Evening journal., 1894-11-09
CRUELTY IS CHARGED.
Ferris Industrial School TO Be
Investigated.
INHUMAE TREATMENT ALLEGED

Board of Managers Last Evening and
Made the Charges-The Investigation
WIN Begin on Thursday.
The administration Of the Ferris In
dustriRl School for incorrigible boys will
be investigated by the board of managers
Charges Of inhuman treatment of the
inmates have been preferred, and the
matter has reached such q stage that
1t must be looked into The com.
plainant is Josiah Marvel, counsel for
Charles Ewing, father OF one of the boys
Ia the institution.
Mr. Marvel appeared before the mans.
gera last evening and made application
for the discharge OF John Ewing He
accompanied the application with serious
charges against Superintendent HRinea
and other officials OF the school
for cruel and inhuman conduct
towards these boys The board
took no action on the matter last night,
but provided for an adjourned meeting
to be held on next Thursday evening.
At that time the charges will be fully
gone into and the superintendent given
an opportunity to defend himself
An EVENING JOURNAL reporter called
at the office Of Mr.. Marvel this morning
and asked for particulars. he expressed
n reluctance to 90 Into the matter, but
finally said
"The particular charges are that the
boys are whipped with the breast strap
of a set OF harness and the heavy end OF
carriage whip, and that, 10 some in
stances, boys havs been whipped so Sc
verely thar they could not walk for a
/ day afterwards The food Is insufficient,
and there Ia general incapaclty on the
| part Of superintendent Hainea
Young Ewing was sent there on ap-
pllcation Of his father He, with mum
ber OF other boys, had been arrested on
The charge Of larceny OF property Of the
B. o. Railroad Company They we're
all discharged except Ewing whose father
asked that ha be put Ia the reform school.
The boy says he has been kicked 30
/ that he WIS almost lifted of his feet.
Ha has been pulled by the flesh Of the
cheek and chin until 1t almost raised him
TO his feet, and when he hGs
talked the officers have taken pieces Of
coal and wood from the yard and filed
Lis mouth with them They compelled the
boys 20 suck one anothef's thumbs as
a means Of punishment Favoritism is
also charged.
Kent In a Cellar a Week.
Here Is statement from a boy named
William Watson. He says that on ona
occasion he was accused Of taking 81
from boy inmate. He was put
In the cellar In the dead Of
winter--Chrlstmas week-and kept
there a week, and fed on two meals q
day, the ford consisting Of bread and
milk His mother took i'm 70 Dr. Bush.
ae said he was frost bitten AS soon "a
he got warm he had pains He was put
Ia line and made TO whistle for two
hours a. stretch, aud given meal and
skim milk for breakfast.
"He worked In the field, blrsfoot from
early Spring 70 gathering time.
On one occasion he asked one Of the off
GERS for a drink and was told to
take no more than two swallows He
was whipped with trace until his body
was badly swollen. He says be
saw another boy named Thomas
MCCARTHY wear chains almost all the
time he WAS there. and was compelled to
work iu chains for nearly two years
They have instituted reign OF
terror out there. said Mr. Marvel in
conclusion, the like Of which
we have never known in our
state. Boys who have been th ere
are afraid to testify before anyone but
the board Of managers, for fear OF
Halnes's dspleasure.
Founding of the IustItatIon.
The institution was founded by the
last John Ferris on a picturesque tract
Of land In Mill Creek hundred
About four miles west OF Whining
ton. A board Of directors was
afterward appointed by the General As
sembly which made an appropriation and
directed that an annuity be- provided by
the Levy Court of New Castle county. At
that time it WAS called the Ferris
Reform School. Frequent bequests to
the Board OF Directors enabled them to
greatly improve and build up the
Institution so that from a mere handful
OF little boys there in 1885, the capacity
grew until nearly 150 boys Of all ages
can be accommodated there.
Two years ago great Improvements
were completed at the place, q spacious
school building Including berth rooms
and experimental department, having
been built Of brick, iron and stone Both
white and colored boys are inmates Of tha
institution.
Oheers OF the Institution.
The following are the officers OF the
1 fcEIla AuNunJrlal oCuOuls EEtElutut,
Caleb Harlan, Nj. d.; vice presidents,
Leonard e. Wales and J. Tay-
lor Cause; treasurer and secre-
tary, Wilmer Palmer; msnRgers-term
expires January, 1896 George & Capelle,
r Lewis Armstrong. Wilmer Palmer
Lindsey G. Kent Ashton R. Tantum,
Marisn Il. Spruance, Elizabeth NJ.
Bailey; term expires January, 1897,
Caleb Harlsn, NJ D., Isaac
o. johnson, Thomas Bird, Joseph
L. Carpenter. ]. Taylor Cause, Alfred
Gswthrop, Elizabeth w. Mendenhsll,
Francis e. Garrett term expires Jan. 1895,
Preston Lea, Charles Lore, Lsonard E.
Wales, A n Warner, c. a Weldin.
Josiph w. p. Watson. Salha A. Penny
packer, Margaret w. Bush. H. E.
HAines Is supintendeDt
AMBASSADOR BAYARo'S RETuRN.