The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-11-28


agement of the almshouse, met at that in
stitution on Thursday in conjunction
with the two standing committees. The
rain probably kept several taxpayers
away. and there were not more than a
half dozen people, in addition to the
committees, present.
The organization was effected by elect
ing John r. Howell chairman and Sena-
tor Packer secretary. Miss Mary Samson
was the stenographer.
Hugh Fox, President of the State Board
of Charities, Mrs. Williamson, chairman
of the executive committee of the society,
and Mrs. Abbey, an agent of the same or
ganization, had been invited to be pres
ent. They did not reach the almshouse
until nearly noon. The time prior to
their arrival was taken up in inquiry with
reference to minor points.
Blanchard H. White, clerk of the Board
of Freeholders, read the rules of the
Board, and said he had searched the re-
cords as far back as 1889, but he failed to
find any rules prior to 1891. They were
read and compared with those now in
force, and were found to be almost iden-
tical with the present set
On the arrival of the visitors above
mentioned, Mr. Fox was requested to
make any statement he desired to- He
said he wished to make his position clear
at the outset. The officers of the state
society were present on invitation. AS a
state board they did not desire to act in
conjunction with committee in any in.
vestigation. They merely came to see if
there was anything they could do that
would tend to the welfare of the county's
wards. By law the society was COMPEL
ed to make report on each child under
its supervision in the state. Neither he
nor his associates were responsible for the
publication of the report of the society at
this time Sometimes state reports are
given to the press very promptly. 1t was
that way in this instance. The officers
did not hold themselves responsible, per-
sonally or as board, for newspaper re-
ports, nor were they concerned about in
diyiduals connected with the Burlington
county almshouse.
The main point of complaint about the
institution was the lack of separation of
sexes. For the purpose of confirming re-
ports one case was as good as dozen,
therefore he would like to discuss the
case of Margaret Hoffman. He referred
to the parts of this case which have al.
ready been mentioned, and said that this
woman was not fit subject for an aims
house. Being feeble-minded woman she
should have been sent to an institution
for that class. So far as he was able to
discover two children had been born at
the almshouse whose fathers were in and
about the place.
Mr.. Fox then went into dissertation
on ''our duty to our neighbor." Judging
from appearances, all the gentlemen
present had fought their own battles of
life aided by strength from above to do
so, and he had no doubt all had found the
battles hard. The unfortunate and weak
physically, morally perhaps, mentally
certainly as this woman was, were enti-
tied to the best protection the state can
give. That is what almshouses are for.
This girl had a right to expect that pro-
lection in this institution. She should
have received the best care and not been
open to temptation. The speaker said he
wished to be understood as speaking en-
tirely from humane point of view, and
not from recrimination
Then Mr.. Fox got down to business.
He called attention to the law, copies OF
which, he said, had frequently been fur
nished to the Board of Freeholders, re-
quiring almshouses to be so constructed
as to prevent the sexes from being togeth-
er. The manner in which the records are
reported to have been kept was next
touched upon by the speaker, who said
the agents of the society had been com
PEELED to go some distance to get at the
books.
Jacob G. Hendrickson then asked Mr.
Fox to enlighten the committee on some
points of the law of 1889, which was the
statute to which the gentleman alluded.
Mr.. Fox admitted that he was ignorant
on the subject.
At this point Mrs Williamson and Mrs
Abbey both insisted on talking and ex-
planning they were not present as witness
es, nor did they propose to answer ques
tions and be cross-examined. Nor did
they intend to make any voluntary state
ment.
The chairman suggested that the best
way to get along was to hear one person
at time, and Mr.. Fox made few more
remarks. He said he thought the Board
of Freeholders was responsible if it allow
ed the abuses to continue after having
its attention called to them. He was
not present to censure anybody but to aid
in remedying any bad conditions that may
exist
Several other questions were put to
Mr.. Fox and they were of such charac.
ter that Mrs. Abbey raised the point that
she and her associates had been brought
to the meeting on false issue.
Mrs Williamson was the next speaker,
Her first step was to disclaim all know
ledge of the newspaper articles which re-
Elected on Steward Gaskill. She was
visited by World reporter who had tried
hard to get the Stewards name, but she
had refused to comply with the request.
She had taken some trouble to discover
the authorship of the articles and had
found that the foundation was laid by 6
Philadelphia paper. Mrs. Williamson
then touched upon the main question. A
large majority of the almshouses in the
state have complied with the law requir
ing separation of the sexes. She wa:
certain net a person present desired the
condition of affairs reported to exist al
the almshouse. OneiIviolation of the Law
she declared to be the keeping of so many
able-bodied men on the place. They
have no right to be there. Almshousei
are not intended for such people. II
many cases it should be the duty of thu
Steward to look into the particulars. L
the person committed had any relatives
able to take care for him he should b.
sent back to be provided for. Mrs. Will
hanson referred to the records being i'm
perfect and to the fact that they were no
kept at the almshouse.
Steward Gaskill at this point asked per
mission to speak. He said the books hat