public
feelings pIematurey.
Meanwhile the attention of the Legislature
is invited to a curious provision OF law when
i, the real cause Of the persistent vitality OF
this ycxatious establishment. The original
Shepherds Fold was Incorporated IN lSo9'
Mr.. Cowlcy being the superintendent. Inc
next wear the trustees got rid OF him, ana he
started an opposition asylum which he called
the Childrcn's Fold. He was removed ron
tba, institution also, in consequence OF accusa-
tions of cruelty and msmanagement. The
Shcpheri's Fold, during the interval had
becn broken mp QS7D; the children
had been transferred TO the Shcitcring
Arms aud the charity had been en-
tirrly abandoned. On his expulsion from
the Chidrcn's Fold in 1877, Mr.. Cowlcy and
his friends revived the old establishment, and
q : rirs of law suits followed to test the
validity of their organization and their claim
to the public money. This litigation Is stlii
pcnding. Appropriations for the benefit OF
other asyIums of this class are made in the
form of per capita allowances; the Children
Fnld. for instance. receives from the city ~
Il week for each child; the Infant Asylum
and the Founding Asylum are entitled to I'M
allowance for each child not greater than the
average cost of maintaining children OF
like aye in the municipal asylums; the
pcr capita payment to the House OF
Refuge and the Catholic Protectory is
$40 pcr annum. and TO the Juvenile
Aeylnm 1922 30 per annum. But in 1871
the Shepherds Fold obtained from the Lcgis-
loturc an act in which occurs the following
remarkable provision:
The Board OF Supervisors OF the County OF New-foik
sb, I'm the year 1871 ana each and every year there
after levy and collect by tax upon the taxable prop
erty OF the CITY aud County OF NewNork, TO be levied
and collected at the time ana in the same manner
~ t contingent charges and expenses Of the SAID city
and county are levied and collected the OF $4,000,
and nay the same over the said corporation to be
pped for the purposes and objects OF said corporation
laws Of 1871 ch 200; see. -
Thus il will be seen that as long as this
charity remains III operation, even II II smell
ters only one child, the City of NewIOrk Is
required to give it 50, 600 year! No wonder
Mr.. Cowley is unwilling that such an enter
prise should be abandoned He has suit
against the Controller for $4,000. and ii he
finally succeed in this clam he will be enti-
tied to three years back pay, or $4,000. As
the average number of children who support
themselves on milk and behring's with meat
once n yeaI) in his establishment, and do all
the washing, scrubbing, cooking, and other
bousey 1rk, does not exceed twenty-five,
the annual statutory allowance is equiv
olent TO 5000 head, or twice as much
rs the grant TO the better. known and
better managed asyums in which children are
really cared for and educated. Whatever the
outcome of the present investigation, the Leg
isloture ought to repeal this reckless and i'm
nrovident law at once. While it stands Mr.
Cowley's claims are steadily augmenting. If
he succeed in indicating himself it will then
be time enough to consider whether the work
which the Shepherds Fold processes to do is
not covered by other and more efficient In<ti-
tntions. and if it is really deserving char
ity. whether IT has a claim upon the benefac-
tions of the State aud City. In any case it
ought to receive no more than the ordinary
per capita allowance.
There's Fraudulent Fusion Legislature down in
Maine going around Oo-hooing and looking for Gar