The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-14
STATE REFORM SCHOOL IN
VESTIGATION.
Last Public Session of the Com
mission.
NO NEW EVIDENCE OF IMPORTANCE

The commissioners appointed by the Gov
| ernor and Council to investigate the manage
| ment of affairs at the State Reform School
held their eleventh and final public session
yesterday afternoon at the office of Commits
sioner Haskell.
The principal witaess was Col Charles B,
Merrill, who visited the Institution in company
with Gov. Plaisted, upon whose charges the in
vestigation rests. Col Merrill being duly
sworn by Commissioner Fox testified that he
was present by invitation with Gov. Plaisted
at the time of his visit to the school. He saw
boys standing up in the dining room apart
from the rest. The Governor approached
them and inquired as to the reason; he did not
hear the conversation, but afterwards learned
that it was for punishment, and that the boys
so standing had nothing but bread and water.
The Governor seemed to make pretty thor
oogh examination. He talked with several of
the boys. Witness did not hear the converse
ton. Col. Merrill went into the sick room
with the Governor and others and remained a
pref period. He saw the sick boy and felt
felt pretty badly to see the little fellow lying
there all alone aud locked in. He left the
room shortly after by reason of its oppressive
heat. Witness recollected that he talked with
number of the boys in the meditation room.
One boy attracted his attentrn because of his
diminutive size. The boy was there for steal
ing some old junk Witness thought the din
idg room was not creditaOle to any institution.
The boys came in and threw their hats upon
the floor instead of having place TO hang
them.
Mr.. Donahue, Secretary of the Board of
trustees, desired TO correct his statement that
Col. Merrill did not enter the sick room at the
time of the Governors visit. He did not OBJ
serve him.
To Commissioner Fox-Noticed that there
were boys standing in the room other than
those standing with faces to the wall, and that
the Governor conversed with them.
To Mr.. Farrington-The witness did not re-
member OF saying anything TO him Earring
toni week or two afterwards.
Superintendent Harrington then made a
statement to the effect that when he went to
the school in 1880 he found 1.-THE practice to
stand the boys up and deprive them OF their
food for dsorderly conduct az the table, He
very soon after told the officers that the boys
must not be deprived of their food, but il
their conduct was such that it seemed neces-
Sary they must be given all the bread and
water they wanted. To overcome this trouble
the class in meditation" was devised, disci-
pline with which all the commissioners were
familiar 1t was at the suggestion of DIR.
Thompson, medical adviser of the school, that
all punishment whereby boys might be de-
prive OF their food was done away with. The
class in ''n editation" did well, but in some
severe cases 1t was necessary to resort to pun
ishing by the ferrule. Boys who had been idle
in the workshops and had refused to do their
stints had been locked up in the cells These
boys had been furnished with food precisely
the same as the other boys. If they did not
do their stiDts in the TWO hours allotted they
remained there all night, but are released to GO
down with the other boys in the morning.
There was oneboy Galley who was kept there
week for habitual and persistent ideness.
Mr.. Harrington submitted blanks that were
furnished to the Offices of the school TO show
thai the punishment book was not an exact
record to 60 by. These blanks shown the Of
fensive conduct of the boy and the means that
have been employed to restrain him before pun
iShment was resorted to.
To Secretary Donahue-Mr. Harrington did
not remember that the attention of the trus-
tees was called especially to the cayenne pep
per and such punishment
Witness did recolect of coming into the
room and beng asked by DR.. Thompson if he
had administered pepper and replied in the
affirmative
Mr.. Donaiue stated that Mr.. Wentworth
had also appeared at the time and admitted
that he had administered 'soap suds''
Mr.. Donahne said that he was informed by
discharged inmate, and in reply to Mr.. Far 4
rington gave the name of Patrick Collins, that
when they could not make boy cry by pun
ishment with the ferrule they applied the red
pepper.
MIR. Donahue remembered that Mr.. Earring
ton told DR.. Thompson that the pepper pun
ishment should cease.
To Commissioner Haskell-Mr. Harrington
could not give the exact size OF the cells where
the boys were confined, but thought them about
II feet wide and from 10 s feet in length
This session probably closes the public la
bors OF the commission. They have no author
ity In the matter but must report to the Gov
ernor and Council. The evidence taken is
quite voluminous and in printed form would
make pamphlet of some $50 pages OF book
of the size of the Maine law reports.