Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-01
IS NEARING IT'S END.
rue REroRmAroRy rSvEsTicA-
rroS SOON TO DE FINISHED.
MANAGEMENT OF THE INSTITUTION
s..erintendent sampson, President
Caskie, and vice-President "n'
,,an Testify before the Committee.
Others speak Wen Of the sehooi'

| The reformatOry inNesusdttV" - "N''
ing it's end, and will probably De con-
cuded IN the next day or two.
Tho House Committee on Asylums and
Prisons who are charged with this I'M
portant duty. held two session yesterday
AZ which Superintendent Sampson. Presi-
dent Caskie. Vice-President Christian,
and several others testified In defence OF
the institution and its management. and
the hearing will be resumed this morning
at 10 o'clock
Superintendent Sampson was the first
witness examined at the morning session.
He stated, in reply to questions. that
there was at present employed as guard
al the reformatory a man named Turner
who had served two terms at the institu-
ton for having committed forgery. He
said he knew of no guard ever being IN
der the influence OF liquor or using to-
bacco while on duty. one guard had
been reported for drinking while away
on visit. He knew of the case in which
a boy was struck over the head and his
eye blackened, and explained that the lat
ter was caused by accident, and on ac-
count of resistance, which the boy Of
fered while being punished for impu-
dence. The witness said he did not think
there had ever been more than forty
stripes laid on any boy at any one time
and denied positively to his knowledge
that as many as is had ever been in
hicted. The blows would, he said, leave
g. 40. fttsa
TO PREVENT HIS ESCAPE.
He explained the Stacking of boy
in the hospital and said that the shackles
were only on for five days, during the
early stages of the attack of fever which
he suffered. During that time, witness
said. the boy was able to make his es-
cape, and as he had twice done so be-
fore the precaution was taken. Mr..
Sampson said he did not think Mrs Coles
son a naturally vicious boy, but he was
very restless and mischievous. The ad-
ditional badges which he had gotten were
imposed mostly for inattention to rules.
The witness then gave information about
similar institutions in other States. where
he had served, and said that their con-
nection with the State was very similar
10 that in Virginia. In New York they
were controlled by self-appointed board
Mr.. Sampson denied that a strap with q
buckle had ever been used. and said he
considered the clothing furnished the in
mates quite sufficient for their comfort
He said there had been but one death al
the institution during its history.
Mr.. Wilson asked the witness several
questions as TO where he (Sampsom was
during the years 1851 to 1865. to which he
replied by stating that from 1859 10 1876
he had lived in the province of New
Brunswick, Can. He said he came to
Virginia from Colorado where he was
receiving a salary of $2.100, TO join his
brother-in-law. He next told Of the re-
form institutions with which he had
been at various times connected, in
GLIDING those in New York, Indiana, and
Colorado. He said, also, in reply to
question from the same source. that the
shackles were removed from the boy once
a week for a change of clothing. AT the
request of Dr. Winston, he also gave
detailed outline Of the duties of the in
mates each day. from the time of rising
AT o'clock in the morning until s o'clock
at night, when all were supposed to be
IN bed again. The witness acknowledged
writing a letter to Mr.. Wilkinson stating
that his boy was whipped, notwithstand-
ing the fact that Guard Turner had de-
MED the giving of the whipping, and Mr.
Wilson promised to produce the CORE
spondence later Mr.. Sampson was then
allowed to stand aside His wife was
also present, but did not go on the stand
PRESIDENT CASIlIE TESTIFIES.
Mr.. James Caskie was the next witness.
He stated that he had been director OF
the Prison Association Of Virginia since
1890 and its president since 1894. Being
asked by DR.. Winston how applications
for discharge were handled, he replied
that up TO about eighteen months ago
he PASSED upon all such applications
Some Of these he granted; some, when he
thought il necessary, were referred 10
the whole board. This, he said, was ex-
cept when a boy had earned his release
when the attention of the whole board
was always called About eighteen
months ago. at his request. a Committee
on Discharge was appointed from the
board which has since considered all
such applications. This committee, he
said was at present composed of Messrs.
Williams Christian. and Potts. Mr.
Caskie further explained that in case the
committee refused a release the appn-
cant was always free to appeal to the
hoard He explained also that In some
instances. in case Of sickness, discharges
were made for no Other cause, Out lney
were few. He said indiscrminate dis
| charges had not been made for the rea-
son that they would destroy the purpose
and control of the institution. He eX-
plained that the committee had been in
duced to refuse the application made by
! Mrs Cole for the release of her son on
information which he had received from
| Abingdon. the papers containing which
information he promised to submit at the
next sitting OF the committee. He said
/ that he had enquired into the charges
which Mrs. Cole made against Mr.. Frank
| Barr. a lawyer of Abingdon, who, she
said. had misrepresented the nature of
the institution. He said from Mr.. Barr
and the court authorities he had received
proofs that Mrs. Cole had knowingly
/ committed her son and had signed the
papers which gave hila over TO the asso-
citation.
THE USE OF SHACKLES.
MIR. Caskie. In reply TO a question as TO
his opinion of the use of shackles at the
| reformatory, said he could say nothing
/ of his own experience. The use OF
shackles had been adopted at the sug-
| gestion of Mr.. Sampson, who thought il
preferable TO dungeon or cell confinement
| Mr.. Caskie said, further, that so far as
/ he was concerned he would like 10 see
the shackles displaced by something else.
SO far rs ne knew, however. the shackles
were never used as punishment, but sole
ly for the purpose Of preventing escape
| Mr.. Caskie explained the manner in which
boys were committed by the courts, and
| told how anneals had been taken in some