The Wilmington daily Republican., 1899-08-02
cru CRUELTY ! I|'I'.'ll 70 PRISONERS
In New Jerseys State Industrial
:, School For Girls. /.
THE GOVERNOR INVESTIGATING.

Employees and Teachers In the Insti-
tuition Tell OF Harsh Methods Prac-
bleed by Mrs. Eyler. the Principal
OF the School.
Trenton, Aug. 2.-Governor VOORHEES,
has decided to personally investigate
the charges Of cruelty in the manage
ment of the State Indr rial School
for Girls made against Mrs. Eyler, the
principal, made to him yesterday by
Rev. DR.. Maddox and p. J. Fitzgib-
bon, of the board Of trustees. The gov
ernor had his stenographer there to
take notes, and will make thorough
Investigation, which will be conducted
publicly.
Several witnesses were examined
yesterday afternoon. all of whom made
statements against Mrs. Eyler and the
methods employed in discipling the
girls. The first witness was Gottleib
Kohler, q, fireman at the institution,
who said that he had often been sent
for by Mrs. Eyler to hold the girls
while she punished them generally by
slapping them in the face. 6hackles
and straight jackets, he said, were free
ly used, and he was obliged to hold the
girls while they were spanked. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the punish
ment was too severe, and said the
straight Jackets has never been used
before Mrs. Eylers time, except once
on a crazy girl.
Timothy Coniff, a coachman at the
institution, gave testimony in the
same vein as Kohler and instanced
one case where he was holding a girl
when Mrs. Eyler wrapped the girls
hair around her wrist and pulling her
head back over chair struck the girl
In the face with her fist.
school and sister of Rev. DR.. Wight,
Of Long Branch, said that the affairs
at the school were very unpleasant.
She had purposely avoided witnessing
corporal punishment, because she was
opposed to it, and practically none Of
this was practiced under Mrs. Ely
ler's predecessors. Miss Wight told
of three girls who had run away from
the school and had been caught again.
They were kept In close confinement
for five weeks, part of the time in a
dungeon, and for three weeks were
given only bread and water. Miss
Wight said that she and Miss Har-
bourt had charge of SO of the girls and
managed them with very little difficult
ty. There are 1856 girls in the school
and IA teachers altogether.
Miss Margaret Harbourt, another
teacher, told of the punishment Of
Katie Barlow, the little girl who last
week was sent to the city hospital.
The girl had taunted one of the teach
ers, and for this Mrs. Eyler ordered
her to walk up and down tier of
steps rs times, and was then put in a
dungeon.
A colored girl who had broken the
rules by writing letter to another
girl in the school was put in cell for
seven days. Miss Harbourt said that
when girls were put on bread and
water the cups were not allowed to re-
main in the cell, and the girls could
only have drink when served to
them Miss Harbourt admitted that
she disobeyed the rules in this respect,
anu lLdL Wucll bu5 SCIN0u WdItl " tut
girls in the cell she left a cupful with
them in order that they might drink
as they needed it.
Isabella Scott, employed in the school
laundry, said that it was common oc-
currence for girls to be punished by
being slapped in the face. On one oc-
casion, she said, 80 girls were sent to
bed without supper for failing to learn
a scriptural lesson.
During the investigation there was a
colloquy between Trustee Fitzgibbon
and Trustee Cook as to whether
shackles were introduced in the school
by Mrs. Eyler. Mr.. Crook said they
were used before Mrs. Eyler's time.
Trustee Fitzgibbon denied this, and
reading from note book said that five
pairs had been ordered by Mrs. Eylers
husband, who Is an employe of the in
stitution, without the knowledge of
the board of trustees.