Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-13

'ht supreme court or the lHlttu St"h''
used that somewhat famous expression.
The bill was ordered TO It's ongrossinent-
MARYLAND-vIRGIN BOUNDARY.
The Lieutenant-Governor announced
the following members OF the Joint COM
mlttee TO meet committee from the
Legislature OF Maryland TO adjust the
boundary lire between the States OF
Maryland and Virginia: Messrs. Mason,
! Mushbach, BoylSin, and Jackson.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED.
The Senate at 100 o'clock went into
executive session for the confirmation OF
appointments to the boards of the Cen
trail State Hospital and the Coored Col
legiate and Normal Institute. The ses-
sion lasted only about fifteen minutes.
and when the doors were reopened the
Senate at once adjourned. The following
! nominations were confirmed:
Board Of Directors Of the Central state
| HospItal--Julius Straus. or Richmond;
Shirley Harrison. OF Prince George; j.
Thompson Brown. of Nelson.
Board Of Visitors Of the Virginia Nor
NAL and Collegiate Institute thomas Il.
| Watkins, of Petersburg NJ A. Cogbill. OF
| Chesterfield: A. c. Walker. of King and
Queen; l.. l.. Ferguson, Of Appomattox;
| Thomas n. Williams, OF Mecklenburg;
=. +. May of Louisa; John Y. Harris. OF
Dnwiddie. and a. ID. Watkins. Of Prince
Edward.
House of Delegates.
The House Of Delegates was in session
for three hours. But little business was
transacted. however as almost the en-
tire time was taken up with discussion
OF Or. Winston's bill to restrict the in
generation OF boys i'm the Laurel Re-
| fOrmatory TO lads who have been regu-
] f.. ~ off
against the laws Of the Commonwealth.
During the discussion Of this bill some
rather grave charges were made against
the management Of the reformatory,
and the bill was finally recommitted to
the Committee on Asylums and Prisons,
with instructions to that body TO tho
roughly investigate the conduct Of the in
stitution. The committee was empowered
to send for persons and papers.
REASONS FOR THE CHANGE.
When the bill was called I'm its regular
order on the calendar. DR.. Winston.
member of the committee who visited
the reformatory Tuesday, took the floor
and vigorously attacked the system I'M
der which the institution is conducted,
/ asserting that boys were kept shackled,
and made TO remain there for an indef-
mite period without being committed by
due process OF law. Or. Winston thought
/ the bill should become n law, as n mat
ter Of public policy, in pursuance Of the
rights of parents to exercise control over
their children, and out Of consideration
| for the finances Of the State.
At present any magistrate in the State
had the right Of sending any minor 10
| the Reformatory School at Laurel Sta
ton. not only upon conviction. but also
upon a mere arrest. and according to the
report of the Auditor Of last year, the
State had contributed to the support Of
the institution the sum Of $4,000, and yet
! the State had no control whatever over
/ tho institution.
Dr. ,.nston said he had. during his
/ visit at the institution on the previous
day. ascertained that several boys had
been kept there for seven years. and he
described I'm detail the manner In which
the inmates are kept. according TO the
information furnished him.
When asked by Mr.. Stubs whether 1t
was true that the State had, during the
past year. appropriated the sum OF $4,000
| for the institution. he replied in the
affirmative. He called attention to the
fact that ne had seen boys at the schools
with shackIes on their feet and he
desired to know whether any one thought
| that that was a good manner to reform
|
the boys.
DR.. Winston also mentioned the fact
that a charter had been obtained for
similar institution for the colored popula-
ton. and that a certain parcel Of property
in Hanover county had already been Sc
iected for the establishment Of such an
institution.
MIR. WILSON'S CRITICISM
Mr.. Wilson. Ct Pittsylvania. made a
most humorous though convincing, speech
for the bill. He said he visited the re-
formatory on Tuesday and was horriiied
at what he saw there. After referring
To Justice Crutchheld, who has probably
sent more boys there than any other
state official, as n Gar. he said he would
rather see a boy laid in his tomb than
placed i'm the reformatory. He then
spoke of the trivial offences for when
the lads were convicted. and said:
II wouldn't give n cent for boy that
wouldn't shy stone at a cat sleeping
on a fence. and a boy who will not swipe
a watermelon when 1t lays in bis path
IS no boy at all. If we had had
this reformatory I'm Virginia in the days
OF George Washington, we would have
had no statue of Washington In this capi-
tai. He'd have been incarcerated al Lau-
rel. instead Of achieving great things.
| don't think much OF a boy, anyhow,
who will not lie to get out of a scrape.
IL / had 10 send one OF my boys TO
prison. and had TO choose between the
penitentiary and the reformatory. God
help me. ia send him to the penitentiary.
Il know little about the man in charge
of the reformatory. His name is sam
soma strong name, indeed-and am
told that he Is a northern man. Ism
it a sin and shame that we have got to
send for northern man to come down
here and teach our rebel boys. If we
haven't manhood enough in the South to
teach our own boys, then had we not
better let them die in ignorance? such
Juror has been raised concerning improper
histories; / should like to know which is
the worse. poor histories or Yankee tutor
ship and chains for our boys?"
DEFENDS THE ASSOCIATION.
Judge watkins followed Mr.. Wilson In
a strong speech for the Prison Associa-
ton. He asserted that the reformatory
is a good thing. and made most Ell
fective appeal for the recommittal OF
the Winston bill.
Mr. Reddy moved that the bill be-re-
committed. and asserted that the Prison
Association Board had not been given n
chance TO secure hearing before the
committee which reported the Winston
hin. Or. Quesenberry Mr.. Gwyn, and
Mr.. Jordan favored a recommittal, and
Mr.. Reddy then spoke again. asserting
that inasmuch as the institution had been
attacked. the gentlemen who made the
charges should prove their statements and
Justify themselves. To pass the Winston
bin would be. he said 20 sound the death
ly,.1t % the institution.