The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-02
TIE INVESTIGATION ENDED.
Highly Interesting Testimony Given on
Behalf Of the RefOrmatory School.
BOARD LIKELY TO Be INDICATED.
The Committee on Asyiums and Prisons
TO Meet This Morning to Formulate "a
Report-Major Robert Stiles Gives
somo Important Information

1
Prisons held two sessions again yesterday
and shortly before midnight completed
the investigation into the affairs OF the
| Reformatory School at Laurel station.
| During the morning session only two
witnesses were heard, Mrs. Ora Lang
| horne. a lady who for years has taken
great interest in reformatory Work ahI
| who is very familiar with the mIhase-
ment of the institution Ia question: anu
| Major Robert Stiles who may be cdilou
| the father OF the Reformatory Schooi'
| Major STILES. who was on the slahu
dnring n large portion OF both sessions
told the committee how he concelVeu 'ne
/ idea OF establishing such a schooi di'D
| dwelt at some length on the ehlre Huo'
tion of refornatory schools as they h''u
first been organized in England. lie gave
! tho most minute details of every incident
! connected with the school at Laurel sta
| ton. furnishing the committee VITA Nal-
| liable information.
Several other witnesses were hedIu uui-
| ing the evening session, whose testimony
| threw some light on certain lhsihudlioh9
made by witnesses at the beginning OF lne
| investigation and which had not YET Deo"
very strongly refuted.
The committee will meet this morning
| at 10 O'Clock in executive session 10 lot-
muIate q report. but it is not likely that
| arv hill will nc submitted at this time.
| There seems to be no doubt however
| that the Board of Directors Of the Pris-
| on Association will be completely vindi-
| Gated and that the report will state that
there has been no foundation shown FOR
any charges as to mismanagement ol the
institution on the part OF the board.
II is very likely that subsequently tho
committee VIII meet with the board TO
frame a bill which. II possible. VIII DO
away with all objections 10 the existing
laws as to the management of the Re-
formatory School.
| THE MORNING SESSION.
When the House Committee on Asy-
| Iurn and Prisons met yesterday morning
IN the basement Of the Capitol building
Mrs. ora Ianghorne first took the stand:
'I have a general knowledge Of the
| Reformatory," she said. "since its es-
! tabllshment. I have been very much
| interested in IT, While l lived in Cul-
] peper I was asked about two years ago
| 10 make arrangements for two little boys
by the name Of Hansborough TO be taken
| 10 the ReformatOry. The school is
! known up in Culpeper as Mrs Lang
! horne's school one OF the boys was about
| fourteen years old. and the other about
| three or four years. A few weeks
later n letter was received from the older
| boy. showing a marked Improvement IN
his education.
Il saw the boys last saturday out
| there and / told Mr.. Sampson and his
wife l would like to see the institution.
| The two boys came to see me and the
older one, who had been sickly before,
| had improved so much that hardly knew
him. did not ask them how they
| were treated but the older one told me
that he would learn something TO make
! his living by and that he would never
| drink any whiskey.
II saw them 80 to dinner; the food
was good and plentiful and they showed
very good manners at the table There Is
only one little criticism / would Ike 20
make. | think the boys get too much
| wheat bread; they ought TO be given more
corn bread.
ARE YOUR NAILS CLEAN?
81 noticed one thing on the Hansboro
| bov. that his finger nails were clean.
think that is something remarkable in
! such an institution and would not Ike
| to look at all the finger nails Of the Leg
islature Of Virginia. l saw the boys
| drilling and they were thoroughly in-
! spected by Mr. Sampson. who looked II
they had any torn clothes or any buttons
were missing. I think it would be a good
\ thing II all men were made TO sew but
| tons on"
Mrs. Langhorne said some OF the big boys
could not read when they came 10 the
school. "I had a special interest to 90
there" she continued, two young cous-
| ms Of mine are i'm that school,
whose mother is addicted to drink
| Two of these neglected boys were
sent to the Reformatory by their
father. one Of them escaped once; he
| was the boy that was shot His father
went 10 see him and be SAID the guard did
| right and II he had been the guard. he
would have done the same thing. Since
| having been shot. the boy has improved
| and is working of his badges.
Il came TO Richmond 10 look into the
affairs Of the Reformatory and looked up
| Mr.. stiles whom | told that I was will
| ing 10 give IN my testimony. II this was
| desired. Judge John Paul. Of the United
states Court, who Is a great friend of
! mine. thinks very highly Of the institu-
tiOn and says since its establishment
ne has been sending an boys who robbed
the mail 10 the Ref0rmatory Before
! that they mad 10 be sent 10 the peniten-
tiary. one OF the boys sent 10 the school
| from West Virginia. after his discharge,
nad been sufficiently educated that he
could boss an entire saw mill.
When questioned by Mr.. Wilson, wit
| ness said she did not disapprOve Of whip
ping and she had been brought up her
self under Solomons precept. While she
mad no children herself, yet she took the
| greatest interest In children and all the
children OF the State were her children
MAJOR STILES ON THE STAND.
Major Robert stiles then went on the
stand and stated In detail his connection
with the institution: Il am not only
believer in divine being but a believer in
divine providence. have been working
| on the matter on Sunday preparing my
self for this examination. We had writ
| ten to Ianghorne's father who came here
| and made the statement the previous
witness spoke OF. The boy was sent
there for house breaking saw the
knife which he had: it was a shoemaker's 3
knife, which was as sharp as an edge
The greatest trouble was TO get the boys
| employment
since the Ianghorne boy was shot
ne has not received single demerit."
| Witness then described some of
| tho scenes which he had seen
! IN some OF the homes here in
Richmond. Parents told me-" he
said. eat that time that they had 70