Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-31
Board Of Control win Prosecute
Ringleaders in Mitchellville Riot.
ABOUT TWENTY OF THEM TO Be TRIED
Their Act is Covered by Criminal Laws
Further Particulars OF the Upris.
ang-Ottumwa Girl a,
header.


has been held btween Larrabee and
Cownie, of the board of control, and
Attorney General Remley and County
Attorney John McLennan. 1t was de-
cided to prosecute about twenty of
the ringleaders of the Mitchellville re-
form school riot under sections 2712
and 5O35 of the code.
whoever unlawfully aids or assists
any inmate lawfully submitted to the
industrial school in escaping or at
tempting to escape therefrom, or
knowingly conceals such inmate after
escape, shall be punished by fine not
exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment in
the penitentiary not exceeding five
years"
Prescribing penalty for riotous con-
duct:
IF any person or persons unlawful
ly or, riotously assembled pull down,
injure or destroy or begin to pull
down, injure or destroy any dwelling
house or other building, or destroy,
attempt to injure or destroy any boat
or vessel, or perpetrate any premedi-
tated injury on the person Of another,
not being felony, he shall be impris-
oned in the penitentiary not more than
five years, or be fined not exceeding
$500 and be imprisoned in the county
Jail not more than one year, and shall
also be answerable to any person iu-
jured to the full amount of the dam
ages by him sustained"
These will be sent to the peniten-
tiary, as they are all from 16 to 20
years old, mostly is or over. Some
others will be returned to the counties.
An investigation will be held shortly
to determine who are the most guilty.
The damage to the institution, it is
claimed by the board of control, is not
over $500 at the outside figure. Close
investigation shows that the cause of
the outbreak was that an entire fam
lily" of forty girls were locked up Sun
day for the misbehavior of five or six
In the chapel, and in violation of the
board of control rules were deprived OF
supper. ALI is quiet at Mitchellyille
today.
Des Moines, Oct. 26.-Chairman Lar,
rabee and John Cownie, of the board
Of control, went to Mitchellville as
soon as possible after they were in
formed of the riot. They found the
blishmept in. a sadly .demoralized
condition, though State Architec,
Lebbe, who accompanied them, said
the property loss was not SO large as
had been estimated. Most of the win.
dow panes in the five institution build.
ings had been broken. The walks
around the structures were strewr
with broken glass and crockery; in.
side the corridors and rooms were piled
with wreckage; doors were smashed
many of the window flames were wreck.
ed, commodes smashed, pictures TORI
down. In fact, there seemed ito b.
only one article of furniture which wa.
sacred against the attacks OF the infu
rated girls, They proved that de
spite their viciousness and reckless
ness they were still women, by spar
ing every mirror on the grounds. No,
one was found to be injured.
The employees and subordinate off
GERS of the institution are unanimous
in the belief that the abolition of cor
poral punishment was mistake. These
people, who certainly ought to under
stand the character of their wards, de
clare that it is useless to try to con
quer them by kindness; they will only
take advantage of any lenity manifest
ed. The method of administering cor
coral punishment was to take goot
solid strap or thong of leather and ap
ply certain number of good slnar
blows to the palm of the offender.