The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-01
Mr.. James CaSkie Tells the Committee
all He KNOWS About the RefOFmatOry
HIS VIEWS ABOUT The MANAGEM Mt
Mr.. a. ii. Christian, Jr., Also Shows That
Ho Has NotKnown of Any Abuses-The
Governor Should Have the Pardon
ing Power Thinks Justice John.

the affairs in connection with the man.
agement Of the reformatcry school at
Laurel Station. During the morning ses-
sion Mr.. Sampson completed his testi-
mony and he was followed'by Mr.. James
Caskie, the president of the Association,
VINO in a very plain and convincing man.
nar refutod almost every charge made
by the several witnesses produced by the
committee. lie again took the stand
and occupied it during the larger portion
of the evening session and supplied the
committee with the most valuable infor-
nation as to the workings at the school
Mr. Caskie was followed by Mr.. 4. II.
Christian, Jr., who testified III the same
straightforward manner and convinced
almost everybody who heard him that
the accuse tiOns 10 which he alluded were
unfounded. lie read a copy OF the let
ter which he had written TO Governor
O'Ferrall in regard to one boy whose dis
charge had been asked for by his reia-
tives. The letter was couched in the
most courteous and polite but at the
time business-like language and yet II
had been mentiored by one OF the wit
nesses while on the stand as having been
impertinent and discourt5cus.
morning at 10 o'clock and VIII likely be
completed this evening.
SUPERINTENDENT SAMPSON TEsTI-
FlES.
The committee met for the morning ses-
sion at 10 o'clock in room No. l on the
upper floor of tho Capitol building. DR..
Winston, Of Hanover, presided.
Superintendent Sampson again took the
ag of
the guards. llr. Turner, was formerly an
inmate Of the institution. He was con-
victed Of forgery. lie was discharged
and went back a second time for the same
offence. We nave one guard who has
been accused Of drinking, but we have 10
one there who drinks TO excess. / don't
know OF a boy who was struck over the
head with "A stick. / don't think there
ever have been over forty lashes given
al a time a lash with the strap might
leave a bruisc. l have seen such marks
for few days. 1 recollect the boy
Southall who escaped twice within a
month. He wore shackles for five days.
We had finally 10 return him 10 the care
of the Governor. lie had been previously
pardoned from the penltentiary. lie was
shackled for five days while IN the hos
pital for fever. lie was not emaciated
He was strong enough 10 make his es-
cape. He was received from the peni-
tentiary and had to be sent back there.
1.-The boy Wllover. from Abingdon
would be difficult TO handle n he was
out OF school. lie has never been In or
der. although he Is not very bad: he is
not q vicious boy. ! don't think he would
be safe outside Of school He has about
twenty-odd badges left. which were given
him FOR bad behavior.
"rhe Sterling boy is n fighter: he was
discharged by the court The New York
House Of Refuge and the New York Pro-
tectory and the juvenile Asylum are sup
ported by the State, but the latter has no
control over them. They have no regular
boari OF visitors. Tho board IS seif-aD-
pointing and has been I'm existence since
1915. The Western House Of Refuge I'm
Rochester is on the same footing. The
boys are committed by the courts and
by magistrates. bur / don't know exactly
the mode OF commitment. There is no
OucSle on the strap; II is plain strap.
This year VIC have furnished under
clothing right along. Previously the pa
rents furnished them. When the Napier
boy came to the Reformatory he was
very sickly lie had been smoking c!ga-
rettes. but now he is very healthy. Since
1890 we have lost one boy by death.
Il went TO Brunswick y. j.. in 1859 and
remained there Until 1876 J did noi serve
in the army. l came TO Virginia from
Colorado at the request OF my brother
in-law. 7 have been connected with five
reformatory institutions. ! receive N0D
year for myself and wife. Major Lynn
visited the institution two years ago,
when q boy asked him to take him back
he n
bacco there but was not allowed 10 90
so at the school. II costs 10 take care Of
boy there thirty cents day.
"The boys arise at a. NJ; they form in
line and 90 10 tho bathroom 20 wash;
at $50 they go to school and ut G.3o TO
breakfast; at o'clock they are assigned
10 work. where they remain until 9;2o.
when they have q run % fifteen minutes.
at 1889 they stop work for dinner; NJ /
o'clock they are called back 70 work: at
4.45 they go 20 supper and at o'clock
they 60 TO school until 7i5 p. NJ: then
they have evening prayer. ana at o'clock
everv bov is In bed.
"The Wilkinson boy was very bad.
He had TO be whipped and put in
shackles."
MR.. CAsRIE'S TESTIMONY.
Mr.. James Caskie. the president Of the
association. was then called IT have
been president of the association since
April 1894. and have been a director since
1890. I have passed upon applications for
the release of boys until eighteen months
ago. II had any doubts / referred the
case 10 the full board and the parents.
Eighteen months ago we appointed COM
mittee. Of which Mr.. 4 II Christian was
chairman until about six months ago,
when ne resigned and was followed BY
the secretary Upon the receipt Of an
application We send 10 the superintendent
FOR a report. and il the committee does
not discharge the boy, then the parents
have the right 10 so before the board.
We have discharged fourteen boys during
the past two years. The boys know
they must work down their badges
and II after six months the mother comes
and asks for the discharge. the board IS
very strict because the discharge in such
case would injure the discipline. We con-
suit with Justice Crutchheld.
I'VE declined Mrs. Coles application.
who came TO see me. She said she found
the school different from what she ex-
pected. She said she had been misled BY
a lawyer. Frank Barr in Abingdon. l
wrote 10 him. and he sent me the COM
miinent OF the hoy and a paDer signed bv
his mother. wherein she consented to have
the bov committed until he was twenty
one years old This paper was aitested
by Mr.. Barr ard Mrs Cosby. We made a
thorough exemination and declined the
application She then took the case 10
the Circuit Court on a writ of habeas
corpus. but the court after examining
into the case. declined 10 discharge the