The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-15
SHOCKING REVELATION.
Dreadful Condition of Affairs Reported
from the Home at Knightstown.

For some time exceedingly ugly reports have
been going about regarding the management of
he Soldiers Orphans Home and Asylum for
Feeble minded Children at knghtstown.
"The home, said gentleman to the reporter
yesterday, lit would be criminal to disguise the
ruth or to attempt to suppress it's in wors e
condition than it has ever before been since its
organization"
The speaker is thoroughly conversant with the
the affairs at the institution, and any statements
made may be implicitly relied upon. The
narrator continued: There is perpetual
discord and wrangling among the trustees,
brought about largely by the notorious inefi
cheney Of the superintendent. Mr.. Smith, the
superintendent, may be very good and useful
in his proper place, but he is wholly unfit
to govern and control an institution of this kind.
L is well known that he was not placed in his
present position by reason Of any fitness for it,
but through party influence, for party purposes,
and as a reward for alleged party services. 1t
was hoped that when the former board was
kicked out in disgrace and the new board APP
pointed by Governor Gray installed, that there
would be few Complaints to come up from the
malodorous Knightstown institution. Such has
not proved to be the case, and, strange as it may
seem, the former management, by comparison
with the present, is referred to as a model one.
The place has got to be family concern,
positions being given out to relatives, efficient
teachers being discharged to make room for
them. The present superintendent was put In
on proba ton of six months but owing TO
unfitness he came near being discharged at the
last meeting of the board, and two of the most
important and useful teachers in the institution
were dismissed without cause to make room for
our friends as one of the trustees put it. This
board started in with flourish of reform. To
day the institution is a disgrace to the State.
The poor helpless little inmates are destitute of
clothing and covered with vermin, while the
itch is holding high revel through the place"
Said medical gentleman: 1.-The home showed
saving last month of $500. Do you know how
they made it! At the expense of the health,
comfort and decency of the inmates. A ma or
ity of the children have a change of clothing.
This has much to do with the prevalence Of that
loathesome skin disease the itch and the abun
dance of vermin at the home The population
about Knightstown is moral one, and is
greatly shocked at the way in which
some of the children are suffered to run
at large. The river Is literally filed with them
from morning till night. These lavatory eXer
cises do kill the itch insect but cool the parts
and make life somewhat more tolerabe for the
victims. There is also complaint that the sick
do not receive proper attention at the home. |
know of a boy taken with commissions who lay
all day without physician; another day and
night without medical help, ard still another
who lay thlrty-slX hours after the physician had
been summoned, before that worthy put in an
appearance"