The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-20

manage him at home. ! nave seven
| children from twenty-sM years uoWh.
\ They are all grown except TINS boy. lie
made a good deal by selling papers; ne
made enough TO pay for MS clothing.
He brought his money home 10 me. 1
taught him that.
went there | went TO see Mr.. Williams
Mr.. Christian Mr.. sampson. but they put
me of. The boy, before he went to tho
Reformatory, went 10 school pretty reeu-
larly and he also attended Dr. Hatchers s
Sunday school"
Dr. Winston then read the petition cir
culated among citizens OF Richmond for
signatures asking for the release Of the
ready been published in the columns Of
Tho Times.
When cross examined by Mr. Meredith
Mrs. Smith said she told some OF the gem
tlemen who signed the petition the cir
oumstances under which he was sent out
there ! did not know that he had been
convicted for stealing cigarettes from ID.
! .. Davis and cigars from Mr.. Strauss
on the same day.
SHE HAD HIN COMMITTED.
Mrs. Mary Gilbert Turner Of 1921 east
| Franklin street. next testified. My hus-
band Is q fireman on the Southern rail-
way. ! have lived here two years. I have
! a boy seventeen years old, who has been
at the RefOrmatOry first for three years
and he was then discharged on trial. but
was then sent back for ten yetrs. At first
| had him sent there myself. because he
| was inclined to be wayward.
Justice CrutchIeld committed him at
my request and my husband did not OBJ
| tect 10 IL. ! have heard no complaint as
| 20 his treatment His clothing IS not
what IL has been before. He did not wear
| any underwear. | went to get him away
| because 1 think he has been there long
| enough. The second time when he was
sent there. / went To see Secretary Will
liams. who had him taken back. lie was
sent there the second time FOR the same
| thing. When ! had the boy committed
/ did not expect to get the boy back
| without the consent of the officers Of the
! Association. ! did not know that ] could
/ not get him out otherwise. Had known
| Il, | do not think would have consented
| 10 his commitment. ! have no complaint
| To make against the Association. ] only
! want the boy released think ] can
/ manage him better now. because he IS
| older. lie has not been home. but I could
! see him by going there; the visiting hours
/ are not convenient FOR me.
THE boy could not write and read
! much. before he went there. but he has
! made progress IN his education while
! there and he reads and writes very we'll
| now. lie had job i'm the Southern rail-
| road shops before he was committed and
! made from SIS TO $50 per month. I had
| 10 punish him for bad behavior. but 9TH
! crs never complained about him. lie is
| my oldest boy. He promises me that he
| VIII bo good. whenever he gets out Of
| there. ] know nothing Of his conduct At
| the institution, but ! heard that he had
| been whipped once Ny daughter Edna
! Nirg MIA Turner. saw stripes on him"
MIR. SMITHS EXPERIENCE.
Mr.. Harry VI. Smith. Jr.. was then
| sworn and testified as follows. If have had
a good deal of litigation with the Prison
| Association. but have never been inside OF
! tncir grounds. 1nc iirst case was one where
! Mr. CrutchGold sent boy to the reform
atory instead Of degrading him by a con-
! iction of Petit larceny. J took an ap-
peal and succeeded in getting the boy to
| the institution. The boy was scnt there
/ without the consent of his parents. The
! boy WAS charged with petit larceny and
I l think there was ample proof of c0n-
| victine him, but fnstcId Of entering up
/ the conviction. he sent him ont there He
! did so in many instances for humane feel
/ ines."
Mr. WithrOw wanted TO know whether
| witness thought Justice CrutChheld acted
Illegally. Mr. Smith thought be made a
! mistake like any other judge would.
when asked by Or. Winston, witness
! said he thought tte reformatcry wns a
public institution out run very much as
| a private corporation. Mr.. Meredith ad-
| mtted that IL was private corporation.
"l only know" said Mr.. Smith. that boys
| are sent there for very trivial offences
/ and are kept there for d very long time.
! L cannot speak of any particular case
/ and / cannot say that n is hardship.
! but do think il IS too much power / also
! think that when these boys are turned
| out they neither have an education nor
! do they know any trade. ! am not
/ here on any obligation. but can give the
/ name of some Of my clients. Mr.. j. a.
| Scott. Mr.. George Napier. ! cont know
/ anything of my own knowledge, ! am not
/ acquainted with Mr.. Sampson. but what
! / heard OF him was only favorable. Tie
members OF the board of the Associa-
/ ton are Of the best citizens IN this city.
! HUSTINGS COURT SUSTAINED.
81 was caunsel i'm the Napier case. the
/ boy was sent there by order of the llust-
/ ines Court. and with the consent OF his
| aunt he had been convicted 10y Mayor
/ Maurice and the appeal TO the higher
court was not withdrawn. The Supreme
I Court of Appeals sustained the decision
/ of the Ilustings Court
81 got three or four boys out. who had
been sent there I'm similar manner by
! Justice Crutchn ID
! When asked by Mr. Gwyn. Mr.. Smith
said the institution should be kept mp and
/ MIR wilson then wanted TO know if Mr.
| Smith thought the institution should be
! carried around on wheels. but he thought
| he would rather not express an opinion.
/ Many thought the powers OF The Board or
/ Directors were too large. II boy is con-
victcd OF any offence before magistrate
| or I'm the Police Court, the appeal must
! be taken the same day only If he has
/ not been legally committed he can be
! taken into The Circuit Court under habeas
| corpus proceedings.
| Mr.. Roswell Page brought out the fact
! that the general law prescribed that ap-
| neals have 90 be taken the same day. even
! III parties had been committed TO jail and
| that this was not "a provision only In con-
nection with the rcformatory school
| When asked by Mr. Wilson, witness
| said he did not know whether the proper
| ty would revert 10 the State n the insu-
! tuition was 10 be abandoned.
| GIVEN TOO MUCH POWER.
When questioned by Mr. Meredith. Wit
! ness, said he thought the time for which
/ bows are TO be- sent 20 the institution
| should be limited. As soon as Justice
/ Crutchheld found out that his humanity
and len.ency had been taken advantage
/ Of he only sent boys out there after they
had been convicted. lie added that every
| thing he had stated was only hearsay,
/ and ne did not know anything from his
! own knowledge lie thought IL a court
! was asked 10 release boy who had been
I bound ont as an apprentice he would
| look into the question iudiciously. but
/ il the Board Of Directors was asked 10
release a boy from the institution they
would do as they please. When asked by
! Mr.. Gwvn Mr.. Smith admitted that the
| institution would lose the character or a
! reformatory II the boys could be taken
| out at the request OF their parents before
! they were reformed.
When questioned by Mr.. Meredith. Mr..
! Smith admitted that the badge system
was used IN other institutions OF "a similar
| character 70 had also been recommended
| for the penltentiary. and he approved OF
| II under certain conditions.
The further examination brought out
| the fact that the number of badges WAS
| graded according TO the crime committed.
| 4 boy convicted of murder. n he behaved