The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-11-28

institution Mr. Fox declined to answer.
Then followed series of running ques-
lions and answers. Mrs. Williamson
claimed family history should be kept of
each inmate The records do not show in
several instances where the parents live.
She also claimed that the Steward had a
perfect right to refuse to receive any com
mitment until he had satisfied himself that
it is clearly legal. In reply to another
question Mrs. Williamson said she knew
of but one aggravated case-that of Mag
Hoffman, and this seems to be the whole
bugaboo Asked what she had to suggest
she said she was aiming entirely for the
erection of separate buildings.
Mr. White was asked if he knew of
anything in the records showing that the
Board had been notified with reference to
the separation of the sexes. He said he
did not.
At this point Mrs. Gaskill announced
that dinner was ready and all present
were invited to go to the dining room.
Mr.. Gaskill wanted the visitors to view
the buildings first and they went around.
Whatever were their opinions they did
not express them. On returning the in
vitation to dine was repeated. Mr. Fox
and Mrs. Williamson seemed inclined to
accept, but they finally consented that the
team in which they arrived should be
summoned, and they took their leave.
After dinner the investigation was re-
sumed Mr. Gaskill was called He said
he had been governed during his encum-
bency by the rules employed by his pred
ecessors, and had made several for him
self. The sexes had been separated as
far as possible. They have separate yards
and are locked up in different parts of the
house at night. In thirty years he could
recall but six cases of children being born
whose father and mother were both in the
the institution. Sixty per cent. of the
inmates are women. The illegitimate
births will not average more than six per
year in the past thirty years, and the
greater portion of those were by women
brought to the place in consequence of
their condition.
Mr.. Gaskill said he has no means of
knowing about the people committed to
the place except by the commitments.
The records are made up from those pa
pers. He never understood it to be his
duty to make extended inquiry in the
matter AS an instance of when the men
and women are thrown together the
Steward spoke of hog killing time. Then
it takes all the help that can be secured to
aid in making lard and in doing other
work. But at such times Mrs. Gaskill is
always present to keep an eye on the en-
ployes. The Board of Freeholders had
never requested him to separate the sexes.
OF all the people now in the almshouse he
could not recall any whose relatives are
able to support them. Mag Hoffman, Of
whom so much has been said, has been
married to the man who has been intimate
with her. He is one of the best workers
on the place. With reference to keeping
so many able bodied people around, Mr..
Gaskill said it was absolutely necessary
to have some of that class to do the work
of the place, otherwise the farm would
suffer. The books have never been away
from the house to his knowledge.
Mrs. Gaskill's statement was of the
same import as that of her husband. In
addition she spoke of some of the female
inmates. They had come to the place in
a delicate condition. When ready tc
leave she had refused to let them go, as
she feared they would soon be back in the
same condition. They are not hard tt
manage, and she does not have any trou
BILE in keeping them away from the men
This talk about able bodied people, she
thought, was nonsense. With all thai
class on the place, Mrs. Gaskill said sht
is compelled to hire help in order that thu
work may be properly done.
John H. Antrim said he kept the books
but was unable to record the entire his
tory of each inmate because the commit
ment did not give it. He had never taker
the books from the place
Andrew 81. Fort was called and ques
toned about the manner in which tn,
place had been kept during the many
years he lived on a neighboring farm, ant
he said he had never heard word o
criticism.
This concluded the days work and tn,
committee adjourned to meet at the cal
of the chairman,
Hugh Fox, President of the State BoarC
of Children's Guardians, issued state
ment of the result of the trip of himsel
and other members of the Board to New
Lisbon to attend the investigation int
charges of mismanagement at the Penn
berton almshouse.
Mr.. Fox declared ''there is nothing TO
our Board to retract The statements il
our report submitted to the Governor ar,
absolutely correct, being each and al
based on facts. No change will be mad,
in what we say in our report concerning
the Burlington almshouse or any othe
almshouse in the state"
This statement confirms the opinion
that the State Board is prejudiced ant
not inclined to be fair Had they BEEF
otherwise they would at least have givel
credit to refutation of their false state
ment about the books. However, the PEG
pie of Burlington county, after being sat
isfed with affairs as they have existed TO
thirty years, will not be much disturbe,
over the vaporings of two women VIII
think they are destined to reform tn
whole state.
The animus of this report by the stat
society probably lies in the refusal of TIN
Steward of the Almshouse to comply witt
the request of the society's agent 70
children. This agent went to the aims
house and demanded that children be Civ
en- to her. Mr.. Gaskill declined on tn
ground that he had no authority to do Sc
The agent said the state had passed Law
on the subject, but Mr.. Gaskill still refu'
ed unless she had the sanction Of th
Board of Freeholders The agent toll
him the state of New Jersey was large
than the county of Burlington, STATE
ment that was accepted as true, but th
Steward reminded the lady that he we
under bonds to the county and not to th
state. The agent left and at the ne1
meeting of the Board of Freeholders Mr.
Abbey appeared and made statement, Q
the strength of which a resolution WIS