The herald., 1896-12-03

4
girl complained. but night after night
she seemed to be in pain.
Mrs. K Griswold, the present matron
of the cottage at Whittier, testified to
having taken office on June 2. She re-
membered November s, but did not see
Grace Maroney on that date save when
she saw her being taken to the indus
trial building and then returned. She
did not see her again until nine or ten
days later in the hospital l saw Miss
German and Miss Henderson take other
girls one by one from the main building
to be whipped in the industrial building.
At this point the district attorney an
nounced that the case of the prosecution
was closed.
THE DEFENSE BEGINS.
Without delay the defense opened by
calling Superintendent Coffin to the wit
ness stand.
why was Mrs. Sutherland dis
charged? was the first question asked by
Attorney Arthur.
Right there the district attorney in
terposed and objected to such questions
being put Counsel for the defense
thought they had right to show the bias
of the complaining witness. Justice
Young had his little say. and stated that
the question for the jury was one of fact
whether Grace Maroney had been bru-
Tally whipped. lHdSInucH, however, dS
the prosecution had introduced the mat
ter of Mrs. Sutherland's discharge, he
felt inclined to permit inquiry into her
leaving the school.
"She was discharged by the board of
trustees because she showed her inabil-
ity of cooperating with the principal
of the girls department" replied the wit
ness. Something had to be done in the
emergency, and she, with other officers,
was discharged"
BY a juryman-Was she instrumental
in bringing about this trouble?
Such was my impression" was the
reply.
Did you have some trouble with her
on the night previous to the whipping?"
when went to the girls department
Mrs. Wilson spoke of the wisdom of
leaving the girls in the dormitory with
Mrs. Sutherland. / saw her and she said
she would be responsible for the girls.
She seemed to be more anxious to dis
cuss the management than to care for
the girls, and it was then first formed
an opinion of her disloyalty."
"Why didn't you take hold and stop
the trouble yourself?"
The district attorney again interposed.
He maintained that all this kind of tes-
timony was irrelevant. Only two ques-
tions had to be considered: Was Grace
Maroney whipped, and If so, was it with
undue severity?
The usual cross-fire of words ensued,
and the court then sustained the objec-
ton. I, 4si
What condition was the girls school
in on those two days?"
"On Friday and Saturday the girls
department was in the worst condition
in the history of the institution. My in
formation necessarily came to me from
my subordinates."
How long have you been engaged in
refOrmatory work?"
Almost four years."
rs 1t necessary at times to use cor
poral punishment in order to enforce au-
thority?"
The district attorney interposed. He
argued that the state had given the
board of trustees power to make rules
for the conduct of the school, and the
employees were bound by any rules
so made. The board had passed a rule
that no corporal punishment should be
employed, ans witness was bound by
that regulation.
The court, just on general principles,
permitted the witness to answer, and
he did so in a lengthy disquisition upon
the modes by which the criminal mind
might be reached.
There is no law, either of state or
nature" said Superintendent Coffin,
that unless it is followed by penalty
can be carried out. The criminal classes
are on such low moral plane that off
times it is not possible to reach them
from moral standpoint In such cases
physical pain or privation only appeals
to them. So children, many of whom
have not known parental authority, can
not be moved by moral suasion, and
some penalty must be inflicted. This
question is one that has been discussed
for decade in reformatory institutions
sometimes isolation Is used, but at Whit
tier there Is only accommodation for
one girl. At the girls department
think corporal punishment could be re-
duced to minimum, but there must be
cooperation among the teachers, and
there must be some penalty for an in
fraction of the rules
DO you believe ouradvanced civiliza-
tion advises the punishment upon an
eighteen-year-old girl upon the naked
flesh with a leather strap" inquired the
district attorney.
Il don't think any such punishment
should be inflicted except in the kind
liest spirit
And do you think that leather strap
in the hands of Mrs. Wilson fulfills your
condition."
Il can only say of Mrs Wilson that I
knew little regarding her until she
came down there when sent by rle
board OF trustees"
IMPROMPTU LAW ADVOCATED.
DO you think it is necessary to vio-
late the law of the state, or the trus-
tees, IN order to carry out your ideas?"
Il don't know that rule of the board
is law of the state. think that in an
emergency the board is made up of
sensible men. and certainly would feel
justified in adopting means that 1 might
consider best to meet the condition i"
The witness proceeded to tell regard
ing the meeting of the board of trustees
on the day previous to the whipping,
They refused to give her assistance. but
they did not rescind the rule regarding.
corporal punishment and she went down
to Whittier, and next day the whining
took place.
On redirect, Superintendent Coffin
said that he did not think that if the
trouble had been taken in hand on
Saturday instead of letting it go over
until Sunday, the punishment admins
tered would not have been necessary.
With regard to Mrs. Sutherland he had
never had more than ten minutes con-
versation with her, and his knowledge
came to him through Mrs. Wilson.
IN HER OWN DEFENSE.
Mrs.S. Wilson, ,one of the defendants
was then put upon the stand in her own
defense. In condensed form her tes-
timOny was as follows:
Il went to Whittier in March and left
on November 18th. heard Grace Mar
oney's testimony When Miss Germain
and Mrs. Henderson took Grace to the
building and told her to kneel down.
bending over the toilet, with her right
side next to the wall. (Witness de-
scribed how the girl was held, punished
etc.) / allowed an interval IN a1o n %