The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-04
HUMANE :
CRUEL TY
Dark Cell and StarVa-
tion Substitutes For
Old Time Chastise-
nnents at Tren-
ton.
MRS. EYLER'S DEFENCE
Principal Of the Girls In
dustrial School Makes
a Good Witness
For Herself.
PUNISHMENT BOOK PVERILITlEs
Severe Penalties For Ap-
parently Trihing In
fractions of Rule.
LAWYER BAcKEs FESTIVE
Governor Voorhees, Appears
to Regard the Charges
as Improved or I'm
important.
Especial to THE Jersey City News."l

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News
TRENTON, Aug. a. 1S99.-With the ex-
animation Of Principal Myrtle B. Eyler,
the investigation into the alleged mis-
management of the State Industrial
School for Girls was yesterday brought
to a close. From the position Governor
VOORHEES, has assumed all through the in
ouiry and from the jocose way in which
lie treated the matter revealed on the
cross-exarnination of Mrs. Eyler yester-
dry. 4afe viii no doubt make a report or
statement, upholding the present man
agement of the school,
When Councillor John H. Backes, who
appeared for Trustee Fitzgibbon. asked
Mrs. Eyler some question about the trou-
bile al the Florence Mission, the Governor
interrupted. saying: Just let me answer
that. for I know all about it. It was sim
ply a quarrel between a lot Of old women,
of both sexes, over the management of
the Mission
Mrs. Eyler was in the witness chair
throughout the entire day. and when she
had concluded her testimony Mr.. Backes
asked for another day to produce some of
the former employees. The Governor said
he wanted to go on his vacation and there
tion. which led to a spirited argument
between HIS Excellency and the lawyer.
The Governor finally asked who Mr..
Backes wished to have examined, and
the lawyer replied;-
Il would like to bring Miss Frances
Day, who resigned under pressure, and
Mrs. Miller and Miss Hammell and sew
eral others"
Il am responsible for Miss Days go
ing, not Mrs. EyIer." said the Governor,
"and think you ought to get afEidayits
from the parties and submit them to
me-
Mr.. Backes explained that such dis
closures had been made that It was the
Governors duty to act and the witnesses
ought to be examined in person. The
Chief Executive, however, insisted on
having the inquiry brought to a close at
once, and informed Mr.. Backes that there
was no course left for him but to submit
afidavits.
Mrs. Eyler occupied the witness stand
throughout the day and was submitted
to the most rigid and deliberate cross
examination at the hands of Counsellor
John H. Backes Yet from the time that
the Governor began 10 question her at Il
O'Clock in the morning until the lawyer
had concluded his duties in the after
noon the woman was as calm and her
nerves were as steady as they have been
since she first entered the school on the
18th OF February 1897
She smiled when the Governor mentioned
strait-jaclSets and actually laughed aloud
when Mr.. Backes seemed Mortified at the
awfuness of the cellar dungeons The
records of the punishment that has been
forced upon the inmates, for whose care
and training she is responsible, were de-
liberately gone over by her in manner
that betrayed not the slightest emotion.
and altogether her evidence could not
have created more favorable impression.
Even when Mr.. Backes instructed her
to turn to page 112 of the punishment
book. where was recorded under date Of
December 25 the fact that Florence Traux
had served nineteen days in a third-story.
boarded room, the Principal was entirely
under self-control and gave no evidence
Of anything but the clearest conscience.
She admitted that girls were kept for a
week at a time on bread and water, living
meanwhile in the dungeons, where she
said snake had once been found. but in
every instance justified the course by
saying that the Board of Trustees were
responsible. The Trustees had ordered
that inmates undergoing punishment
should be fed nothing else, and that no
releases were authorized until the Offend
er openly acknowledged penitence. Mrs.
Eyler fatty denied the statements Of
teachers and instructors and defled the
lawyer TO prove that she was wrong.
There were still other features Of the
days inves stigation which were consid-
cred BY many to be as strangely remark
able as Mrs Eyler's presence Of mind
1it only one member Of the Board Of
ilstees Of the School put in an appear
at either the morning or afternoon
as, and he, with Mrs, Eugene En-