Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-06-27
THE TEwkSBURY HEARING.
BosToN, June 20.

BosToN, June 20.
At the Tewk-bury hearing today. Gov.
Butler began the cross examination of Cap
tain Thomas j Marsh, late superintendent
at Tewksbury.
Marsh made brief statement of his life
and career previous to 1858, when he WAS
appointed by Gov. Banks superintendent at
Tewksbury. At that time his family con-
sisted of bis wife and four sons, his father
and four daughters. Witness had been
Obliged to spend his earnings fully t. support
his relatives. HIS sons anl grand - IS Ii I'd
been at Exeter and Harvard colleges Could
not say they did not have their washing sent
from Exeter and Harvard to the aim. house.
Does not believe they did. lie did not com
pose all the annual reports. His practice had
been to write the substance OF what he want
ed, and have his son Charles or some other
person put it in shape. The doctors record
would not show the admissions of the delir-
ium tremens cases. but simply the number of
deaths from that cause. file had furnished
good, wholesome and sufficient food to the
inmates, as far as his means would allow,
but in no year has there been all the means
for food that should have been provided.
He was quite sure that he had made one
report that there not sufficient food.
Usually, the legislature had cut down the
almshouse estimate. He has bought coal for
some of the officers of the institution at the
same place at which he had bought coal for
the State. He never paid for coal bought on
private account with money belonging to the
State. He had never seen dead body
shipped to Harvard, but at times has known
of their being sent. He had first required a
bond from Harvard he thought in 1868
There had been bonds given iii 1865 for Sl00;
that of 1868 for $500 Under these, all bodies
that had gone to Harvard had been shipped
That of the college of physicians and sur
geons was given in December, 1881 That
of the medical department of Boston Univer-
sity in 1874. Did not know that any bodies
went to either of these institutions prior 10
the giving of these bonds. Prior to the APP
pointment some ten years ago bv. the trustees
of his son Thomas j., Jr, he had been his
agent tor the shipment of bodies foI scien-
tific purposes. His son had made no report of
what he has done in this way. He never
called upon him for any account.
He knew that Manning was carrying them
away. He had never made any effort nor
asked any one else to see that the require
ments of these bonds should be fulfilled. but
he had no means of knowing. Never knew
that money had been received for bodies. for
he had forbidden it and he does not think his
orders were disobeyed. He pointed to the
law and told his son 10 keep inside of it.
He had many offers of money for bodies
He supposed his son had some compensation
for assisting in getting the bodies away. He
thought all the time that his son did not get
anything more than what was paid for trans
portation.
His son had once told him that he was
doing disagreeable work for nothing. Some
bodies have been brought back from Harvard
because of being claimed by friends. Could
not say how many such cases there had been.
Adjourned till Friday.