New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-03
LIFE IN THE UNSECTARIAN HONE.

The lnuuest in the case of Bessie SlOcun, who
Ga IN 5T1 Rradv apd I nTv Bens
min. the first witness, testified as follows: ~ On
March . and May and 10 | visited the Home.
The stencil Ill parts OF the baldng was almost IN
endurable. 1 saw twelve or fourteen OF the
children. whose ages ranged from two to seven
years, at dinner, The meal consisted OF
corncd beef and two kinds of vegetables. The
bed-cOthes III the dOrmtOry the upper floor were
fairly clean There two distinct smells one
was from closet, which was not III good condition
About half of the cellar floor was wet. The origin
OF the other smell l cannot tell 1t was heavy,
pungcnt OdOr, of the worst ever smelt. 1t was
confined principally to the dining-roOm
Ex-Jud9e +. j. JOachimsen said that he was
member of the Advisory Board of the Home in 1880,
but resigned last November, as he could not give 1t
the proper attention. He did not think the Home
calculated for children in tue spring and fall, as
there was danger OF chills aud fever. DR.. Nathan
IS. King SAID: " Mr.. Ramscar asked me TO
rather reluctantly | consented. found that some
things unsatisfactory to me. For these and
Home. told Mr. Ranscar that wished TO leave
the Board ami a. | received no notices of meetings
| supposed had been dropped"
Samuel MaTburOn next testified: " | had two
girls ages six and eight, whom i wished to put
III a home. | saw Mr. RamscaT. and agreed 10 pay
him 50 month. This was on February IL. A month
later the children and they complained OF being
dirty, and one of them had sore mouth. On April
q placed this child in the Home for the Strangers.
sent for the second child after and found her
covered with vermln. They were not put to school
while in Mr Ramscars institution"
Superintendent jenkins, OF the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty TO Children, next called.
Before he began his testimony Coroner, Brady
| read the ponce records of the finding Of
john Hamlll wandering ainlessly in Wash
! ingtOn-ave He was much diseased, hls
| skin being covered with an eruption. He
! was removed to Bellevue Hospital, where he is now
! recovering. Mir. jenkins then described the ap-
| pearance of the boy and his peculiarly diseased
| and repulsiye condition. lie continued " In COM
pany with President Gerry visited the Home the
day after Bessie Sloculn's death. Everything was
in a dirty and soveny condition. This boy Hamlll
had been in the Home only day. In neatly
every Institution know anything about the child
would have been stripped and scrubbed, and the
clothing burned"
Mrs. Anne Slocum. the mother of Bessie Slocum,
said Besides Bessie | had another child III the
Home. Bessie was i'll good health when | last saw
her, and said she did not want TO come home. /
usually went 10 the institution once week After
the death of Bessie took the other child away. 1
think Bessie had good care i'll the institution. She
was always thin, hut had good health"
Ellen McMasteTs, nurse iii the Home, declared
that the babies washed every day, and the
other children were expected 10 have q bath once u
week. There not sufficient help. Mary Tone,
the cook, SAID that the meat not always fresh.
The case was adjourned until Monday.