The San Francisco call., 1897-10-29
Warm Words of Trustee
II. w. Patton of
Whittier.
Says the Pastor and Colonel
Irish Speak Without
knowledge.
Mrs. Mitchell, Too, Resents the
Attack on the Reform School
Manage
Special Dispatch to THE CALI.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2S.-Rey. c. W
Wendtc OF Oakland is referred 10 ss
yellow preacher by Trustee II. "
Patton of the Whittier Reform SoAoel
"Mountebank" is one of the milder terms
be applies to both Rev. Mr.. Wend,e ans
Colonel John P. Irish.
Mrs J. w. Mitchell, another trustee q
the same institution, says that Rev, Mr.
Wendte and Colonel John T. Irish know
not whereof they speak, and desisnates
their utterances in reference 10 the Whit
tier school as "erratic and hysterical."
These expressions were made use of in
the course of interviews with Mr.. Patton
and Mrs. Mitchell relativs 10 the charges
made by Wendte and Irish against the
Whittier and lone reform schools. Both
the trustees were highly incensed at the
attack on the institutions under their
charge, anu indignantly declared that
every derogatory statement was false and
malicious.
Mrs. Mitchell took particular exception
to the words of Rev. C. W. Wendte. In
the course of his address before the Oak-
la nd Unitarian church, Sunday night,
he said: 'At Whittier 1T is shown that
girls are corrupted and that they are not
NdtCueQ OF CdIeu LOT Wnen lDey are SenI
away from the place." He based this
statement he declared, on a letter he had
received from L. II. Brown, Secretary of
State, who claimed to have made an in
vestigation of both institutions.
Irish, before the audience, charged that
Governor Budd's criminal and base po-
litical administration has set back the
work of progress ten years at Whittier
and lone. l charge that boys have been
N n Nuh
they tainted, while blood ran down to
their shoes"
Il could spend a large portion of my
time, said Mr.. Patton, answering criti-
cisms on Whittier, but | do not nteno to
do it. The onslaught of the only Irish
and the Rev. DR.. Wendte is so terrific,
however, as to demand some attention.
So far as Whittier is concerned the charges
are false, collectively and in detail. No
boys have ever been stood up i'll platoons
and whipped until the blood ran down
into their shoes; no girls have ever been
corrupted there, so far as 1 have ever
heard.
Where the colonel nd the divine lay
themselves open is in the charge that this
Institution has been put under political
control. L am not acquainted with the
Rev. DR.. Wendte, but from his rash utter
ances l will wager that he is more of a
politician and less of a od-iearing, con-
scientious, honest, Christian gentleman
than the present superin tie ndent of Whit
tier.
There have never been falser statements
made than those of Wendte and Irish
Tne latter is actuated by hatred of the
Governor, which dates back to Irish's re-
tlrement from the Deaf, Dumb and Blind
Asylum board, while Wendte is evidentiy
one of those political preachers who could
but be designated in the vernacular of the
day as yellow. 1t is said that Wendte
has been called to the Unitarian churc
at Los Angeles. If he distorts the WORD
OF God as badly as he has the statement
of Lou Brown he Will draw large crowd:
here, but We fear the result of his teac .
ings.
"Wendte and Irish have never been Il
Whittier, and they know absolutely moth.
ing about the institution. This, however
would make no difference to them Thei
mi sion Is representation, and they
would not know the truth if they met it.
MY resignation as a member of tht
boaru OF trustees OF the Whittier State
School has been in the hands of the Gov
ernor Tor some time, but my reason for re
signing is the pressure OF private bust
| ness. If any such state OF affairs existed
as is claimed by W Wendte and Irish,
should not resign until the abuses wer,
| corrected or the school closed. But they
do rot exist. The school is in a better
condition than ever in its history, and
| large share of the credit rests with Super.
intendent Van Alstyne."
Mrs. Mitchell takes a keen interest il
the Whittier institution and frequentl J
passes days at time there. In the cours
OF the interview she explained that sh.
claimed TO speak only for Whittier.
Il cannot help but say that the charge.
about girls being corrupted are absolutely
| taise, said she. because the condition.
| in the girls department are such as tC
| preclude such thing. All the ladies EN-
ployed in the girls school are gentle
| women i'll the true sense of the word
women Of refinement, culture and kind
ness. 1t would be impossible, / repeat
| for these girls to be corrupted. For by
whom and by what? Certainly not b,
| these ladies', and they have not the oppor
| tunity, as they are constantly employ ed
! either in industrial or scholastic work O
| in recreation and always under the eve O
| an efficient officer
LAS to the charge that thew are no
watched and cared for after they are sen
away from the institution, l wonder /
| Mr. Wendte understands that when thes
! pupils leave us they are Is years of ag
| and have reached their majority and ever
their own parents would have no contro
over them. But even after they leave u
we try 10 follow them and help them 4
live right by Keeping in corrssponde nc,
| with them.
'Mr. Wendte is minister of the gospe
| who is CO ming here. / am sorry to thlnl
| he has spoken IN such srratic and hyste
rical words regarding an institution o
which he knows nothing except by hear
say. An Colonel Irish was not less er
ratio ami hvsterical, but then it is not sur
prising coming from h ~, as he is poll
lician. Ii Mr.. Wendte is being coache
by Irish | am sorry for HIM But | Sc
this preacher is somewhat of politician
| also. He agreed to forego two months O
his salary, so as TO secure the position
with the Los Angeles church which ha
called him. The salary, you know, i
$4,000 year. That's not bad politics, l an
sure.