Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-18
REFORM SCHOOL RIOT
Girls Get on the Rampage and Commence
to Smash Things.
How the TrOable Orisinntcd-POIicc
Called i'm and the Disturbers
I'm Confinement.

There was another riot yesterday after
noon and this morning among the inmates
of the Girls Reform. School, which. for
tunately, resulted in no serious harm ard
no escapes of the girls confined to the
place. Things looked, anything but en-
couraging this morning, and there was
prospects of a wholesale delivery of the
inmates with more or less damage to the
building. AS it vas the riagleaders were
cornered, and the people connected with
the establishment escaped with q few
scratches, while the building suffered the
loss of door ami one or two minor losses.
The leaders in the movement, who at pres
ent are locked up in solitary confinement,
are Ovella Thompson. Lizzie Jones, Lille
Courtney Virginia Parsons, Mildred Brown,
Elizabeth Hall, Catharine Cross and Eta
Robinson.
A New MatrOn.
The trouble yesterday is but a culmina-
ton of some difficulty which started last
week and which was quieted down after
considerable effort. The superintendent OF
the school Is Miss Augusta Du Val, and she
has been quite sick since New Year day.
This morning was the first day she has been
able to be out of her bed. When she was
taken sick there was hO matron to the es-
tablishment, and the way the old girls were
managed things would have run along
smoothly, but unfortunately six new girls
have been committed to the reformatory
during the past month and to them the pres
ent trouble is attributed. The situation be-
came so bad that about a week ago Mrs.
Stadtler assumed the duties of matron. but,
being new to the management of such a
class of people as are committed to the in
stitution, she was unable to do anything.
How the Trouble Started.
Yesterday afternoon during recreation
hour, when the girls are permitted to take
a nap in their rooms. Lille Courtney and
Virginia Parsons poked their heads out
the window and shouted at some men who
were passing by. Miss Nsill. the sewing in
structress, detected thenn. and. as a pun
isEment. locked them up in their rooms
They made quite an cutlery. and by their
shouting and language started the other
girls of the place. To make matters worse
Elizabeth. Hall, one OF the newly arrived
charges, began tauntfng Catherine Cross
making remarks about her father and
mother being in the penitentiary, her broth
er in Jail and her sister in the work house
This started scrap amorsg these two, in
which the others Joined. The matron and
the teachers attempted to >quell the dis
turbance and separate the combatants, but
were unable to do so, and suffered some
scratches themselves. Eventnally the girls
were got to their rooms, and there locked
up. but the outcry ANA the confusion con-
tinued until late at night.
The continuation this morning threatened
to be verse than the beginning, and the
girls brooded over their wrongs and the
harshness of some Of the teachers. They
clamored to get out and yelled for some
thing to eat. The doors wese kicked and
banged, and things looked ~ though bed
lam had broken loose Cattarfne Cross, in
her madness. kicked her door down and
went out OH the rampage, but she was
eventually got under contfol
,'~.x Policeman ON, the Scene. =
Anticipating trouble this morning, Miss
Du Val sent message at 5 o'clock to the
seventh precinct station, asking for eight
gags. She also telephoned for police as
sistance. Just as the girls were getting on
a good road to smash up everything Po-
liceman Law appeared, and the sight of a
blue uniform with brass buttons had a
wholesome effect. The eight ringleaders
were singled out and placed in solitary con-
finement. The reform school authorities
say the gags were not put into use, but at
any rate the girls will be locked up until
their riotous disposition has been quelled.