The herald., 1896-07-12
INSTITUTION OF Horrors
Abuses Being Investigated
o,, at Whittier
yijn
YOUNG. GIRL DRIVEN TO SUICIDE
Tried to Hang Herself Because
of Cruelty
WAS CUT DOWN IN TIME
Board Of Trustees Has Been Investigate.
Ing Treatment Of Inmates
Girls Are Alleged to Have Been Plogged
ed With Leather Straps Q
UatiI rHeIr Back, Were Covered With Blood
and fRrpsesr-sever Gases Of Solitary
Confinement Are Also AIIegcd-The
Trustees to Meet Tomorrow

The board of trustees of the Whittier
RefolmI SCHOOL shayes been conducting
for some time past an investigation OF al
legged abuses existing in that institu-
ton, and IL but half that was told there
is true some very drastic measures
should be taken at once. Abuses OF all
kinds ,ases said to be enacted at the
school, and the details of many are most
horrible and revolving.
One of the most serious charges
brought against the management Is that
the f1ifafe inmates are beaten with
severity that is fiepdish, and, in addi-
ton, are put on bread and water diet IN
solitary confinement on small provocA-
tion. oeGertain OF the conditions which
exist are too disgusting to be limited at
The investigation has been conducted
quietly, and many witnesses examined
under oath, their statements being re-
corded by stenographer. The test!-
mony Is over 900 words in length and
Is about transcribed. The board of trus-
tees will meet tomorrow to discuss the
matter and receive a copy of the testi-
mony. Gov. Budd will also receive a
copy, and it is expected that the con-
tents will spur the state executive into
vigorous action and state committee
to investigate may be appointed. There
appears to be an excellent chance that
certain high officials will have to answer
very serious charges. The fact OF the
investigation and it's nature have been
carefully guarded by the trustees, and
it has been quite difficult to gain infor-
nation concerning the affair.
In the first place, IN.,ieTOuS witnesses
hot dow, 4 tt n I'M O.
tration flogging the glf.s tor small in
fringementS of the rules has been fire.
quent practice. This punishment does
not consist in whipping or spanking,
but in the cruel fiogging that humanity
has prohibited from being inflicted on
strong sailors. a flogging with the re-
finements that cruel mind could sug-
gest, and with a totally savage disre-
gard of decency or personal rights to
ones person.
suEnn6ned befofeme uttle rule girl is
ordered to strip to the buff. An assistant
brings in bucket of water and
broad, long leather strap, provided with
a convenient handle, and then from ten
to fifty lashes are administered on the
tender flesh. But this Is not all. The
poor, naked girl has to stand there with
bleeding flesh, while between each blow
the strap is dipped into the bucket OF
water to make it more flexible as it
winds around the shrinking body and
so inflicts more pain. There are num-
berless details given In the report,
which consists of 1000 typewriter pag-
es, but one sample will tell the story of
all. Some months ago, the testimony
says one OIL the girls tried to escape, as
1t may be imagined must be the desire
OF many. This poor creature was sum-
moned to the Office, made to strip; then
the leather knout and bucket of water
were produced, and she was given twen-
ty-fve lashes on the back and twenty
five more in front, where the resultant
agony was more acute. This however
did not appear to satisfy her punishers,
for she was led to a dark cell and her
punishment was prolonged by solitary
confinement She nursed her bloody
body on diet Of bread and water.
Another instance cited before the COM
mittee was that Of a girl who infringed
one Of the lesser rules. AS punishment
she was removed to the dark cell and
kept there for two days on a diet of
bread and water, and one of the days
the attendants failed to come around
and she went hungry for that part of
her stay. The treatment of girl named
Ishoda Webb was among the most start
ling of all the testimony offered She
was sent to the school from San Fran
cisco on account of waywardness. While
she cannot be termed paragon of virtue
still she is as good as the majority of
the other female inmates of the place.
From the testimony before the commit
tee her treatment is one of the most flag
rant and uncalled for pieces of brutal
lty which has come to the notice of the
ofnc1alS OF this section. In the female
department is large tank where the
girls are allowed to swim and disport
themselves in the water. During the
early part of June, the testimony says,
hhoda and others were in the water and
the northern girl called to one of the
others who was standing near the edge
OF the tank This was against the rules
and Rhoda was reprimanded by the at
tendant. The girl replied and was quite
lnpudent, whereupon she was taken
from the enk and prepared for n nm
ishment which was brutal in the ex-
Ireme. The testimony says that she was
!ifst stripped and then flogged with n
leather strap until her body was COW
ereo with cuts and wounds from which
ths oIoou moved, At the conclusion of
snis Whipping she was bundled into n
uark GEL. aAnd, according to the testi-
ihony, 'Was to have been kent there ",
suiiTiry stnnl1nement for three weeks
On nfsaa sand water. Nature, how
go .eiuseu 10 allow the strain to last.
aiiu .le young woman become so dos
perate and nearly demented that she
mace an attempt on her life. The oniv
1urnituEA ip the cell was a few haS
cloensg Sna she tried to put these in use
ana dn aSu,4g ger 70 end her misery. Taking
oneof the blankets, she is said 70 ha,1s,
torn 1T into strips, and securing ono enG
10 the grating in the window made a
moose at the other end and tried tn hano
herself She was discovered by a PASS, s
ing, ing n,o attenSdant-though, aS Mt and help was
suscitated. This occurred on the nia,,t
before the Fourth of July. --s"'
W. G. Patterson, president of the cham
per .Rk fasmmerce. Is, a member of the
hoarn- and he was seen yesterday re-
glarding the treatment of the girl. Mr..
wv G Inf y
female inmates Rhoda Webb. was re-
ported to have been cruelty punished
out the gentleman did not appear to re-
gard her treatment as any too severe,
re said that the girl had been sent to
the scbqol from San Francisco, and was
unfailyo and in addition HAD violent
temper In fact she has proved to be :