Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-22
GREATLY EXCITED
Are PittsfeId People Over the
Bailey-Humphrey Episode.
Hearing Before School Committee,
Saturday Afternoon.
Decision on Matter Will Be Rendered. TODAY
Much Interest Shown.

Pittseld. March 2l-The townspeopIe
a ave IN y, a very high state of excitement
over the alleged brutal whipping of La
| forest q. Humphrey in the Iancey street
scaool In the early part of this month.
,Sa.uruay afternoon. Union hall was
t n ,ha Win people anxious to listen
school committee, upon petitions signed
by 60 townsmen: The Committee con- on
s" Ma 81 mroi' y; ri; Drake chairman, D.
Foster G.. w. Patten and GUY Small.
George Fl. Morse appeared for the
t iha'"p tanshsr ana Hon. /. W. Hqvey for
lherefore a deposition was taken from
nm MN. Saturday morning. which in rela-
I-tioii 10 ms punishment is as follows:
The teacher told me to stay after
school to get a spelling lesson. Six other
n"Ss auso mad 70 stay. They wrote les
| ! was then called out. and i asked the
teacher what he was Furnishing me for.
| lie replied. partly for passing a note
but ] did not kiss her
| a., ne made me bend over a seat and in
iiicted a very severe punishment with Il
| RUE, so that when | got un I could nor
| stand; and reeied against the door. and
| then he said he would punish me more.
| ne further stated that he did not want
ished for everything that | did At pres
ent l cannot stand or lie in any position
save with my face down.
1
| the position. became dizzy and fell Out
| of bed to the floor"
| FROST P. Bailey, principal of the Lam
| cey street school. made the following
| statement in substances:
Laforest G. Humphrey is boy II
years old. He lives on Park street and
use. rough expression, he is a sly rogue
ana mas caused me an endless amount of
trouble. The cause of this last unpleas-
| antnesS is love at first sight.
L ia n hs 1nc 1axr. -
| term. Prof. Drake called at the school,
| house door ard went out to him. When
! returned there was great. commotion
in the room Laforest being the only one
| about his business Theda Leakin looked
considerably agitated. and | asked her
what Laforest had done. but she re-
quested that she should not answer until
recess at which time she informed me
| that Laforest had tried TO kiss her
II told the scholars it was a most dis
graceful thing. and | should have to pun
| ish Laforest. | ordered him to stay after
school. but he ran away. The next morn
Ing, mis- mother came to school with him
| there would be trouble. For two days
requested his staying after school. hut
| he skipped. as he claimed, al his mothers
orders. and as the term was practically
On March 5. school opened with SO
| scholars, the largest number for two
| more troublesome than ever and inter-
rupting the school repeatedly. in
formed the scholars that notes must not
| be passed in school, and that any one
disobeying my orders would be pun
ished.
On March u. Laforest proce ded to
ers to get his spelling lesson after school
After the others had gone. l told La
forest to come to me. | talked and rea-
soned with him about half an hour, and
then told him | should have to punish
him. as he was bad boy. and for pass
ing the note.
Il l,;r, l.
a foot rule used for bookkeeping. with
which | spanked him. ! was careful not
to strike high enough to hurt the spinal
column, striking him on the sides of the
buttocks only. After the punishment he
went to the board and wrote his words.
and then I let him go. Before this we
shook. hands and he promised to )e
good boy.
'I saw him walk up Main street to
Park street without trouble: Since the
claim of the boy S extremely i'll condition
have had two doctors and four MEM
bers Of the board visit him at my ex-
penSe.
clan. stated that he was called Satur-
day March 10. II examined lLaforest G.
Humphrey and found on the left bullock
the right bullock one by 5; on the right
found another spot. by 4. All of these
were very tender to the touch, and he
gions The indications of back trouble
might have been caused by the rule and
bending over the seat
About 80 scholars presented a petition
signed bv them requesting the retention
of Mr.. Bailey for the remainder of the
year. j. c. Humphrey has brought suit
against Prof Bailey for $1,000 damages.
The school committee will not render
a decision in this matter until Monday.
and meanwhile the greatest excitement
reigns. People keep coming in from the
corners and at the hotels and the dis
cussion is on this affair alone. The town
is about evenly divided in its sympathy
for and against the instructor. and beth
sides are doing their utmost FOR and
against the discharge of Mr.. Bailey.