The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-11
GIRLSCHOKED AND BEATEN.
STRONG TESTIMONY AGAINST MRS
MYRTLE II. EYLER.
Miss Frances bay swrars That Sadie Wise
man was Beaten, Choked and starved,
and Kept for weeks In Confinement at
the GlrlA, IndnAtrInl Srhnol Mt Trenton.

| man was Beaten, Choked and starved,
| and Kept for Weeks In Confinement Mt
| the Girls Industrial school at Trenton.
| TRENTON. n. j., Aug. lO.-Thc first OF the
| testimony regarding the Girls Industrial
| school which is to be submitted to the
| Governor by Attorney John Backes on behalf
OF Trustee Fitzgibbon was taken to-day. Miss
Francis Day, age %. Of Bayonne. an agent
to the state Board OF Chldren's Guar
dinns and the clerk to tho state Board
of Charities Aid. was the chief witness
She is graduate u the institution.
having gone there whom she was thirteen years
| old and was made its clerk at the age OF
eighteen. She held that place until short
time after the advent OF Mrs Eycr. Mrs.
Mary 4. Miller. fifty years old. former
teacher in the school now OF Waterford. N Y.
corroboratcd in an affidavit tho story told by
Miss Day
Miss Day declared that tho punishment
record at tho school had been falsihed by her
at the order " Mrs Eylcr As clerk she had
To- cupy the records Of runlshmcns submitted
by the teachers, but very often. She said. Mrs.
Eylcr has added to the entries so as to com
rIct"ly change the tenor and meaning OF the
record
"Ihai to obey Mrs Eylcr's orders in matters OF
punishment or resign and chose the latter"
she declares. Il mako it as a general state
mont that al no time while was at tho insti-
tuition. under Mrs. Eyer. was a girl punished
by being placed in a dungeon unless at tho
same timo Mrs. Eycr beat the child with her
hand or a strap During tho nine years
that | was at tho institution under
Mrs. McFaddcn. tho former matron. / never
saw Mrs. McFadlcn strike or otherwise modest
any OF the children. After Mrs. Eyler came
she placed straps in the hands Of some Of tho
teachers for use Mrs. Sckel and Miss Nande-
veer zach had ont. Mrs. Eylcr frequently used
hers. and her favorite expression while strik-
ing the girls was: You v" got tho dewitt in you
and I'm going to got it out OF you Mrs.
Fyl"rs manner in treating the girls was cal
cuated to tautaIizo and annoy them. Her
method was to grab them by the neck band Of
their dresses. and she frequently stated that
this would shut of their wind and they would
hc easier subdued."
Miss Day then took IN the case of Sadie
WisomOn. "One Sunday afternoon in April,
lNs"i.' She swears. Mrs. Eylcr sent for mo to
get a straight Jacket and pair OF anKlets. Sadie
Welsmou was on the Hat OF her back in tho up
per hall Of the school with Mrs Sicke who
weighs in the neightorhood OF 25O pounds
sitting on her abdomen with the girls arms
rrnoned to the floor When ! returned
Timothy Curnir was also there Mrs Eylcr
said to Connl. Drag her right up stairs to
her up stairs was ordered to put the straight
jacket and anklets on her. did So while Con-
MN was holding her. Sadie was III Il great
rage, and was screaming at Mrs. Eyler and
threatening to report her to the Board Of Man
ars. Mr.. Eylcr was also in great rage. She
had lost control OF herself She ordered
Commit to choke Sadie. While the girl
was talking sho said to Commit. Choke
that on Connf, obeyue orders,
pat 10th his hands around the girls
throat rni cho&ed her until she was black
and blue in the face and until she could not
talk. She simply Gurgl"d. Commit released
his holi upon the girl twice. and each time was
ordered by EyIrr to repeat the treatment. The
breath was almost choked out of tn" girl the
straight lack"t and auklets being on her dur
ING the operation. While the choking was co.
ing on. Mrs. Eylor was whipping Sadie with
leather strap She struck her at least "A hum
dred times about the body and twice in the
face
Mrs. Ey"r struck right and left and in her
fury struck me several times 10y accident Tn.
striking across the face raised wets and Sadie
was black and blue from tho beating Mrs.
Iyl"r ordered Connitr to drag her into the cell,
which he did. had charge Of Sadie aiterthat
~" was III confinement for six weeks without
square meal until she was taken from the
Sadie was in the dungeon for six days. Mrs.
fy'cr only saw the girl once in SIX weeks
Mrs. EyI"r ordered me to give her one slice Of
bread and one cup OF water at = o'clock in tho
morning and at > O'Clock in the evening and
no more.
When took the straight Jacket Off Sadie.
her arms were completely paralyzcd She had
no feeling whatever in them and had to rub
th"in Tor som" time before she could even
leebIy uso them. After Sadie had been in the
dungeon twcnty-four hours. she told me that
she was sorry for disobedience and for losing
her temper then reported to Mrs. EyIer that
the girl was pcnitent. Mrs. Eylcr replied:
'Sa0ie's in very good place where she ia
During the six days of the girls !
confinement applied four times to Mrs. Eyler
Tor the girls release. After six days in tho |
dungeon Mrs. EyIcr allowed me to give her two |
slic"s OF bread twice IA day instead OF one. |
sadie became SO weak on this diet that Mrs. |
Fyler became alarmed at her condition After |
almost begging Mrs. Eyler she allowed me To |
give the girl some hot milk. but then Sadie
was SO sick and her stomach in such delicate
condition that she could not retain it.
1 nursed her until she gradually grew
strong enough to take substantial food After
the fourth day in the board room Mrs. Fylcr
allowed m" to give her one meal a day. but
would not nllow her to have it until , O'Clock in
the afternoon. All she got was the cold dinner
meat. cold potatoes and whatever the other
children had at the regular dinner hour was
forced by Mrs. Eyl"r to put Sadie's dinner on
the plate at dinner and it was cold and stifr
when she got it,"
Miss Pay said that when Sadie left she could
hardly walk. As to Louisa Stokes Miss Day
said that hy Mrs Eyler's orders Gottliob Koh!er
Knocked her down. The girl was in bed for
M, -, ,;,I