The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-19
WHEN
CLOTHING STORE.
TEWKSBURY WAYS.
Paupers Disposed OF by Filth, vermiD,
Starvation and Beating.

Boston, April 18-At the Tewksbury aims
house examination to-day, Mary E. Bowen,
formerly an inmate, said she could not eat
the food furnished, but lived upon that
bought with money furnished her. She
never saw any of the Marsh family while
there. Thirty or more women were bathed
in the same water, many patients having bad
skin diseases and many infected with vermin.
When there was time, carbolic acid was
poured on the heads of such patients YER
min were all over the place, rats being so
abundant that patients would call the nurses
to drive them away. One consumptive wo-
man was unable to call for help, and her feet
were badly bitten. This happened every
night until she died. Clothes and every
thing were filthy, but when visitors were ex-
pected things were cleaned.
One woman who died was large, and her
body was crowded into box by men stand
on it. She had on the same bonnet worn
when alive. Another patient occupied the
bed on which this woman died that night, no
change of clothing being made. An old in
sane woman was beaten with sticks and tied
with ropes
Witness had come on from New York to
give her testimony. Brown asked several
questions, which Governor Butler said were
not pertinent.
Brown retorted that the characters of the
witnesses SO far, were fit subjects for criti-
cism and he proposed, in this case, to know
the witness's entire story. The Governor
said he did not propose to sit still and allow
his witnesses to be maligned He asked the
committee not to allow it. Some of their
daughters might, by chance, come to this
ILL H.
spectators followed. The Governor said that
because witness was a fallen woman her
character should not be the issue in this
case she should answer all pertinent ques-
tions, but not those which sought to drag
her down.
Brown said His Excellency WINGED as he
never had before He called the Governors S
attention TO a case where he 1.-THE Governor)
had questioned witness in regard to char
acter, etc., in a most unheard of way.
The question as to proceeding with the
cross-examinaton was decided by the COM
mittee in the affirmative by 5 to vote.
Miss Bowen refused to give the name by
which she was known in New York, and
counsel demanded it, to inquire into her
character for veracity. In the course of the
controversy the Governor said this investiga-
ton would interest the entire country where
there were institutions like Tewksbury, and
ought to go before it. Already it had aroused
examinations In other States. He had never
had political thought in connection with it.
The only questions to be decided were law,
propriety and humanity, but the opposing
counsel took that narrow view of it of which
ne was capable
The chairman said that the Governors re-
mark that another 5-to-4 vote would hand
this commission down as another commission
was handed down to the country by its 8-to-
vote, was highly improper, and he hoped no
more political allusions would be made by
any of the counsel.
the Governor said he had as little respect
Tor the chairman's opinion as the latter had
mans decisions. Being asked if Miss Bowen
would be present tomorrow, Governor But
Ter said if she was not her testimony could
be stricken from the record.
Adjourned.