New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-04
DEFENDS HER DISCIPLINE
MRS. EYLER TELLS OF SEVERE PUNrsp.
MENTS INFLICTED.
SHE SEEMS TO IMPRESS THE GOVERNOR r.vo.
ABLY-sHE COMEDIES. MANY cHARcEs
DENIES OTHERS

SHE SEEMS TO IMPRESS THE GOVERNOR FAyo>
ABLY-sHE COMEDIES. MANY CHARGES
AND DENIES OTHERS
Trenton. Aug. OspeciaD.-This was the third 49,.
last day of the investigation by Governor Voorh.
of the State Industrial School for Girls TO con.,s
charges or inhuman punishment inflicted bv ~,
principal, Mrs. Myrtle Eyler. and TO look into -
general management Of the institution. A fea,p,.
of the day was the appearance on the stand ~ "
Eyler, who testified in her behalf. She franLs
admitted the use Of straitjackets, shackles a..
poral punishment diminution Of food res,ro,,. =.
liberty and Incarceration in dungeons in the CELL.
but justified her course In each instance On ~
theory that the punishment fitted the crime
Now that the worst has been told about N. a.,
stituion. there Is much interest in what will ba ,s
outcome Of the whole affair which has aroused ,hs
State from end to end. There Is no mstak,n. az
fact that the Governor believes that the renor,, ~
the punishment inflicted the school have h...
greatly exaggerated and that little or nothing ~
been published In defence of the management IT,,
opinion prevails. however, that it will not bs ,o,
before there will be an entire new Board n, r-s
tees, who VIII give greater personal attention >.
the management of the institution, and in this co..
1t would not be surprising II Mrs Eyler would Ga
reasons for soon handing in her resignation ana .,
a man were elected principal. In the past Mr.,
Eyler has had majority OF the trustees and near,
all the State Board Of Lady Managers on her aida
However, this does not make bed OF roses for N.
principal. There is talk Of charges being rnsS.
against her In the criminal courts for striking som.
of the inmates and pulling their hair
In a pretty. light gown that emphas ,za5 -,
strong character denoted by her face Mrs EvIar
appeared before the Investigators The Covarro.
fairly deluged her with questions Of her reportea
cruelties. Her face changed according TO m.
pertinency or the questions. She smiled with sat,s
faction when she felt she had scored a point ana
dir - IaGo
criticism OF her management She has been IN
charge Of the school since 1897, the place having
been offered to her by Managing Trustee Cook
while she the matron of the local Florence
Crittenden Mission
Mrs. Eyler referred to the apartments character.
tied by the Governor Trustee Cook and Mrs EN-.
ley as punishment rooms in plain language. and
called them dungeons. She said that the strap FOR
punishment had been handed down by her preds.
cessor Mrs McFadden No one was confined IN
the dungeon except on her order. She introduced
the dungeons, with the permission OF the trustees
TO secure Uniformity Of punishment and avoid IN.
key 10 unlock the dungeon door. Water in tin cups
was not kept in the dungeons. because once an
inmate battered tin cup handle into tool by
which the In the door unloosened
Water could always be secured by knocking On the
door for an attendant: Blankets were always
given at night. She defended making the Barlow
girl go up and down stairs twenty-five times OF
by ceasng 10 shufie her feet when she walked
The girl did not become I'll until two weeks after
She denied striking the Barlow girl, and the as
sertion OF the school physician that the latter was
not permitted 10 visit the sick in their rooms She
vigorously denied the story that she had beaten
Teresa Truax in the face with her fists but ad-
mitted that she spanked her with slipper She
had followed the methods Of punishment, in
modified form. used IN the Hudson lndustrH
Cark's black eye was not produced by blow. but
by the girl falling in trying TO escape punishment
No girl ever kept in the dungeon over week.
and they all had substantial 1000.
The story that Sadie Wesemann was driven 70 an
insane asylum by cruel treatment she also denied.
Trustee Maddox. who made the charge. told the.
Governor that his authority was Managing Trustee
girl was sent to her home in Passac. and that the
authorities there afterward sent her TO an insane
asylum She was examined by an alientlst az me
school and he said she was unfit for the school:
Mrs Eyer said that Sadie had never been punished
on cross examination by Mr.. Backes Mrs. Eyle.
admitted that castor oil and soap ana water had
snaoch she denied positively that qunine was
given for such offences She contended that dlary
Eent nv her predecessor showed that methods Of
correction for refractory pupils were less severe
now than formerly The ''punishment book n.
been open at all times for inspection Once eias,
was sent 10 their sleeping room because penci!i
had been lost. Again pair OF scissors was missed
and class was sent to bed without supper ,,u..,..
,aIsihcatlon Of the punishment book records, but
she denied anything OF the kind and explained as
One girl was kept in her bedroom nineteen days
Board she said ordered bread and water tor un-
ruly pupils She admitted sending several classes
10 bed without their meals and deprivng classes
Of morning and evening prayers. she sald she hda
no favorites among the employees =. -,,.,,v
had been g',nty herself. she said IN pulling ch ~,
violently from a chair. II was true tnat tne IN.
mates would go 10 bed by 7:S0 o'clock ana t ss
the teachers would go out for The evening sns
denied the story OF teacher that an innate .s1S
kent confined after penitence had been repeatedqE
EXPRESSED She denied the lawyers insnuatioh
mai She had had serious quarres IN her nat BUS
hands former church and in the Florence Ms
sion Of which she was the head .u-.
Governor VOORHEES, said that he once saw NEGRO
girl kept IN the dungeon, and that the gir OILY
ernned and showed her big white teeth wheh 'n7
Governor appeared. -, a.o-. v,Ii
Dispositions OF former teachers and oticers w.
he taken The Governor said TO Mr. Backes:
You may make their dispositions as strong -
possible Mr.. Backes . ..,,,., Van,
IN will be necessary In order 10 convince iUa a
Excellencv that there is anything wrong "S
Mr. Backess reply 49,. N-.s,iv
That II will" said the Governor rstner sins
The verbal investigation was then aolpurnep al,
die The opinion prevails that Mrs. EYER haoe
out good case for herself