New-York tribune., 1880-02-07
MIR. cowLEY Defends HIMSELF.

1f- SAYS MS TNTMY HATH DONE THIs--A TALK WITH
TIE PRIsONER ~ THE ToMBS.
Since his commitment to the Tombs on Saturday
last. Mr. Cowley by the advice Of his counsel has
refused to make any statement or to give any lnior
nation 10 the press and since Tuesday no reporter
had been allowed TO converse with him until Yestei-
dsv afternoon.yhe a re porter of TuE TRIBUNE pre-
vailed npon the counsel TO provide him with writ
ten reonest for a statement to be published in TnE
TrnuNF. Mr. Cowloy allowed to receive his
visitor in the council OF the prison, which. he
remarked smingly, was quite comfortable COM
pared to ms cell
"Thcre il no TRUTH be said, in any charge
AGAINST me- from any quarter or by any person. OF
ilI-tfeatment or starvation. THAT isl can't
make any statement. Ask me some questions"
"If tie charges are untrue how do you account
for the condition Of the children when they were
rcmoycdp
Il ava not going to argue the merits Of tie case.
The condition Of the children was relative. There
wa, only one who was not better on leaving than
on entering
..From what did Louis Yictor's condition arise ~
.'From perfectly natural aud satisfactory causes.
If the managers OF ST. Luhc's Hospital had had any
common courtesy they would haye advised with me
before sending word 20 tie Cruelty Society and am
confident that this whole uproar would have been
avoided. ] have q number of letters from persons
who will act as witnesses I'm the trial, expressing
satisfaction al the progress of the children. But
must rot speak OF chat, Cs 1t is part Of the eyi-
''Who are these personssw
They are the parents 0t the children"
Did they see the children occasionally, or was
1t only through your letters tha1 tney Ae"iu OF
themW 49,,
What was he chIldrcn's dletf"
"NOw You are asking for something which Will
come up as evidence The story that they had meat
only twice year IS wholly false. Ihey had more
OF less meat every week. and on hodays-the ma
tional holidays well as those Of the CDurch-they
had regular feast" -,
at Is charged that you compelled certain Of the
children 10 perform the work OF a hired servant"
lt is question of Qp rir~ whether had right
to do so. All have 10 subject now IS that
no child under fourteen was alO"cI TO Work during
public school hours and none under twelve were
compelled to work at all. IL they did any ii was
entirely voluntary. THIS is strange investiGa-
tion. The people would hang man first ana try
"If you are entirely blameless, what motive
could the children have had to tell the tales they
They have been taught to them by my enemies
Let me give you an illustration In point. When
was IN charge of the Chlldren's Fold some three
years ago, man came to me, .ookinR arouil4 @ MN
children. lie said he was born Roman Catholic
but had been converted 10 tho Protestant iaith'
and was now prosecuted by his former associates;
They prevented him from getting WORK, ana
he was unable to support ms Ghluien'
The children were admitted, but hAu lC-
mained only five days when they ran away,
taking with them girl Of ten. The latter
was found in the possession OF the 9an VINO ha9
brought the two children. lie abruptly stated
that she had been abused and that he had reported
the case to the Cruelty Society. Upon eNaminati3h
by the trustees together with two officers OF the
society," the child stated that her tongue had been
burned with red-hOt poker. She stuck 10 ner
story we'll for an hour but on crOss-e1amlnauon
she admitted that she dId not cry, and nnRlN thht
the poker vas only little bit warm At length she
confessed there was no truth at all III the story,
and that certain persous taught her to tell IT, In
published report was then fully exoDerated from
blame. 1t may turn out that these charges are or
the same character - ,,,, :,
How about the instruction of the children T.
al always had "a paid teacher. The one en-
ployed last year was young lady OF twenty-four
not one of the girls in the institution, as my enc
mics have said. As to the childrens alleged beg
ging and stealing never heard OF IL before. They
never had any occasion to do So and II they did 1t
it was from natural wickedness." 80,
The Grand Jury yesterday brought in another bill
against Mr. Cowey. Ii Is similar IN all respects 10
those previously found, with the exception that 1t
corrects the name OF Louis Victor. His name Is in
serted as " Louis Hulkusky. otherwise known as
Louis Victor" The date of the offence charged, IN
stead of being January l. as IN the Others has been
made December 20, 1879.