Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-30
THE COUNTY POOR.

WAS referred the matter of making in
quiry into the reports circulated con-
corning the treatment of the inmates
OF the county house DO hereby make
The folio ing report:
Tie committee met pursuant TO the
call Of the chairman, Newell Smith, at
the office OF + q. Phillips in St Louis,
January IL, 1891, and there examined
under oath The following named per-
SONS, to-wit Laura Bailey, Leonard
whom Were formerly nmue. IF SAID
| County house. After taking he above
nam III les limony the C"mmltles AL
! jourHed 10 meet III the County Louise
! on January ID, 1871, aud al that time
a III place met and examined, under
U tn, the following named pers all
OF whom are inmates ut said House, to-
VIII: Henry Robinson. James Spuoner.
aud john W. White. The committee
at that time also took the statements
OF Mark Williams, Hattie Bush, Called
lIttIie Pritchard),' Martha Grant and
Bertha Everett The last above named
lnmat were not sworn for The reason
that the committee considered that
they were not possessed Of sufficient
intelligence to understand the nature
of an oath. The committee at that
time and place also took the testimony,
under oath, OF DR.. C. l. Barber, phys
ician of the House, and made diligent
inquiry among all the inmates of the
House as to the treatment they re:
ceived from the Keeper of the House,
Mr.. Davis, and from his wife and those
IN charge of the House under Mr.. and
Mrs Davis; and the committee furth.
er made a full and complete examina
ticn of the premises and the manner Of
feeding. clothing, and caring for the
inmates of said House. The commit
tee then adjourned to the Office of
Kelly ). Scarf, in Ithaca, and there
took the testim NV, under oath, of
Chas +. Webster, Nelson Martin, and
Palmer Phillips, Superintendent of
the Poor.
The committee tlen adjourned to
meet in Ithaca on January 20, TO make
a report If the steps taken in the mat
tel: and pursuant To said adjournment
the committee met on that dav and
concluded tile investigation of the mat
ter made this report und adjourned.
Your Committee further reports that
IN conducting said investigation they
have made due and dlligent inquiry
INTO all the facts connected with the
reports circulated in regard To the
manner in which the inmates Of the
County House are treated in all re-
spects and after having heard the ties.
| timony of the above named Witnesses:
a I'd after having examined fully into
the management of said House by the
Keeper thereof. IN respt ct to the care OF
the inmates during times of Sickn es
as we'll rs when the said inmates are
in good health, and in respect To the
manner If feeding clothing and look
ing after the interests of said inmates
and particularly in regard TO the mat.
ter of governing said inmates in said
EIouse: md after having visited said
House and made thorough and search.
lnC inquiries Of keeper. inmates and
Superintendents We do hereby submit
the following staten ent as the findings
of this committee:
lst That the report circulated that
The keeT ~ of said County House did
not provide sufficient food and clothing
for said inmates. is absolutely false;
and that the said keeaer provides suff
riput food and rlnthin for said IN
mates. and that the amount ami qu.l-
r Il Ill.
with that Iroviled i'm the homes of
farmers aud people IN the ordinary oc-
cupations Of life
2ud: That the report circulated that
the keeper does not properly care for
the inmates when sick is absolutely
false: and that the said inmates hen
sick are provided with the attendance
Of the physician I'm charge of the House.
and are cared for in careful and
proper manner Ms Is shown by the tes-
timony Of DR. Barber.
3rd: That the report circulated that
people are not allowed 10 visit inmates
of the House and that the inmates are
under such fear of punishment that
they dare not talk 70 visitors and the
Superintendents when said visitors
aud Superintendent are at the House
is also absolutely false: and that the
inmates are allowed tn converse freely
with visitors and Superinteudpnts in
absence of the keepers rs well rs in
their presence and that they are under
no fear or restraint whatever in this
regard.
4th: That the report that the in.
mates are whipped until the blc cd runs
down their hacks and limbs as absolute
IN false a. d ,c,th0m shadow NJ foundation;
and that the keeper and those I'm charge
of said House use no corporal punish
ment whatever. except in cases where
il becomes necessary Ia preserve peace
able inmates from harm from those
who are vicious. and that then the, res
traint used is only such "a is necessary
under the particular circumstances and
is, not beyond reason in any respect;
and tf1atr no Inmate has ever been
whipped to the extent charged or so
That any harm was done tn said inmate
in any wat. and that hut one inmate
has ever been whipped in said House
under the present management. and
that. that one, girl. was whipped
about the skirts for the purpose of