The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-12
INQUIRY AT STAUNT0N.
COUHITTLE HEARING ILLNESSES
AT HE D.. -. AND -. INSTITUTE.
Members and Ex-Nenibcrs ofthe Board Of
Visitors Before the Legislative Commit
tec-Au Evening session Held.

| tue s'tiridtult aHp'iHtfh ~ lNN'rtlhdN'
! the charges preferred against the lnsti-
tuition for the Deaf. Dumb. and Blind
arrived here this evening about 7.30
o'clock. Tho only member OF the com
mittee absent was Senator Stubbs. who
was detained ia the Senate this morning.
ana IS expected here carly in tho morning.
| Tile committee was accompanied by Pro-
| lessor Ely, OF Washington The inter
grapher.
After partakng Of supper at the VT
| glnia House where the visitors are stop
| ping, the committee went TO the ciey
Hali where The investigation was 90 Dee
carried on. Mr. Howard Hathaway pre-
sided over the evening session
THE FIRST WITNESS.
The inst witness called was Mr.. Joseph
Waddle. who testified, in substance. as
Il am seyenty-two years old. and live
in stanton } was 90 member of the
Board Of Visitors appointed by Governor
appointed hv q board OF commissioners
created by an act OF the Legislature. Mr..
Cowel was the first superintendent while
! was on the board. and he was succeed
latter entered office ] resigned. J aid so
because / learned that member and
president of tho board who lives In this
city is subjected 10 a great deal of trou-
the election OF officers. | objected TO the
principal. some OF the teachers and the
steward. / did not favor tne election Of
Captain Doyle as principal, because
thought he was not phlianthropic enough,
and ne was net an expert teacher of the
deaf-mutes | have no charge 10 make
against him, but think Christian ought
10 bc at the head of the institution. /
think a principal should not consult h.s
own comfort. but he should elevate his
pupils. ! have nothing 10 say against
MI DOyle's moral character nor have !
heard that me neglected his duty ] also
objected TO the appointment of Steward
Funsten and Teachers Geiger, huiltL
POintz. and others.
ONLY HEARD OF DRINKING.
have heard some rumors about drink
ing going on al the institute. but 40 not
know anything about IL from my Own
knowledge nor have heard anything I'm
regard to my immortality carried on at
the Institution under the DONie admins
tration. / have seen Professor Euritt
more than others. have also seen
Teachers Williams and Bear. but | have
never seen any OF them under the inuu-
ence OF liquor. The charges maze re-
Gently against the insututon asionisn,su .,...
me beyond measure. am clerk OF we
court Of Appeals. have only lately
heard that boys al the institution are du-
dlcted 10 ardent spirits. J am an oid
Whie. but | have always voted WIN lne
Democrats. ] have heard that Mr. Doyle
IS "A Ht man for the place. | heard some
rumors year or two ago that an ~
yesfigaticn had been going on. but m"
public did not learn anything ABOUT ~
4 have repeatedly heard rumorH thal Aii.
DOYLE INDUCED 700 much. hut nave neen
nothing about A. captain lutlr NaH Hlf
second choice ~ thls election lhe .ol'
stood three for Doyle and three for cap
fain Roller. while ! voted for LINDSAY
1 rr.farred Mr. Doyle 10 Mr. Roller, anu
/ changed my vote in ihr loFNtt tdtyt'
Iaeaueo 4 feared if J did not DO so Mi.
a U.I ali IH|N
nirting as n Republican ana az I'd
adiuster. and Mr.. Doyle had peen tliirl
Out az A Democrat 10y the teanJust,
and between the two colors J selected MI
Doyle ..-...,,.,.
CAPTAIN DOYLE ENDORSED.
Mr. Isaac Wits was the next witness.
Hr said that he had lived in Stauhtoh
for thirty-One years, ana had urrh d Hi1in
her of the board from 1874 10 lhH. ne hdu
tlnovn Mr. DOYLE intimately, and did not
trtnlr mai he was addicted 90 drink. lie
thought him 10 be- faitniul ana 5Altauie
man for the position At Mr.. Doyi
election there was qulie cOil'Nt N'
tween him and Mt. Roller, anu ne Fot,l
for Mr.. D0yle. II have never seen any
Students drunk" witness SAID, ana
don't know of my own knowledge as 10
what has been going on on eleluon quay
( have taken part la politics, put nave
not solicited any votes knew MI SDyD- tl.
dorfer when he was member OF lhe
board but do not know ihat ne ever
gave any whisky tO students. nave hJt
known OF any immortality carried on az
the institution. ana ! nave only heard "
general rumOr ms TO the habits or drlhh-
ing. ] still think Captain Doyle 70 ue
good man for his place. ! don't Know OF
any influence brought 10 pear on any pu-
piis 10 vote a certain ucket on elecuoh-
dav have heard Of 10. but don { know
a~ytbine about a from my own knOWl-
edge The general reputation OF ui-
teachers has been good, and the alairt OF
the institution were properly mahase".
MAJOR ELDERS TESTIMONY.
Major Thomas e. Elder siXty-0ne years
olI who has lived i'm StauntOn for about
twrntv-six years. ana was "A member OF
The board of visitors under Governor Wal
ker. was the next witness lie was SUD
sequenty appointed a Weuipet oi 'u1
board under Governor Mchihhrff anu
served for three years in that capacity.
-Therc were no charges made against
CaDtain DOYLE while / was ON the board,
he said "He gave satisfaction 20 por-
ton OF the members OF the board ln lN5l
He had managed the finances yer WeH
and / never heard Of any suspicion AZ 10
wrOug-d0ings on his part IN that dircc-
ton His methods Of arrangements were
satisfactory 10 some members. ana
don't think ne intended 20 DO anything
twroug His administration. however,
was most too autOcratlc. one-man power
may be very valuable at some times but
I think the Board OF Visitors ouHnt 10 pe
the regents OF the institution. Mr. Doyle
and we're not very congeuial about many
things but while / was on the board /
eudeaXOrcd 70 act with judicial Impair
tiaiity. / think there should Dee more fe-
male teachers Of high Christian refine
meut and character employed at the In
sttutiOn II is a very hard task 10 man
age the pupils who have been petted al
home on account OF their lnnrmity. The
deaT-mures are harder 10 manage than
the blind Mr. DOYLE preferred male
teachers. / also differed with Mr.. Doyle,
who thought that all information IN re-
gard 10 the institution should come
through the principal. / have never seen
any teachers or pupils under the influence
of ardent spirits. Mr. DOYLE had the
reputation Of being drinking man. but /
nave never al any meeting seen him an
der The influence OF liquor. / have heard
rumors about drinking on the part OF the
boys. but do not know anything trom nay
own knowledge.
NOT AGREEABLE TO DOYLE.
OF the investigation I'm 1894. ] heard
nothing. and when / quit the Institution
| was very willing 20 do so, because ala
not think my presence on the board was
agreeable 10 Mr.. Doyle. There was no
rupture between rs, nor did any con-
genality exist.
The Investigation as 10 Mr.. Yates inn
moral relations with Miss Riggs !
thought had been as thorough as the
means at Our command permitted, and
the conclusions Of the board were unani-
nous. The matter came 10 our attention
when | was a member Of the board. ana
AR. Doyle was asked III he bad heard OF
N. He said ne had. and had investigated
the matter and become satisfied that
there was nothing In IL. and for that
reason he did not report the matter 10
the board. Subsequently a communica-