The herald., 1896-03-07
Investigate the Charges Against
the Orphans Home
A MATTER OF PUBLIC DUTY
Only Justice to the Management as
Well as the Children
n They Are Wanted-A Number Of
Inaccuracies Corrected

ment of the Protestant Orphans home. al
the corner of Yale and Alpine streets. yes
terday. As was expected, the Times fol-
lowing in the lead of the afternoon papers
Thursday, came out yesterday morning in
column article on the abuses exposed in
the home. The article in question was
headed "Exaggeration." and while be-
littling the charges made by Mr.. Dunn,
does not even attempt to deny that the
practices complained of existed. As a
matter of fact, the charges made by Mr..
Dunn and published in The HERALD. have
not been denied. On the contrary, even
Mrs. Stephens, the president OF the board
of managers, admits that the most serious
allegation, the chastisement of the eleven
year-old girl Pearl Grant, by boy of about
her own age was true, and the only justid-
cation is that the matron who permitted
this to be done was discharged. In the
matter of the red pepper story. Mrs.
Stephens does not deny this, but only say )
that she knew nothing of it until the publ.
cation, when inquiry was made, and then
it came out that something of the sort
might have been practiced by former en-
ploye, though not in the manner precisely
set forth.
As matter of fact. in place of the Dunn
charges being disproved, they have in some
particulars. at least, been confirmed by
those in q position to know whereof they
speak, towit. the president of the board of
managers. and severa, of the attendants.
As regards these charges. there is but
one course to pursue. They were made by
William f. Dunn. an apparently reliable
man, with satisfactory credentials to his
standing. They were published by THE
HERALD without any attempts at sensa-
tionalism, and. after being verified, with
out malice, and with an honest desire to
have the matter thoroughly investigated.
There is no feeling on the part of THE
HERALD in the matter. no disposition or
desire to do anyone an injustice, nor to de-
tract in any way from the good that has
been done by the ladies who have this
charity in charge. 1t is plain matter of
public policy. The Orphans home is a
public institution. supported in a great
measure by the state. If abuses have been
permitted 10 creep into the management. it
is only right that they be exposed and
eradicated. as in any other publ C institu-
ton. There is only one way in which this
can be done, and that is by full and i'm
partial investigation by commission or a
committee appointed by the board of man.
ayers for this purpose. THE HERALD has
stated plainly and unequivocally that it Is
and children who say that abuses
have been committed. Several in
stances have been given in es-
pecially fragrant cases, and these have
been, in at least the main points, corrobo-
rated by the home management. THE
HERALD has furthermore stated that the
Information in its possession will be fur.
nished to the home officers, if they wish to
enter on a systematic investigation. This
is fair proposition, and in the interest of
the public it should be taken up. The re-
suit will be given to the public, and if it
is shown that the home management has
been maligned, or that there is any per-
sonal notice actuating those making the
charges, these facts will be freely and
fully given. The HERALD has no interest
in this matter except the public good,
and to that end will devote such space to
the inquiry as is necessary to do justice to
all parties concerned. 1t is a matter of
vita public Importance, and in view of the
admissions already made by the president
of the board OF managers. these charges
cannot be lightly passed over.
In the interview with Mrs. Stephens,
printed in the Times. that lady is quoted
as saying that the abuse of children in the
home was under superintendent who was
only on probation for two months, and for
such display of poor judgment as allowing
12-year-old boy to whip an l1-year-old
girl with strap on her legs below her
dress. this superintendent was Mt once re-
moved. 1t is alleged, however. that this
same woman was just previous to her APP
polntment as superintendent on probation.
the matron in the nursery ward over the
babies 1t is also alleged that it was under
this same matron that Mrs. Wright found
her little 4-year-old child sore and bruised,
which child was seen by the wife of jus
tice of the peace in this city. who said that
the child S back from its waist to its knees
raj n min ,ittI not haxrs
been laid on white flesh.
1t is also alleged that the present matron
over the boys has sanctioned the whipping
on the bare flesh of these children, and
that proof of this can he furnished if it is
wanted.
matron who has kept two small boys in the
window cellar. about four feet deep, where
there was no glass but instead of glass a
heavy wire screen, subject to the draught
incident to such place on cold day in
January, from before dinner until after
dark, with nothing TO eat but bread and
water, without coats on; and when the
boys cried with cold and another boy in his
compassion for his companions took coats
to them, the boy who did this humane,
merciful act was whipped for it by the ma
tron now in charge.
A lady who was in the Sunday school that
day saw the boys in the hole, and there are
MIR. Dunn is mentioned by the Times as
still leaving his children in the home.
They have just recovered from conta.
gious disease in the home. and his little
boy also has now head disease which is
liable to keep him in the hospital for some
time to come.
The Times says Mr.. Dunn is an able
bodied man, when his right hand is so
crippled that he can hardly use a table
knife; and also that he does not pay
penny toward the support of his children.
This is not fair statement Mr.. Dunn
keeps his children in good clothes and is
under written contract with Mrs. Steph-
ems to pay in future time for the chill
dren. In this connection it should be
stated that parents are paying what they
can for their children, some as much as
70 per month for each child,
yet the state is also paying
$6 per month for each child.
and the Times in the article about the
Highlands asylum gives the stewards re-
port as saying that the raw food costs but
tr'fle over 10 cents per capita per day.
Now, this is for adults. For the children
in the Orphans home it must be much less.
AS the state pays 20 cents per day to keep
each child, why should the parent pay at
all? Yet nearly all the parents keep their
children in clothing.
The Ttmes' statement that relatives of
the children have b7en teaching in the Sun
day school as a mere preteXt to see their
children is also untrue. One of the fathers
had taught fifty Sundays the past year.
and there were only four relations teaching
At all. The only confusion was when the
irregular teacher came in and the classes