Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-16
REFORMS ARE FAVORED.
Conclusion of Grand Jury as to Wit.
cheIlVille School,

Des Moines, Nov. 14.-The Polk coun-
ty grand jury will conclude its inves-
tigation into the recent riots at the In
dustrial Sshool for Girls at Mitchellville
and make report of its findings
Wednesday or Thursday. The grand
jury will not only make indictments,
but will make a special report of its
Investigations for the purpose of plac-
ing the blame for the. riots where it
belongs. This report promises to be of
Ia highly sensational character.
1t is learned that the grand jury and
the board of control do not agree as
to what should be done in the premises
and that some interesting discussions
have been had as to what the report
should be. Members of the board Of
control have been disposed to blame the
girls who participated in the riots and
to exonerate all others. Members of
the grand jury We're not able to see it
this way. The members of the board
have as much as asked for the indict-
ment of some of the girls who were
ring leaders on misdemeanor charges,
including those of defacing public
buildings, malicious mischief, melting
to riot. ETC., but the understanding
now it that the grand jury will not
indict on these charges. On the con-
trary, twill indict only persons who
it is shown had improper relations with
the inmates of the school during the
riots OF who assisted them in escaping
after the effort to subdue the riot had
been commenced.
Members of the jury are very strong
ly7 disposed to believe that an entirely
wrong policy has been followed and the
supposed weakness disclosed will be
shown up in the report. In short, the
report will be very largely in the ma
ture of a recommendation to the leg
islature for reforms for the school. The
manner in which the girls are permit
ted to mingle at the school will be
strongly condemned and it will be rec
commended that in the future there
be a more complete segregation; that
incorrigibles be confined in one build
ing, degenerates in another, those
guilty of offenses against society in
another and those who have been com.
mitted for violations of the criminal
statutes in still another, and that di.
vision also be made with reference to
ages and the degree to which the in.
mates have gone to their particular
lines Of waywardness. The policy oil
permitting all classes to mingle will be
severely condemned and it is not i'm.
probable that it will be recommended
thai girls who have been taken from
houses of ill-repute or who were in :
way to become social outcasts be pro
lyided for in an entirely separate insti
tuition.
The grand jury in its investigation
has been very thorough. Not only
have the officers of the institution beer
examined, but state officials, the girls
and many of the residents OF Mitchell
vile have been before the jury. Con
siderable inquiry has also been made
into the antecedents of the girls, with
a view of ascertaining for what Of
lenses they were committed, and as
result the jury is satisfied that the
older girls who We're sent to the schoo
for offenses against society have WELD
ed asbad influence over the ordinary
incorrigibles and not only have pre-
vented their reforma ton, but have in
stilled into their minds ideas that ars
entirely foreign to the purposes of the
school.