The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-06-28
AS INDIVIDUALS
Charities Aid Committee.
Shown Through State
Home for Girls.
NO OFFICIAL RECOGNITION
Test Case Made of the AS
sociation's Rights and
Power.
Especial to .sThe Jersey city News."l


TRENTON, June 2S, 19o1.-Hugh Il. Fox,
Mrs. Caroline B. Alexander and William
A. Allen came to Trenton yesterday for
the purpose of paying visit to the State
Home for Girls An impression had got
abroad that the visit was aimed at Mrs.
Eyler and her Board of Trustees, and that
it was to have been made unexpectedly,
for the purpose of embarrassing the man
agement of the institution.
When the trio named came to this city
they were met by Francis B. Lee, who,
like them, is of the Board of Managers of
the State Charities Aid Association. They
took lunch at the grill of the Trenton
House, and afterwards went to the State
Home for Girls.
The committee was armed with the or
der granted by Justice Gummere, June
6, authorizing certain members of the as
sociation to visit the State Home for
Girls. the State Prison, the State Hos
pital and various other institutions
Being advised that the proposed visit
was without warrant or authority in law,
the trustees of the home decided to re-
sent the intrusion of the meddlesome
members, and former Judge William M.
Lanning. their counsel, served notice on
President Lewis that he would apply to
Justice Gummere this morning for an or
der vacating the order of June in SO far
as it concerned the State Home for Girls.
While no order was asked for restrain
ing the proposed visit it was thought that
common courtesy would have prompted
the self-constituted committee to defer its
visit until Justice Gummere had an OPP
portunity to pass upon Judge tanning $
application. The effect, however, was just
the opposite, and the committee, instead
of deferring, hastened its visit.
The delegation visited Judge Lanning,
who explained that the trustees had no
personal feeling against the members of
the State Charities Aid or the association
but at the same time they questioned
the right of the organization to exercise
any supervision over the home He said
the trustees were desirous of ascertaining
the exact legal status of the State Chari-
ties Aid as regards the home and for
this reason had instructed him to apply to
the court
So far as influencing the committee was
concerned Judge Lanning might as well
have talked to stone wallis The deleea-
ton left at once for the school, where it
was graciotlsIy met by Mrs Eyler and
Trustees Stull and Rue. Justice Gum
mere's order was presented by the com
mittee as an Introduction, but the delega-
tion was politely but firmly informed
that no official inspection would be per-
mitted.
At the same time the members were in
formed that as individuals they were
perfectly welcome at the school and this
capacity they We're invited to look over
the institution. The offer was finally ac-
cepted and thus the school was unofficial
ly inspected.
Trustee Howell c. Stull SAID last night
that the trustees had no feeling against
the association, but resented its assump-
ton of authority. The act of 1885,, under
which the State Charities Aid Association
was created gives authority to the OF
ganization to visit and inspect county,
township and municipal institutions, but
gives no powers in the case of State in
stitutions. Heretofore, when it was de-
sired to visit State instituto, it has
been the custom to obtain an order from
the court. the authority purported to be
thus conferred being general unques-
ton.
The present case will probably de-
termine what legal status. il any, the
State Charities Aid Association really
has When the visitors had returned Mr..
Lee was seen and asked about the visit.
He said that it was without any personal
significance whatever, and was made
purely for the purpose of testing State
law
The question as to the rights of a COM
naittee Of the Board of Managers of the
State Charities Aid Association to visit
State philanthropic, penal and eleemosy-
nary institutions came to a focus, Mr..
Lee said at meeting of the Board of
Managers held in New York about two
months ago, which was pretty AMI
mated one.
After considerable discussion, said Mr..
Lee a resolution was introduced and fin
ally adopted, providing that an appiica-
tion be made to Justice Gummere OF the
Supreme Court granting to committee
of the Board the right to visit State insti-
tutions of a philanthropic, penal or
eleemosynary character
In accordance with this resolution an
application was made to Justice Gum
mere on June 10, and that functionary
granted them an order that entitled them
to visit the institutions
This was the order served on Mrs.
Eyler:-
"a written application having been
maze TO me OH the tleHlil udy VI JuliS,
A. D. 1901, according to the provisions OF
the act of the Legislature of New Jersey
above mentioned (passed April is. 1880,
by majority of the Board of Managers
of the State Charities Aid Association of
New Jersey to grant to certain persons
hereinafter named an order to visit, in
spect and examine on behalf of said asso-
citation certain Institutions hereinafter
named, located within the county of Mer-
Ger, do hereby grant this order for the
purpose of enabling the persons named in
president; Emily E. Williamson, chairman
of executive committee, William A. Allen,
general secretary; Caroline B. Alexander,
Hugh f Fox, Francis B. Lee, the Rev.
George c. Maddox, the Rev. J. r. 4.s-
kinson, to visit, inspect and examine in
behalf of said association the Trenton IN
sane Hospital, the State Home for Girls,
the New Jersey State Prison, the Mercer
County jail, the Mercer County Work
house, the Trenton City Almshouse; and
do hereby order any and all persons in
braced n this order to admit any or an
of the persons above named into every
part of such institution, and to render the
persons so named every facility within
their power to enable them to make in
thorough manner, their visit, inspection
and examination.
dated June TO- 1901
WILLIAM S. GUMMERE
y. s. ''
+ IF Justice Gummere does not rescind the
order after the argument today, Judge
Lannfng says the trustees will welcome
the members Of the committee to the in
stituticn.