Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-20

| ,'"cle sunday school. She wanted tho hoy
because he would be so much help TO her.
enc had seven children. the Oldest 26
'a's OF age, the boy at the reformatory
ss 'he Youngest. He had clothed him
oy seihng papers and always gave
her his money The boy had drawers FUR
nished him at the reformatory.
MRS. smith recognized a petition to Mr..
a, H. Christian, chairman Of the Com
nhi'lee on Discharge OF the Prison Asso-
Vlat'oh' which she said she had gotten up.
ana secured the signatures to OF a large
number OF citizens OF this city. There was
siSo submitted a letter from Rev. DR.
william r. Hatcher. fegretting that her
son had been imprisoned. and said he had
been a scholar at mis- Sunday school.
Cross-eNamincd by MIR. Meredith Mrs.
smith said he had been charged with
stealing cigarettes from a Mr. Strauss.
and that the latter had gone TO have the
boy released, but found he had been sent
To the reformatory Mr.. Meredith asked
If he had not been convicted Of taking
cigars and cigarettes from another dealer
on the same day. but this Mrs. Smith
sironuously denied.
Mr. Meredith stated 10 the commit se
nat nc expected 20 hc able TO show thu
''e hoy was convicted Of the two crimes
in the same day
MRS. FARMERS son.
Mrs. NJ. G. Farmer. living nj 1921 east
Franklin street. next took the stand Her
husband was a fireman on the Southern
railroad, and she had been living in Rich
mond for two years. As to the Prison
Association she knew nothing, except
that she had a boy there II years of age
who had been at the institution five years
lie was committed there upon her own
charge. because he was disobedient and
wayward. He had never given her any
trouble and had never been arrested for
any offence. AS 10 the treatment her
boy had received. she thought it was as
good as could be expected. His clothing
was not altogether as good as that worn
by him before he was sent 10 the insti-
tuition. The boy had been released once
and again committed. He had only been
released on trial.
DR. Winston asked if she knew that
when the boy was sent to the institution
she could not have him released without
the consent of the Prison Association.
Mr.. Meredith thought this was not eX-
actly a proper question. 1t was there
fore submitted to the committee, who
decided that il was proper and therefore
IL was again put. and Mrs. Farmer re-
piled by stating that she knew she would
have to see the authorities before she
could secure his release lie bad been
recOmmitted to the Reform School at her
own request. She would not have had
him committed however. had she known
he would be compelled TO remain at the
institution until he became q years Of
age. When asked by Mr.. Gwyn what
complaint she had to make against the
institution, the witness replied that she
had none. she simply wished him released,
because she thought he had remained
there long enough. DR. Winston asked
if tho boy could read and write when he
was first sent 10 the school. The wit
ness replied that he was not advanced
very far. She admitted that he had i'm
proved in that direction since his term
at the school. As to any punishment
that the boy had received that left marks
upon his body, she knew of none, but her
daughter had informed her that she had
seen stripes upon her brothers person.
Mr.. Meredith did not question the wit
ness.
THE RULE OF THE JUSTICE.
Mr.. H. NJ. Smith. Jr. was next called
TO the stand. He had had a good deal of
litigation in connection with the Prison
Association. Otherwise he knew nothing
of the institution. He stated that Justice
Crutchfeld had been in the habit, out of
feeling for the boys who came before
him. of sending the lads to the school
without convictng them. The Justice
did this TO save the lad the degradation
of being convicted avoiding the entering