New-York tribune., 1900-11-26
SORT OF DOTHEBoYS HALL.
PROPRIETOR OF BOARDING SCHOOL
ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH
MISTREATING BOYS

William E. Duffy. who runs what he calls the
Beacon Heights Boarding School for Boys at
Tuckahoe was arrested Saturday night by
DIR. s. A. Balch, Superintendent of the Yonkers
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty TO Cnli-
dren charged with violating Section 2S9 OF the
Penal Code.
1t is alleged that Duffy conducted the schooi IN
such a manner that the lives and morals OF the
children were endangered. Several Complaints
were made to the society that DuHy nearly
every morning turned the boys out or the schooi'
locked the doors and went away, leaving them
to take care of themselves as best they could
until he came home. He would leave a loai OF
bread and some cold meat on the piazza 1or
them to eat while he was away.
The boys were half starved and slept In barns
during the day in bad weather. They were
Poorly clad and uncIean Duffy received $lZ %
a month each for their board and schooling. He
did not attempt to teach them anything, 1t Is
said
The matter was investigated by Dr. Balch, and
he went to the place and found Albert Moussert
six years old. of No. 64 West Tenth-st. Edward
GRAY. thirteen years old. who was placed In the
school by an aunt. his mother living at No. 30
Degraw-st. Brooklyn; Harold Norman. eleven
wears old of No. 324 East Thirty fourth st.
who was placed in the school by uncle, and
George Galloway, whose father lives at Ridge
field Park N. j.
Duffy was arraigned before Judge Kellogg, In
Yonkers, and Dr. Bach consented to allow the
Judge to suspend sentence If Duffy delivered
the children to him. This Duffy did. and was
liberated. DR.. Balch brought the children to
this city. The authorities think that Duffy in
tended to run a farm under the guse OF a
school, having the boys parents pay for their
beard and working them the place.
hoys Magistrate
Brann in Jefferson Market police court yester-
day They looked unkempt and as If they had
been touring the country on freight trains In
stead of being boarding school pupils
Young Gray described the way the school was
run by Duffy 1T was wooden oulldlns on
the top of a high hill" he said and there were
three on the first floor. five on the second
and three on the last floor. The only recitation
room was the dining room, but there were no
blackboards there and 1t did not look ike
schoolroom. There was no room In the mouse
that had carpet on it, just the bare wooden moor.
Mr.. Duffy cooked the meals except when MS
niece there. She was good to US Wnlle
of any of the boys. 1 was there a year and
three months; Moussert was only there month,
Norman three months, and Galloway rour
months School opened this year on July 1O.
Duffy whipped often. and would never let
a boy so home except on holiday. He went to
NewEYork very often. At least two days week
he would go, and one week not long ago he went
every day. He would leave slices of bread and
some meat for us in bag. When he went away
he always had basket under his arm. IL ne
did not come back at night we had to sleep
wherever could We always went In the
chicken COOP"
The boys were in good spirits because they
had been delivered from the boarding school, and
looked forward joyfuy to getting home They
were turned over TO the Society for the Preven-
tion of Cruelty to Children here, and Will be re-
turned to their parents
Duffy was formerly a professor in a prepara-
tory school in this city. He owns the house
where he ran the academy. having purchased It
from q loan association at foreclosure sale.
The building is valued at $1,000 Duffy has
been running his school for fourteen months.
In his circulars he advertised his academy" as
Il model boarding school for boys from six to
twelve years old. He never had more than
eight pupils, and at the time of his arrest there
were only five lads attending the school" He
isG tall and thin and forty-eght years old.
Mr.. and 4Ys. Patterson were In charge Of the
school last night. Mrs. Patterson who Is niece
Of Duffy, says the boys uncomfortable.
She told several stories about how the pupils
of the school would run away for weeks at a
time. She also said they would eat their sup
per and then go to neighbors' homes and beg
for food.
Duffy was known throughout Tuckahoe as a
peculiar man. He was known to wear a straw
hat in winter. He prepared the meals for the
children. which, it is said consisted principally
of bread and molasses. He even did his own
washing. He is said to a graduate from the
University of Pennsylvania.