Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1894-11-16
THE CHARGES FALL FLAT
Investigation Into the Ferris
School Management.
NOT MUCH SMOKE AND LITTLE FIRE

Tho Boy witnesses Agree That Their
Punlshmsnt Was Deserved and Not
tal-superintendsnt Hainss Given
a Good Name-CounseIor Marvel with
draws His Application for Ewing,a
Discharge.
The investigation into the administra-
tion Of the Ferris Industrial School for
lncorrigible Boys, growing out Of charges
made BY john Ewing. an Inmate Of that
institution, took place last evening be-
fore the board of managers, at the
Friends School, on West street above
Fourth street The charges were made
by Josiah Marvel, counsel for Charles
Ewing, father Of the boy who claimed to
have been The subject for maltreatment
at tho hands Of Superintendent Haines
and his assistants, and consisted OF whip.
pings with the breast strap of heavy
set OF harness, numerous klckings and
other mRltreatment, and insuificiency Of
food
Those present were Hon. L E.
Wales, r Lewis Armstrong, Ashton X.
Tatum, Alfred Gawthrop Preston Lea,
| Lindley @. Kent, Isaac G. Johnson, J.
s Frank Ball. Mrs L P Bush, Mrs Frances
Al
Mrs Eliz abeth NJ Bailey. Mrs. Sallie A.
PennypAcker j. Taylor Cause Wilmer
| Palner, George s. Capella, Marian L.
| Spruance, Joseph l. Carpenter. Francis
Il Garrett, A d Warner, @ A. Weldin,
j. w. H. Watson. r Ward Springer, II.
| K Haines, superintendent, bis wife aud
three OF his assistants, Messrs Lee,
| Harrington and Crawford Counselor
Josiah Marvel was present, and Court
stenographer Hardesty took a verbatim
report for the board
| Judge Wales presided and after stating
the object OF the meeting asked Mr.
Marvel to produce his proof.
Mr.. Marvel said that he appeared
simply as counsel for Charles Ewing aud
for the purpose of making an application
for the discharge OF John Ewing.
Regretted the Publicity.
He regretted that so much publicity
had been given the matter, part Of which,
he said, was due to his zeal and inexperi.
ence inasmuch as he had, during the
past week, spoken thoughtlessly and
without due respect for the consequences.
He did not wish, however, to take back
what he considered the truth and while
he much preferred that the investigation
could have been made less public he was
ready to substantlate what he believ we'd tc
be the truth.
He then cited general charges Of
cruelty as already given ia the EVENING
JOURNAL He said the boy he repre-
sented was not TO be reached By him,
and had said he would not return as b.
wss In mortal dread OF Mr. Haines.
Judge Wales suggested that in ordei
to proceed in due form Il was necessary
} to formulate some specific charges
against Mr.. Hsines as performed toward
this boy or any particular boy, but Mr.
Marvel declared his inability to do 90
he could and would prove, he said, tha
other boys were treated in the crue
manner described, and 10 would have tC
be presumed that his client had been
used In like manner The punishments
had been made IN private, and only by
the boys themselves could that bi
} proved,
This Judge Wales and Judge Bal
} declared was not the legal way of going
about IL, and Mr. Marvel declined t,
appear as public prosecutor and declined
TO press the charges unless he be allowed
the benefit OF the preSumptive evidence
} BE also declined TO allow the board tS
use his witnesses or the evidence he had
collected, and IL looked as though the
matter would fall through, then and
J there
Alfred Gawthrop said the board was
there for the purpose OF investigating
charges made in the papers and wanted
to hear all that Mr.. Marvel had to offe
/, aud be moved tn at tho evidence be heard
, This VAS discussed briefly and finally Mr.
Marvel decided to make his case sn'
called as the FIRST witness Charles Ewing
father Of the boy whose release wa
l sought.
Charles Ewlne's Story.
Mr. Ewing, who Is a deputy unde
Sheriff Gould, said that In case the bo,
. was discharged he could and would car
for him IL was at his instance the bo'
had been committed with q view O
breaking his association with gang o
bad boys The time he ran away from tn
school he came to his home Ia pitiabl
plight ragged and looking like tramp
having walked thirty-fye miles. II
told his mother be had been thrashe
and cruelty treated and his story le
l them to send him away. In answer I
! questions by Judge Ball and Mr.. Cav
!. throp witness said he had visited his SO
Z and SO had the mother but never sa
him except when Mr.. Haines was preser
and never had \ chance to converse wit
him.
Carl Bruce TestIhea.
II Carl Bruce, bright-looking. igentl
I manly lad, residing at No. 4B2 Heal
: street and working for B f. Shaw, wa
the next witness. He went TO Ii
: school iu September, 1890, and stRye
there four years He was sent ther
!, because he would not 60 to school an
: his father wanted him to get an sducl
: ton When he arrived there he wa
put In q cell, as all new boys were,
see If anything was the matter wit
him He had been whipped by M
y ARines with an umbrella handle, Cal
- rlsge whip. gas hose and lruler. S0m'
4 times with bare legs Once he was la
q over bed and whipped with trace Il
y = reading novel and then telling Il
! He had had sticks put in his mouth +,
Il talking and had seen others with Il
- gags in thsir mouths. The sticks wei
the size Of "a broom handle, -sometim
larger sticks were used. The boz
were also made TO hold up big ston
~ and he had been made to stand wit
! pins under his arms, which would site
e in his arms If lowered