The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-19
HORRORS OF POOR HOUSES
The Misery and Degradation Seen in
Many Of Them in This State.
Indifference of Authorities to the Treatment
and Morals of the Children Who Are
Exposed to Evil Practices and Vice.

the State will meet in this CITY TO-DAY. AZ tina
Grand Hotel. Mrs. Sarah L. Franklin ia presi.
dent OF the State association. She il a large.
na'roniy-ooking woman, and Just the kind
tnat an orphan would select for . mother If he
hao nis own way ir the matter. 1--WE have
nothing 20 keep secret" said she. In response to
. Journal reporters request for information,
last night. "What we desire is the fullest ven-
uiat'on through the newspapers Of the horrible
condition Of the children In the county infrm-
aries of the State. 1t is time that the people Of
Indiana were becoming enlightened in this mat
ter. Il 10 . disgrace to the State and . disgrace
to civilization. l have been ell my life q visitor
or poor-houses, and have seen the dsbauehing
associations Of the friendlsss orphans, thrown
together, as they are, with paupers. many Of
whom are wicked, vicious, idiotic, drunken
and insane. In the adjoining county
OF Madison in the poor-house there are five
idiots, so hideous and vile iu appearance that
ous few visitors can endure the sight OF them,
and, all told, there are thirty-two pauper in
mates there. ranging from six months to four
teen years of age. Among the adults is an IN
married woman, the mother Of six children,
who had the oversight of the pauper children.
She has been arrested tins and again for drunk
enness and RIGHTEOUSNESS, until she became
known for all that Ii wicked and vile
In her address to-day Mrs. Franklin will say
in reference to the Indifference Of county COM
missioners upon this subject: 81 have even
found some people who think it all right thas
pauper children should associate with adults
paupsrs. One commissioners told me that some
OF fhAan ehi1Span holocn 60 J-ror~~1g o,a IL In
the sins Of the fathers visited upon them. Some
are the children of psnitsntiary e~onvicts, while
many are illeeitimate."
From actual observation" Mrs Franklin
continued IN her talk to the reporter. II have
learned that the county infrmary, no matter how
well kept or how kindly cared for are the in
rates, In no place for little children. The
character Of the panpers and the nature Of the
surroundings make it o place to be
dreaded and stunned by a healthy,
wei : ordered physical adult. Then
what must be the effect upon the imagination
and tender nerves of a young childl A lawyer,
fifty years old, told me. . few days since. that
1t gave him the horrors for . week afterward
because one Of the e~pileptics went into a ft
while ns was watching him. He said that no
a1nount OF money would induce him to keep q
poor house."
In describing some Of the scenes OF these
places, Mrs. Franklin said: MANY years since
L went icto the poor-bouse OF one county. There
was . woman fastened to the wall by q belt
around her waist. which was secured 10 o staple
In the wall. From the belt up she was entirely
nude. She had become insane through abuse from
Q drunken husband beating her over the head,
She sat upon a lounge, throwing her naked arms
wildly around her. Her black, bullying eyes,
disheveled hair and grinding teeth startled me
90 that have to-day q distinct remembrance.
and shudder when | think of her friehtsul ap-
pearsnce / visited another county Door house
about three weeks SEQ, and found there thirty
five paupers. seven OF whom-fve men and
two women-are old snd feeble. eight are IN
eurably insane-six OF whom are men and two
are women-three are epiIeptics-ail men-and
there Is one ijiotic BOY eighteen years old. All
are addicted TO the vilest habits There Is also
there a natural-born idiot and two old negro
men. one OF whom has charge OF the idiots; the
three are in one room together. Besides this
the inmates include ten children, eight TO ten
years Of age. four OF whom are girls. These
psupers, men. women. children, insane idiots,
negroes and sick. are all in the one building and
commingle together at viii. They all sit
together a. the same table, and are
as closely associated in their daily life
as the members OF any family In
this city. Think OF it, Ten children
from eight to fourteen years Of age. growing up
~ 80 A0ADh " 49, $3.50
persons. would like to ask any father or
mother what would be their feelings IL their
children were subject TO such obnoxious in
huences for months or even weeks
In speaking Of the cost of maintaining such
institutions Mrs. Franklin said: jus: as sure
az these children are allowed to grow up with
the scum of creation, just so sure we may ex-
pect 10 reap . crop OF paupers and thieves.
the sum of 81 per week each for
their keeping In the county poor
house. For that amount of money
these children can be we'll Kept in an orphans
home, as well as the children of tie average
mechanic. where they may be trained in the
fear Of God and taught useful industries. and
come to adult age without the odium of the poor
house darkening their pathway. 1t has been al
legged that paupsr children are OF q low grade OF
intellect, aud that 1t Is not worth while TO spend
time and money upon them. IL We do not teach
them to care for themselves while they are
growing up. we will most assuredly have to pro-
vide for them in the Door-houses. jails and pen
itentiaries when they are grown. Ii - estimated
that il costs &. 900 TO raise an average child to
the age OF tweuty-one years. IL the child is al
lowed to have the advantage OF this sum in a
home under the tntelage OF an erlclent matron,
the country gets the worth ct the money thus
judiciously expended. If, like under the old
Spartan rule, inferior children could be put
to death, it would be a great saving to
the country. But our institutions do not
allow such ummary treatment, and it Is our
duty 10 m6ko JIG mOob VI hAo vi
hands"
Mrs. Franklin, referring to a scene she wit
messed a few days ago, said: II sat In a window
and cav hundreds OF children, glorious ia the
red. white and blue with banners and stream
srs flying. sing the patriotic songs of the country
as they went to welcome James G. Blaine, Gen.
Hovey and Corporal Tanner. Gen. Hovey waved
his hat as they passed in great squadrons. |
thought, what q glorious country where little
children are allowed to approach great men ia
freedom. / know these children will soon in
herit the earth. and l rejoice In seeing them
prepared for It. / remember my own twelve
year-old boy reaching his hand from the plat
form to the car and saying, How do you do,
Gen. Grant, and the General caught the chubby
hand. with a smile and q hearty shase. as he said,
Il am well, thank you; how are your In
no other country on this globe
could o boy have thus approached
the great executive chief. I think of these and
then 1 think of ten children from eight to four
teen in a poorhouse associatipg with the Vicious,
idiotic, insane. drunken and epilsptic paupers
amid awful horrors, imbscility, chickering's and
vllest profanity"
Mrs. Franklin is thoroughly in earnest in her
work and intends to bring about q reformation
IL persistent efforts can do SO.