New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-20
IN MR.. PIERCE'S FAVOR.
>rw TESTIMONY IN THE WESTMINSTER
HOME INVESTIGATION.
u,rxrssEs BRING OUT FACTS ENCOURAGING ~
THE pErENcE-coLoNEL CRANE On 'hA
PLIGHT OF CORPORAL PUNIsHMENr-MH
IacKsON's ALLEGED ATIEMrA
TO KEEP WITNESS OFF
STAND.


49,, ~, tho supreme Court into the
charges brought against Supelii'' Das,itu,e
49, wes,chester Temporary Home LOT U.s.
VIC 100 continued yesterday before i'c'o
o-n, THE hearing took place IN the "uu
.,,r,, a. White Plains. and DESPITE ''i ,
weather the large hall was wei "i'ou pirca..
,,ho uere anxious tc near Supeii'' osaa
,a ~ the case The large crowo was .a o,h,
and women, who showed the'r ~
oil men az" ~, ~ tho other by applaudng or Kissing
"''' a. dav Of the defence. MI fie'e0
- or,,.n,ed by many friends. amoHs
wore the following managers Oh 'n Chor,es
Nr. 7 s Havilin. Colonel A. IS Nia.,o Ms
Idsor Mrs. r. NJ Hoe Mrs. Ros"elI on'v -
49, poid Mss g. j. Becker, Miss H. T. bf'"Nel
'oI'' -, n y,u,,er The Board OF Managers
a. well as the Supern endent expfesseu rno,,n
- na-,ec,lv satisfied with what had Deeh Sno
.hus far and they say that pefore 'ne
,,cn ia over they will have shown 'na' ''o 20.
aa,rst then, we're uncalled for. and that the u,'
c,nl,narv measures which were the source Oh ''e
conpla'nts were more severe imam ''e ~
stances and conditions warranted
r,,F, INMATES TREATED KINDLY, HE SAYS
Tho ars. witness called a; yesterdays session was
u Smith of the firm OF Stephen 5. Smi'h q
G., white Plains carpenters and builders MI
cu,,,h testified that he had done "jobbing al the
institution FOR the last ten years ana 'ha' III '."
time he had seen enough to satisfy hmsei ,""
the supcr!ntendent and the Board OF Managers lau
alwavs treated the inmates kindly lie admitted
49,. =. nod seen two children chained together
H. s.;d tina. ne had often children tax 10 MT
Pierce and that they never appeared 10 oe al GU
Of him. Mr. Smith was on the s'ano aoo ~
hour and before leaving said that ne hao "e"'u
Albert Jackson. who is Interested III .'e
.,,n cav 10 Emerson Lockwood formerly an inmate
=, ,ha home: III You testify l will break down
your testimony" From his testimony II appeared
also that Jackson told Lockwood's father lha' he
had better keep his son on the stand
Tho next witness was Mary Mcdonald. VINO Is
an attendant at the Institution. she mas oee" ."e
about q year and in that time has been al various
,,nes IN charge Of the playroom. hospital dining
-oom and other departments She said that sne
had been compelled TO use the cat o nine 'd'i' vi
unruly children. The children were never pun
ished for a first offence but If they con.'hueu ~
dlsobey she used the cat o nine taiis' one W."
give a child three blows on the hand ne p,'" s
she said made red marks, but never drew pioou'
She testified that the children seemed 10 ihe MI
Pierce Miss Mcdonald said that she hau "eNe
seen Mr. Pierce harsh with the children. As d mat
Ter ~ fact he was indulgent. She had never seen
either bovs or girls forced 10 stand under lapie
nv a desk in such a position that they couiu not
stand upright and had never seen a!'h'"s 'e
sembl,ng this mode of punishment
In tho course of a discussion on the admission OF
haS never made a complaint TO the Board OF Man
ayers Colonel Cram SAID to me satnst Pierce Il
involves decision upon the right Of corpora pun pun
nshment Corporal punishment IS aao ,Sei rbdren
who cannot be managed at home snail De sem
th ins'uaSab Mha' %hat is the object Of this
proceeding? Is the objection 70 the use s OF 'nt ne
Sba ls Itself Conclusive proof improper treatment!
The distinction between tn the hr nse ~
MISS MDONALDs TESTIMONY ADMITTED
Colonel Cranes remarks loudly applauded.
ratio ed r.
many friends in the community. The referee said
that inasmuch the prosecution was aimed al the
managers well at the superintendent OF the IN
stitution, he would allow broad scope to the intro
ducton Of evidence and for that reason the evidence
showing that complaint had been made by Miss
Mcdonald about the superintendent to the Board OF
Managers would be admitted.
At the afternoon session. which was short one,
John Patterson, Of Mount Vernon carpenter and
builder the first witness. He testified that his
son. twelve years old. had been inmate OF
the home for about six months While the boy was
there Mr.. Patterson visited him frequently. and the
relations between the boy and Mr.. Pierce were
most pleasant. The boy liked the place so well that
s s%ay he had had with
stepmother The boy was next examined and sad
but that he deserved the punishment He said that
he had seen other boys whipped. but that he had
that he had seen boys In chains. and explained that
they had ESCAPED from the home one night through
were compelled to chains. He said that the
boys did not seem to mind the chains. Some OF the
boys he said. always bad and seemed to en-
Joy being punished AS to the whippings which he
received. he sale they did not hurt. and that five
effects Of the punishment, and he thought that he
The lawyers for the defence said after the hear
ing that they were confident the report which will
be made by Referee Guernsey would De in favor Of
the superintendent. They said they had consider
ably more testimony to introduce. and while they
might finish with hearings they
might ask more time. Testimony being
offered 10 them all the time. and they had their
greatest difficulty in selecting the best of It, New
facts coming to light every day, and they
might might not see fit 10 use them.
Ii was said White Plains. although the law
yers would not admit H. that some Of the witnesses
who testified against Mr.. Pierce were willing TO
tract parts of the testimony they had given for the
prosecution.
The hearing adjourned until 10 O'Clock next
Wednesday morning.