The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-23
AT LAST
The RefOrmatory Investigating Commit
tee Thinks II Has Got Enough.
The Question Now Is: What Shall
the Verdict Be2"
Another Celebrated Case" without q
Moral. But Oceans Of Filth, Passes
Into History, and Will Soon
Be Forgotten.

Be Forgotten.
The Committee investigating the charges
against the officers Of the Reformatory and
Female Prison met again yesterday after
noon at the law Office of Duncan, Smith &
Duncan. The evidence was upon the part
# the Institution, most of the witnesses
being officers of the Institution. The Com
mittee were all present except Mr.. Meredith.
MRS. r.. L. JOHNSON.
Examined by Mr.. Duncan for the Court:
Am the Assistant superintendent OF the Reform.
atory; have been for the last four years; was, be-
fore came here, the superintendent of the
Home for the Friendless OF Richmond. Ind. (;
always attended 10 the sick on the prison side:
there Is no hospital for the sick on the prison
side: the prisoners are always fed wnen sick
fed. and have plenty OF IL: people are sent there
that are 50 unTuly that 1t Is impossible
nd p0T reatnen fs before any "T Punishment Gd
was ever inhicted; have assisted Mrs. Smith In
administering the bath that has been 80 graphic,
ally described 10 the Committee By those who had
been punished; there was always warm water first
placed In the bath-tub before the cold water Is
turned ON from the hose; after the hose had been
turned was always given dry clothes, cup Of
warm tea and sent 10 bed; the water
%sI. from closed b ies
they would do, and remain
there ard talk. No one was ever refused the use
OF any OF the closets when they wanted to- Ger
the worst woman that was ever In the Institution.
went 70 her room once 10 talk 10 her about
she attempted To strike me- She reached and
caught hold OF my hair; then she reached down
aud got knife aud slung shot, made from
She she was IA very rnTuiy prisoner r' and
gave c1Ss great deal ,S Of trouble
listitution when she first entered the door did
not recognize her; she talked 70 me great deal
and spoke great length about the kind manner
Ia which she had been treated by the officers OF
the Institution, and asked forgiveness for all she
had said or doue, and acknowledged she had
been treated much better than she deserved she
she was when In Prison; she said she had no good
things TO eat and no good clean
Reformatory. She really In very destitute cir
cumstances, and we officers then gave her some
money 10 enable her 10 do something TO make an
honorable living. With the money gave her
she purchased some wares and commenced
pcddling. and has made a living at II ever since
we started her. There was never any abortions
produced on any of the inmates. and such a
thing was never heard of until Jennie Schwtzer
testified before this Committee.
Jane Williamson, who has been spoken Of very
frequently before the Committee, is crazy. All of
the officers have taken great deal OF OF her and
humored her In great many cases. / never
pounded Laura johnson over the breast with the
heels OF the slippers; neither did / paint her
breast with iodine. There was never any distinc
ton or favoritism shown the white inmates over
alike. / think Mrs. Smith is a good woman and a
proper person 10 be the Superintendent of the
Institution.
DIR. PARvIS.
know that the child found i'm the cesspool was
not the child Of any inmate Of the Reformatory:
ha tvafa -ltf f,,flf
ed f. I'm the least injurious; In many cases IL
would serve Us a benefit: do not know of any
cases where 1t proved TO be the least injurious
MRS. JOHNSON.
Cross-examined by the Chairman:
Water has not been used but once I'm the last
three years. and then ii used on Mollie Scott
for the purpose of bringing her TO subjection it
brought her too the small children are never
punished; there has beeh no punishment inflicted
that was too severe.
BY Mr. Mitchell, for the Committee:
think it best that the Institution should re-
Smith incapaclted in the least on account Of age
10 manage the Institution.
BY Mr.. Carr:
never make any Of the inmates go 10 work
when they are not able to work. can determine
the health of the patient by the use of a thermom-
eter to determine II they have any fever | do
not think all women are hairp ullers but all that
have attacked me have done 50 by pulling my
hair
Dr. Mcclure, for the Committee, oues-
toned the witness at considerable length
in many important matters, which were
| fully explained by Mrs Johnson in q man
ner quite satisfactory TO the Doctors ideas
in which he thought the Institution should
be managed.
HATTIE BURNS.
Have been I'm the Reformatory for about five
years my parents sent me there for nv own
w nj Of
aud II Is always nice cooked; / have been pun
ished, but severe; have been made to stand
in the hail. and was once slapped in the face:
think the girls are all benefited that go there
We are taught everything that is good and valuable
10 make us good women when we go out from
the Institution; we are always sent to school, aud
those that Will learn can get q good common
/ school education; we are taught to wash. iron,
sew and those W no leave the Institution are gem
orally well fitted 10 take charge Of any house
hold.
Cross-examined by DR.. Edwins:
The large and small children do not take their
recess together. The large girls take their hour
for play IA the Gaming room and the small ones in
the school room.
BY Mr.. Carr:
The play hour always lasts half hour. We
| play the same kind OF plays that are generally
played ia school, aud all are allowed 10 have a
good time during the play hour.
MATTE sToFER.
Have been in the Reformatory for three years;
my mother sent me there; she thought was get
/ ting too wild, and sent me there; | have been
greatly benefited by being there; l feel that
when leave there will be amply competent TO
earn All honest living and lead a better life than
might have done had | never teen sent there.
Everything is perfectly clean and neat; we
are always given plenty to eat. and
the best care Is always taken OF when we are
sick have been there three years. ] have taught
/ I'm the Primary Department since | have been
/ there. and now the Superintendent of the
Gaming Department / will soon be seventeen
| years old
/ JENNIE BELT.
Have been In the Reformatory about two years /;
| was punished for attempting 10 run away; was
treated no better than any Of the others:
/ no one Is ever punished before they
tried to he made 10 mind by the kindest treat
ment; the officers all treat me kindly: the only
thing that made me dissatisfied and wanted TO
| run away was because / got tired of the confne-
guardian for di,obedience.
| MISS MARTHA VI. PRAY.
Am literary teacher ut the Reformatory; have
been there over seven years; the children that are
sent there have plenty to eat of good. wholesome
/ food when they become sick Ghey fed
dainty food. Kindness is always used before
Increased in the Institution, IL became necessary
/ to be more strict I'm the government.
| In many cases the nstle girls that came there
| have previous 10 their coming been bad girls.
Others were good before they cine and came
there because they had no homes.
Mrs. Smith treats the children the same as IL
! they were her own children. | never knew Of
Mrs Smith slapping any OF their heads against the
wall.
/ 1 think have about fifty correspondents. girls