Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-17
WASBADLY WHIPPED
THE REASON WHY A CHILD WAS
TAKEN FROM eRlNo ARMS.
A Very Indignant Parenf--Mrs. Claiborne
Promises nm Iuvestigation and
Prompt Action.

Little Gus" West, the 3-ycar-old son
OF Mr.. G. w. West, who lives at No. Gas
north Seventeenth street. has been taken
away from the Sheltering-Arms Hospital.
where be had been since last winter. The
father went 10 the institution for the child
Sunday. and finding that the little fellow
had been severely whipped. he on the
afternoon OF the same day reported the
matter TO Mrs. John A. Claiborne, presi-
dent OF the Sheltering Arms. This good
lady made cursory examination or
Gus !" and assured the parent that the
matter should be fully looked into.
On Monday afternoon Mr.. West called
upon Captain A. 3. Guigon. taxing the
child with him. and requesting. the Cap
tain 10 see how the little fellow had been
beaten. IL was at the suggestion OF Cap
tain Guigon that the child was placed in
the Sheltering Arms. and IT was therefore
natural that he should be advised OF any
cruelty.
HAD BEEN SEVERELY WHIPPED.
When Captain Guigon examined Gus"
which was a day and a half after the al
legged whipping had been administered,
he found large wheIps and bruises across
the back, apparently made by one or more
small switches. Several other gentlemen
were present when this examination was
made. aud alr who saw the little fellow
concur IN the opinion that he was the most
severely whipped child that they bad ever
seen. Captain Guigon was very much pro-
voked and mortified and went at once to
see Mrs. Claiborne. the president of the in
stitutiOD. who promised q full lnvestIga-
ton as soon az IL was possible 10 have one
She said that while she realized. upon
seeing the lad, that he had been badly
switched. she. at the same time, did not
observe that the punishment had been go
serious in its nature.
TO INVESTIGATE TO-DAY.
A DISPATCH reporter called at the resi-
dence of Mrs. Claiborne, No. Gl2 east
Leigh street. yesterday afternoon and was
told by that lady that she intended to
have an investigation of tho matter to-
day. She would have done so yesterday.
but ono of the ladies of her committee
could not be present and so II was de-
ferred. She assured the newspaper-man
that this was the first time any
thlpg OF the kind IN connection
with the institution had ever been
brought 10 her attention, and she deep
did not attach the blame to any
person. The child stated that one of
the ladies ut the hospital administered the
punishment. but this is not an established
fact. Mrs Claiborne remarked TO the re-
porter that the ladies in charge OF the
Sheltering Arms were devotirg their time
to the institution simply for charity 3 sake,
and that 1t was impossible for any one to
believe that any Of these noble workers
would approve any such treatment.
sTEP-MoTHEE AND CHILD.
1t will be remembered by many of the
DIsPATcn's readers of last winter that
family was reported to have been found IN
the lower part of the city during that Sc
we're cold spell 10 very needy circum-
stances. This was the family OF Mr.. G. W.
West. The wife and this child, which is
child Of Mr.. Vests former wife. We're. after
some discussion through the columns Of
the press on tho part of DIR. W. W.
Parker and others, sen. ID the Shell
tering Arms. The little fellow was
paralyzed from suffering. and Mrs.
West was quite i'll. The latter. Row
ever. soon got well and LETT the hospital.
The child was held. and be, too. gradually
improved until now there are no evidences
whatever Of paralysis. 1t was the inten-
ton of the ladies to get the little one III
the Male Orphan ASYLUM in August. when
ho will be years old.