Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-05-03
INMATES TESTIFY IN CHILLICOTHE
INVESTIGATION.
THEY HAVE MANY GRIEVANCES
DECLARE THEY ARE KEPT TOO
LONG AT THE INSTITUTION.
More Testimony as to Promiscuous
and Persistent kissing by Gar
dener yandiver-Prominen
Democrat Criticises
Management.

| CHlLLlCOIHE, Mo-, May -.-lSpeCldl)
Governor Stephens appointees connected
| with the Industrial home received a severe
criticism to-day from S. j. Miller, prom
inent Democrat and the attorney for the
! board of managers. Politics and favorit-
| ism are predominant features of the ap-
| pointment of the managers of the home
and the board is strictly partisan" said
| Mr.. Miller. There is a disposition on the
part of the management to keep girls in
the home when they should be released.
| This is frequently done simply to make a
| showing.
There have been some gross irregu-
larities in the management" continued the
witness. "One girls life was insured in
| favor of a superintendent. This, in my
opinion, is contrary to the spirit of the
| law That man Vandiver should not be
| allowed to live at the institution. 1t Is
| not necessary for any man to live in the
| building"
| The Democratic members of the inves-
| tigating committee have been flooded with
| kilograms demanding their return to JEFF
| ferson City. AS a result, Messrs. Fitz-
gerald and Voolfolk have decided to leave
on the first train. The session will be
| continued by the two Republicans and
| Chairman See.
Testimony taken to-day confirmed the
charge that vandiver has kissed girls at his
| will, and that, in many instances, girls
were punished when they were ignorant of
| the cause. The committee heard testimony
| that has proved beyond a doubt that the
| most innocent girls are thrown in daily
contact with the vicious. Miss Anna Clark,
| who was superintendent of the home until
about one month ago, testified that she had
resigned her position on account of internal
dissensions in the board of managers.
II think that the girls are kept here too
| long," said Miss Clark. Concerning Vandi-
| yer, the witness said that he did anything
he desired. He refused to do anything"
said Miss Clark. He told me to order the
girls to split wood. When Governor Ste
phens learned that occupied the position
of superintendent, he seemed very much
surprised that l had secured the appoint
ment without his influence"
The inmates of the Industrial home had
their innings to-day. Several girls were
called to the stand and each one testified
| that the gardener, Vandiver. had been In
| the habit of kissing girls every time he
had an opportunity. The committee learned
that Vandiver has been the Sunday school
| teacher at the home. Notwithstanding
| against him, testimony already taken has
developed the fact that Governor Steph-
ems has given him most fiatterins recon-
mendations. From the statements made
| by the girls who testified to-day, it was
shown that the rules of the institution
have been overbearing in many instances.
| and pair of handcuffs is kept as part of
| the equipment of the home.
Ida Keely testified that she had run
away from the home in 1896 and was put
in cell and kept there for three weeks
on bread and water. Vandiver, she
said, seemed very fond of kissing, and she
him. The witness declared that none of
the girls had been benefited by their con-
finement in the home.
Il know that l am worse than I ever
Concerning the reports of drunkenness
| among the girls, the witness said that
| Mabel Box, an inmate, had been intoxicat-
ed. She said Vandiver cursed before the
girls and made indecent insfnuations before
them. This he would do after offering
Kate Hanselman, who is regarded as one
of the good girls, testified that the
gardener had frequently kissed her. I'VE
| are not allowed" said the witness, ito cor
respond with our relatives concerning our
| desire to be released.
| Vivian Burns, another inmate, testified
that her record has been good for three
years, but she could not procure her re-
lease.
II have been kept too long" she said.
II would like to go home and live with
my mother. My aunt has made two ap-
| plications to have me released, but moth
| Ing has been done.
aThe innocent girls here have to suffer
I'VE have few privileges since the recent
| trouble
Did Mr.. vandiver ever kiss you?"
"Yes, several times ! was always care
| full to keep away from him."
DO you know of any cruel practices in
| the homer"
"Yes, several of the girls are bound with
cords. This is r. most cruel punishment.
Teachers have threatened to gag the girls,
| but do not know whether this has been
| done or not. 1 was not in the last riot,
| but / was punished just the same as We're
| the guilty girls. Since l ha been in the
| institution matters in regard to the man.
agement have in many instances grown
| worse. Inmates are punished without a
hearing"
Have you any complaints about the
| fare that is furnished on the table,"
LAS a general rule it is fairly good. but
| we have found maggots in the food on
several occasions"
Emma Butttick said that vandver had
kissed her so often that she could not
remember the number OF times.
"Mr Vandiver was my Sunday school
| teacher" said the witness. Sometimes
when we were talking of religious subjects
| he kissed me. One evening 1 was called
| to Mr.. Vandiver's room. He was lying in
| his bed, and he asked me to kiss him,
| which did twice"