The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-11-14
The Alm.hou.a A..a,1sa.

The city papers, on Friday, contained
accounts of the report of Mrs. Williamson
chairman of the State Board of Charities
in which serious charges are made against
the management of the almshouse at Penn.
berton. Mrs. Williamson, in her report
says that details of the conditions in some
of the almshouses are absolutely imprint.
able. Then, the papers report the state.
ment that the situation in the almshouses
of Burlington, Salem and Sussex counties
is stigmatized as disgraceful beyond de-
| scriptlon.
This is news to most of the people of
Burlington county, who, for nearly thirty
| years, have prided themselves that the in
stitution at Pemberton has been one of the
best conducted in the state, and it is rath
er funny that with all the people anxious
to fill the shoes of the present Steward,
and who have been seeking the opportun-
ity for some time, that this very disgrace
fur state of affairs has never been discOv-
cred before. If we are not mistaken Mrs
Williamson made report about three
years ago, in which she highly compli-
mented the almshouse and its management
Yet one of the strong points in the report
just published is that -four years ago the
warden took to drink, but nevertheless
has been retained, although the Free
holders undoubtedly were aware of the
lax manner in which the institution was
rum"
The almshouse is referred to thus: "This
place is twelve miles back in the country
and hard to reach. In consequence the
life led by the inmates unobserved has
been horrible beyond description.
Through our agent, Mrs Avery, we first
loo IF conditions =
ally visited, the institution" These are
supposed to be the words of Mrs. William
son, but Steward Gaskill saws the lady has
not been at the almshouse for three years.
Another of the statements published is
as follows: "In the Pemberton almshouse
Mrs. Williamson found the records i'm
perfect. The books are kept by a man
who lives eight miles from the institution
in small hamlet. He occasionally calls
at the almshouse and takes notes. The
records concerning large percentage of
the inmates are valueless The warden is
, a man named Gaskill, whom the Free
holders have been trying to remove. He
resists on the ground that he is a Civil
War veteran" This portion of the report
is decidedly rich and will be hugely en-
joyed by all who read it. AS matter of
fact the Freeholders are absolutely power
less to remove the Steward who is elected
by the people. But there is not the
slightest basis for the statement of an eff
fort in that direction. The "civil war"
veteran business is extremely humorous.
Dory has been in many battles, it is true,
but they were of ballots and not bullets.
Hence, with a positive knowledge of the
true state of affairs. we have no hesitancy
in designating the latter statements either
bald falsehoods or a painful display of
ignorance.
Perhaps, however, the newspapers have
magnified the reports or misstated them.
That this is possible is shown by accounts
that creep into the papers in this neigh
borhood In the Sunday Press, for in
stance, In reference to this very case, it
was printed that "a movement is already
on foot to have the next Grand Jury in
dict Mrs. Emily E. Williamson, of Eliza
beth, the chairman of the committee"
There is no basis for this statement. In
the same article there is another para
graph to the effect that "Mr Gaskill saws
he will resign at once" This is absolute
ly without foundation, as Mr. Gaskill in
tends to remain until the 25th of next
March, when his term expires In Justice
to the correspondent of the Press in Mount
Holly, it is but fair to say that the letter
sent by him to the paper was garbled
after it reached the Office in Philadelphia.
He sent word that there was possibility
Of Mr.. Gaskill taking legal action against
the newspapers and correspondents who
have published the libelous articles about
him. In the matter of resignation the
correspondent said that Mr.. Gaskill would
voluntarily retire from the office next
March. These statements are very much
different from those which appeared in
type.
Whether the newspapers have correctly
reported this matter or not, the people of
of Burlington county should act at once.
If Theodore B. Gaskill has been recreant
to the trust imposed in him these many
years, those who haye honored and trusted
him should know it. And the people are
not the only ones interested. The good
name of Mr.. Gaskill has been assailed and
he has been held up to the people all over
the country in very unenviable light.
He has right to be heard. The Board
Of Freeholders in session to-day should
appoint committee composed entirely of
citizens not members of that body, who
will thoroughly investigate this matter
and see that justice is done regardless of
whose head may fall.