Connecticut western news., 1899-08-31
MR ADAMS TROUBLES.

The second session Of the board or managers of the Hartford County Tenn porary Home investigating the charges against Superintendent H. M. Adams of the Warehouse Point Home was held last Thursday. There were some pe- culiar developments. Josephine Stau- dingsr, 12 years old, testified that Mir Adams made measurements of her bare limbs up to the hips. She later pro- duced q sensation by confessing to Mr Adams and the board that her testimony was entirely @ fabrication.
 A new piece of testimony was intro duced by George W. Morrill,, who said he had seen Mir Adams pick up child and knock it down on bench three times for picking up some pieces of ice which he (Morrill) had ohipped off. He was of the opinion that Mir Adams should be arrested for cruelty. His tes- timony was substsntiated by his partner A. 0. Snyder. Nellie McCsrty,s a former employee, also offered new testimony to the effect that children were whipped regularly and cruelty by MT Adams.
 A paper certifying that Henry M. Adams was for many years an esteemed citizen of Canaan, teacher in it's public schools and man of high moral char acter and a christian gentleman, was shown during the hearing. It was signed by the following residents of Canaan: G. L. Parsons, J. w. Peet, G 8. Fuller. O. M. Humphrey, G. P. Strong. o. 6. Calendar. Mary O. Cor bit,J. N VanDeusen, D. L. Peirce,J. l. Bragg, H. O. Barnes. DO Whittlesey. H. B. Stevens, G. W. Parsone.
 In his own behalf Mir Adams testified that he measured the Staudinger girl in the presence of Mrs Adams and took her height and measurement around her waist. He said that the girl had been untruthful. He further said that he had not ducked boy. He had picked up boy, held him up gently and put his head in water pail where there was just enough water to touch the top of his head. This broke him of the habit of turning the water faucet. Mir Adams said he had put boy ints wheelbar- row of ashes, laying him on his back and rolling him over, no blood being shed during the incident He had spanked boys with 'spsnker" but never to cause black and blue marks He fatly denied striking the boy ss de- scribed by the iceman, Merrill. He said he had called 2 physician when necessary for sick children, and had provided wholesome food and a plenty for the table. As to the deprivation of dinner. this method had been used in lieu of other punishment, but part of it had been given the offender. He should judge that corporal punishment had been administered perhaps four times each month, during the past year. He had never pulled the ears of a child since he had been at the home, never had choked boy. and never had he bumped the heads of the children 10, gether nor against the side of room
 pr Joseph A. Coogan of Windsor Locks testified to his visits to sick children in the home. During his ser vice as physician he had been called whenever it was necessary. He had never known of any neglect in the mat ter. In general way he had known the home for five years, and the chil dren were we'll fed, we'll clothed and clean. He had seen nothing but kind ness in his visits, extreme kindness ir many instances. and the discipline was good. He had seen no act of cruelty
 Dr Coogan said that in the Case oi Willie Dolan there was probably mis take. in not calling doctor. He did not approve of the "spsnker" as an in strument of punishment. It was no, proper treatment 10 rub child in ashet or to duck child in water. He was o opinion that corporal punishment in ar institution like the county home should not be allowed.
 The hearing was continued on Tues day aud brought out no new evidence Mir Adams fatly denied some of the tes timony and explained other portions o it. One peculiar thing about the hear ing was that the Investigating board would hear no argument on the testi mony which the counsel for the people MT Johnson, wished to make. Nil Adams did not agree with Dr Coogar that corporal punishment should not b, allowed in the Home. Dr E. K. Roo was the only one of the commissioner who would allow Mir Johnson to ques tior Mr Adams again regarding thu measuring of the Staudinger girl Tn, hearing ended and the verdict of tn, board of managers will be made publi, in few days and it is thought iron their attitude that they will report t, the effect that conditions at the Hom are all right and that Mir Adams is DO guilty of the charges. It is not believed however, that the matter will be allow cd to rest there, ss some Warehous Point people are of the opinion that tn charges have been substsntiated by evi dence and that the defense has consisted simply of Mir Adams denials.
 A strange proceeding in connection with the case is the discharge of Richard McTighe, an employee at the Home who has given considerable evidenc az ainst MT Adams. The county com missioners expressly stated before sh hearings that no employee would los his position by giving evidence. M Adams says of McTishe's discharge, tha McTighe maintained n unfriendly at titude toward him and tbat he circulatet