Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-01
WITHOUT FOUNDATION.
Stories Told About the Sidney Poor
Farm Shown 10 Be Fabrications,
4 Journal Reporter Finds lis kftairs 10 ee
Efficiently and Humanely Conducted.

Sidney, Jan. 3l.-(SpeciaD. For some
time past there has been considerable
talk made about the manner in which
the poor of the town, that are cared
Tor on the town farm. are treated. In
fact the story was going that the .;u.
perintendent and matron were a heart
less couple and used rough and I'M
warrantable measures in handling the
unfortunate people that have. from
force of circumstances, one way or an
other been compelled to call on the
town for assistance and have been as.
signed to a living on the town farm.
The stories became so rife that they
reached the ears of the good people of
the city of Watervilc and they through
kindness of heart had set out to get at
the facts and see what the remedy
could be.
II. l.. Emery, a prominent merchant
and respected citizen of WaterVillc.
knew one of the inmates of the town
home very well. This inmate is an old
lady and. though of no kith or kin Of
Mr.. Emerys. yet she had been a ia
miliar individual in all the life of the
gentleman mentioned and he became
interested to know just what treatment
she was receiving at the hands of tbs
superintendent ana wife. There had
come stories to the ear of Mr.. Emery Of
how the poor people had been sent to
bed night after night without their
supper and that the matron was rough
1t was told that people had been for
hidden to go there with delicacies and
comforts for the poor people. Mr..
Emery himself, had been told that he
could not bring any more of the lux
nries that he had been in the habit of
taking there. One old lady, a former
inmate, who had been taken from tn !.
poor farm by lady, we'll known Toy
her charitable deeds, told the story in
the city of Waterville, to the mayor
and others, that when her husband
died, she was not informed of the fact.
and as she was away from the farm at
the time visiting. she did not know of
her husbands death until The day of
the funeral. This same old lady nas
told that it was common practice TO
bury the paupers without a funeral
service. 1t had got to be known about
the town that the superintendent dil
mates and it had got to be known IN
the city of Waterville that the town
farm Of Sidney was a bad place for
poor people to go
While talking with Mayor Redington
the other day the old lady last referred
to, told the mayor that she would
rather be drawn in two than to go
back to that farm again. All these
9 ,gi
reporter, and feeling the true facts
should he ascertained concerning them.
he went 10 the Sidney town farm 70
ascertain just how much foundation
there might be for such reports. Ac-
companied by Mr.. Emery. the reporter
left Waterville at 8 o'clock A. NJ. and
proceeded to hunt up MI George Bow
man, the chairman of the board Of
selectmen. who is also the chairman cf
the board Of oVcrseers Of The poor.
Mr. Bowman was found on the road,
going with his srist to Oakland. In
reply to questions as to what the town
of Sidney intended to do for its poo.
inmates in the poor house, Mr.. Bow
man stated alphabetically that the town
of Sidney intended To do as we'll by its
poor as any town on earth. 1t was in
tended that the inmates of the home
for the poor should have just as good
as anybody in the way of food and h"
would like to know when they are not
treated we'll any other way. Neighbor-
hood gossip came next, but as that Is
rather tiresome and far from the ia "JS
in this case, as it turns out under the
light of investigation, it is not neces-
Sary to repeat il here Then came the
superintendent. he must be seen. Ar
irving at the farm, we found that h.
had gone over to an adjoining town.
Being ushered into the house by Mrs
Ward, the matron. n" on" refusing lis
the privilege OF entering, we found tha'
Mrs Ward and her young daughter
had been taking dinner. NJ the table
for company. sat ON" oil the inmates
and her child. 1t WAS apparent that
they were getting as good as there Wae
coming to the matron, and that ought
to satisfy the most fastidious inmate IT
n poor house. Mr.. Emery passed alon@
upstairs to see his old friend. ana the
reporter engaged the matron at once
on the subject that had taken him 20
the farm Right here it may be we'll 10
say that Mrs Ward is all that is nee
of her husband, She is a pleasant
faced. middle aged woman. an easy
oonversationalist and the following
dialogue took place:
They are telling strange things about
the conduct of the affairs here at the
farm said the reporter
well. what do they say: asked tho
matron.
Have YOU ever sent any of the in
mates to bed suppcrless?
''No, sir. never
Ever bury anyone here without a FUN
cral?"
"NcVcr.
What about the story that Mr.. iirN-
ant died here and YOU did not soma Tor
his wife and let her know that the old
gentleman was sick and likely To dlc,
and when he did die you did not notify
Mrs. Bryant
THAT is not true. As Il matter of fact
Mrs. Bryant WAS not one of the lmlp"rs
at. the time. She was visiting over on
Quaker hill at the time the old gentle
man died She did como here on the day
of the funeral and when she came sh,
said the reason why she had not beer
here before was because her relative
could not bring her over. Sh" had h@e1
here to see her husband several times
She had lived away from him for SeN"ra
years. / remember that once sh" cam
here TO see her husband. ii was Nh"l
she WAS living with relatives up in Fair
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