The San Francisco call., 1895-12-19
SACRAMENTO HOME.
Investigation Of the Found
lings Has Been Con-
cluded.
A TALE DISCREDITED.
One Ex.NurSe Alleges Starva-
ton and Filth Among the
Children.
THE CHARGES NOT BELIEVED.
The Matron and Others Declare the
Stories to Be Utterly
False.
THE CHARGES NOT BELIEVED.

yeStlgatlon OF the charges against the
Foundlings' Home directors was con-
cluded to-day, and DR.. Ruggles stated that
bis report must first be laid before the
Governor. 1t is believed that the result
will be complete vindication Of the dl-
rectors from the charges preferred. Mrs.
Clayton, president of the board, was the
first witness introduced this morning.
She gave history of the causes which had
which led to the founding of the home,
and stated that at one time when an cpl
demic of cholera infantIm was raging 1t
had been thought advisable to place the
little ones in private homes in hope that
the disease might be checked. II was this
action upon which the charge of receiving
State aid for children not in the home
was probably based.
Mrs. Bowles stated that when she
entered upon the discharge of her duties
as nurse she found the nursery in filthy
condition. She claimed to have been
threatened with discharge in case her
complaints reached the ears of the direct
ors. Her predecessor had been trained
nurse from San Francisco and had been in
the habit of giving the babies large doses
<
low this course of treatment and the
babies cried for their doses as a confirmed
drunkard begs for his early dram that the
children were SO nearly starved that they
were in the habit OF stealing food.
Mrs. Philips, another nurse, told a
totally different story. During her engage
ment she had found the children's food to
be excellent both IN quantity and quality,
and had never experienced any difficulty
in getting anything necessary for them.
She had never personally seen any i'm
moral actions among the inmates nor heard
of any, except those reported by the for
mer witness, and could not conceive how
such things as charged could happen. Her
particular by Miss Wilson, nurse, who
said the children were well fed.
Mrs Clark, treasurer of the board of
directors, stated that plenty of milk had
been bought for tie institution. One
month they had paid $35 for extra milk
and had never restricted the quantity.
The grocery bill would average $40 month.
She had received $2745 from the State for
the last year. The Supervisors paid $25
month and during the past six months
friends and parents had paid in 500 Their
meat bills averaged 500 a month. She
thought there were between thirty and
forty children in the institution.
Matron Shaw stated that she had
watched the children closely and she did
not believe the charges of immortality that
had been made. She said further: Il am,
perhaps, biased as regards the little ones.
I love them and believe they compare fav-
orably with any body of children. OF
course they are but human and would use
improper language if not carefully
watched. / cannot credit these charges of
since have investigated. All
the children deny anything of the kind,
and there would surely be some who would
tattle if there were truth in the charges.
The girl IN question is spirited and willing
to quarrel, and the boys annoy her."
Attorney Lord introduced a statement of
the number of deaths which had occurred
in the institution, showing that none had
died who were over twenty-three months
of age. Under six months old so per cent
had died. OF these forty-one had been ad-
mitted when less than O day old and TWEEN.
ty-two had died. He then asked to intro
duce as evidence the ratio of deaths in
asyiums of this nature throughout the
civilized world, as contained in the Ency-
clopedia Britannica, saying that in the fa-
vored climate of Italy the death rate was
80 per cent. Mr.. Ruggles said The evidence
was not necessary, for as a medical prac-
titioner, with no wish of pre- iudcing, he
was aware that the percentage of deaths in
the founding home in this city was very
small.
Mrs. S. Solon Holl, a member of the
board for over two years, said: II know to
a positive certainty that the charges made
are unjust and cruel. That's why l was
SO anxious for thorough investigation.
When Doctor Gardner inspected our home
he did not speak of any of these charges.
He did say that if we would carry out the
begun and get rid of our
present president he would give his word
that we would not be disturbed. I told
him we would not dismiss our president
for any trivial cause and hoped that no
persecution would follow"