Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-25
TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
A Senatorial Committee Investigates
MOrganZa'S Finances and SAM.
tary Condition.
TIE CRUELTY CHARGES IGNORED.
Bows Found to Be Healthy. and Tell the
Senators They Are Satisfied With
The Treatment.
TIE CRUELTY CHARGES IGNORED.
THE FARM NOT APAYING INVESTMENT.
Heavy Dtbt Weighing Down the West Penn Hespta
Which May Be Wiped Out.

Senatorial committee that is making tour
of the State in Pullman car. The finances
of the institution are not quite satisfactory,
but for the management all the members OF
the committee, both Democrats and Repub-
licanS, had nothing but kind words 10 say
last evening. The recent charges o. cruelty
were not aired, as the committee had no
authority TO probe the subject. The Western
Penitentiarv will be visited this morning,
and then the committee will go to Erie.
In the party were Senators Mylin, Chair
man; Mehard, Showalter, Williamson,
Finn, Mech, Green, Meek, Hall, Nc
Donald, Monahan, Smith, of Lancaster,
and UPperman.
A Division of the Labor.
Senator Mylin fattered himself that
Superintendent Quay didn't know they
were coming, but when they arrived in
Pittsburg for fear the Superintendent would
not be at the institution to receive them, he
sent the manager a telegram. When they
got there two committees were ap-
pointed. one TO investigate the
finances. the other to look into the sanitary
condition. Senator Mylin said: "ThiS COM
mittee has no authority to investigate
charges against the management. I sup
pose a special committee will be appointed
for that purpose have been on several
such committees in my time, and we never
discovered anything"
Generally whitewashed the institutions,
suggested a bystander.
"No, that is unjust" replied the Senator.
"In such cases you must take into consider
alton the character of the witnesses, and as
a rule YOU can't depend on the testimony of
prisoners People sometimes lie so long that
they come to believe their own untruthS."
Found the Books Looking Right
Senator Williamson, who was on the COM
mittee to look over the books, said: "The
bookkeeping was all right, so far as We
could discover in an examination for two
hours, which is not long enough Morganza
wants $4,000 of this sum, $50, 900 is for an
addition which the House Committee has
ignored. The farm is behind about $4,000.
They accounted for it by stating that
the potato and strawberry crops
have failed for two years. l understand
potatoes we're short last season, but my
recollection is that strawberries were plen-
tiiui. The trouble is there are too many
salaried men in State institutions, and it
wouldn't surprise me ii all State farms
failed to paw for themselves. At Morgauza
they pay the boys from to 10 years old 10
cents per dav, or a cent an hour, and the To-
year-ods are paid cents. OF course little
could be expected from this class of labor.
Senators Showalter and Mehard are physi-
Guns and they were appointed to examine
the sanitary system, and to inquire into the
health of the inmates.
The Health of the Boys Good.
DR.. Showalter said the sewerage is per-
feet, and the health of the boys is good.
He only found one sick, and he had sore
ewes from an hereditary disease. He re-
marked that some of the kids were tough
specimens of humanity, but they were look
ing well, and their appearance showed they
receive plenty to eat. They are very fond
of bean soup. He said he couldn't see
that any OF them had been abused
or ill-treated, and he didn't believe
the cruelty charges were true. The boys
are taught to work, and he was much
pleased with the place. as it was his first
visit there. In conversation away from the
the keepers the boys told him they were sat
isfed with their treatment, and had no COM
plants to make.
"Ah, pshaw," said Senator Finn, "I
didn't 90 out to Morganza to-day, but I
don't believe a word of the charges. The
names of the men on the board are a suf-
fcient guarantee to me that the institution
is conducted properly. They would not toll
crate cruelty Tor minute. Some of those
boys need to be spanked occasionally to
keen them in line"
Yes remarked Senator Morrison, "a
little shoe leather is good thing for boys
when fairly administered. They are well
fed, even if they don't get champagne and
other delicacies at every meal"
Other Visits by the Committee.
The committee also visited the Deaf and
Dumb School at Williamsburg, and
the West Penn Hospital. They
were much pleased with both
places, particularly with the hospital
Superintendent Cowan said he
received a salary OF 81 600 per year, which
the members thought was very low. He
complained about a mortgage of $50, 600,
which bears S., 600 annually in interest, and
be wants the State to pay it of. The COM
mittee is willing that the Commonwealth
should wipe out the debt. Mr.. Cowan ex-
hibited a summary of the work done in the
past wear. The patients treated numbered
2, ,1O9; total days hospital occupancy, s., ,899;
average daily cost per capita, 81 cents; re-
ceipts, S94, 4S3 46; expenditures, STA 798 81
leaving the hospital in hole for t he year
amounting to $50, ,3l5 As.
In 10 wears 20, COG persons have been cared
for, and of this number 10 1856 were free.
The total cost was 1924, 013 80, the hospital
raising S62S, 174 76 and the balance was con-
tribuIed by the State.
Chairman MVlin said fhe cnmun ittne
would occupy a week in visiting all the
State institutions. He is a member of the
Committee on Elections, to which the Baker
ballot reform bill has been referred. He is
anxious to be back to vote for it. The Sena-
tor rather limited that he didn't like the bill,
but as there is q strong pressure for some
kind Of reform in voting, be would support
II out of regard for the wishes of the people.
Where the Law Is Most Needed.
1.-THE feeling in the country is,' he con-
tinued, "that such law is not needed ex-
cept Tor cities and the mining districts, and
and it will burden the farmers with a heap
of unnecessary expense to carry out the pro-
visions Of the act. / understand Quay is
against the bill. saw him not long ago,
but we didn't talk about it. Recently
a very intimate friend of the Senator
told me to vote for ali the bal
lot reform bills if 1 wished
to be popular with the people. When the
new Constitution was adopted the people de-
manded that the ballots be numbered, but
they feel now that they made a mistake.
Well, it is like wearing clothes. You get
tired of an old suit and want a new one.
Last evening the members attended the
theaters as the guests of Senator Finn, a
Jury of II State Senators investigating 1.-THE
Senator" at the Duquesne Theater. Peter