The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-25
BOYS WE'RE THRASHED
With Rubber Hose Popular in the
Kangaroo Court
THE HITCHCOCK EXAMINATION.
Testimony Showing That There Ii
Much bad Feeling Between the sup


The testimony given at the Reform
school so far, in regard to the charges
against Superintendent Hitchcock for
cruelty and incompetency, has been
quite as strong as those who brought
about the investigation had expected
Yesterday was devoted almost entirely
to the examination of Z. P Post and j.
c. Rossman, employees of the institution.
The board adjourned to meet again this
morning at 10 o'clock.
e. p. Post was questioned very closely
by Lawyer Noah Allen, and his answers
were invariably favorable to Hitchcock.
Mr.. Post is said to be Hitchcock's right
hand man. He was asked if he had seen
Hitchcock whip any boy. He replied
that he had, and that Hitchcock told him
that it was the first boy he had ever whip
ped.
He said: II had to turn away and grin
he did it SO awkwardIy. The boy was
whipped with piece of three quarter
| inch hose pipe about two feet long. He
had tried to run away"
| Superintendent Hitchcock sat in the
room where the examination was going on
He listened calmly and stroked his long
red beard while his wife sat directly OPP
posite the witness and looked daggers
at him if he said anything against her
husband.
j. c. Rossman who testified, is plain,
honest looking man. His answers were
straightforward and he was careful in
his speech. He said that he was the Of
ficer in charge Of family of boys, that
he had never received any instructions
! from the superintendent as to how he
should take care of the boys, other than
| that he should see how the others did it.
Noah Allen asked him if he consider
ed the superintendent to be a quick tenn
pered man.
He replied in the affirmative.
He said that Hitchcock had on several
occasions reprimanded him severely in
the presence of the boys, and on one
casion gave the first guard 100 dement's
because he was standing on the grass.
The next question was: "Did any of
the boys speak to you about the way
they were treated?"
The defense objected.
Noah Allen arose and said: HThe boys
are not sent here to be locked up in jails,
but they are sent here to reform them. L
! apprehend that if you shut up the mouths
of these boys, you have not conceived the
| first idea of the purposes of this institu-
ton. If you bring a boy in here to testi-
| fly, he will be frighted before all this
crowd. and will not tell about his ILL
| treatment"
| The defense urged that>if this testi-
mony were used, it should come direct
from the boy himself.
"We are consuming time," said Sena-
| tor Householder. president of the board.
After comforting with the otEer mem
bers, he said that the objection was sus
tanned.
The examination was again resumed.
Mr.. Rossman had seen the superintend-
ent whipping two different boys with
large strap. The boys had their coats
off. When asked regarding the super
intendent's treatment of the employees,
Mr.. Rossman said that he thought Hitch
cock had not treated him very fairly.
| He cited an instance in which he got
the worst of it. He wished to "get Off
for half day. Hitchcock told him that
he could go when the butchering was
done. THAT was butchering day.
He worked all morning and at noon
Mr.. Potts should have relieved him, but
| he was dressed in his e'store clothes and
so Rossman had to finish the work.
Mr.. John Madden of Emporia and Hon.
Fl. B. Kelly of Lawrence, formerly a
member of the board, are representing
| Superintendent Hitchcock, while Noah
Allen is conducting the prosecution.
Mr.. w. N. Post, who was examined this
morning, is the farmer at the Reform
school. His answers were very deIiber-
| ate.
When asked concerning a certain boy,
who it was claimed had not been fed
properly, he said that the boy was
brought to the school in the evening and
Immediately put to bed. He slept till 1
o'clock the next day. When he got up,
J he went to get dinner, but Hitchcock
/ forbade him eating dinner.
He had heard Hitchcock severely re-
primand Mr.. Justis for not having his
boys exactly in line.
He had not heard him reprimand any
other officer.
He found fault with Mr.. Justis very
much.
He thought that Mr.. Justis was doing
the best he could with his boys.
"How long was Justis employed here?"
asked Lawyer Madden.
| HE was here about 40 days." replied
the witness.
"Forty days and forty nights and then
the deluge," said Mr.. Madden.
Mr. Madden's joke fetched laughter.
Mr.. Post said that the boys liked an
| officer better who was lax in discipline
than one who was strict. TIL next wit
ness called was Mrs. J. C. Rossman, the
wife of the witness of yesterday. She
teaches in the institution.
| Hitchcock had told her that if she
| couldn't make the boys behave, she was
to knock them down.
She said that when the boys did not
behave, the teacher would send the boy
| to report to Instantly officer. Mr.. E. b.
Post had refused to receive such re-
ports. Hitchcock also said that the boys
need not report to the family officer, and
| that the schools should be conducted as
were the public schools. Hitchcock
! had once dismissed the witness, but the
board had reinstated her.
Il had family of boys during time
| in the afternoons" said Mrs. Rossman,
sand if / let them go one place, the
superintendent was sure to send them to
another place"
| One day she sent them to the play
| ground aud they were .'fired back" to
/ the play-room. and the next day when
| she sent them to the play-room the
| inf ant haU tn fho rolo