The Sunday globe., 1901-06-02
THE DISTRICT DISGRACE.
Another Chapter on the Washington
Asylum.

In order to give the public a further
insight into the deplorable condition
Of affairs existing at the Washington
Asylum, The Globe gives in this issue
few sample items which are vouched
for by the best authority, and peru
sal Of which can but strike the reader
with contempt for the officials who are
responsible for the bad state Of affairs.
w. H. Stoutenburg not long ago put
in charge Of the workhouse an Eng
lishman by the name Of Thornton.
Among other duties it was his busi-
ness to keep a record of all prisoners
coming and going; and also to keep ac-
curate account Of the clothing, bed
ding, ETC., and receive all money and
yaluables belonging to the prisoners,
and keep the same and return their
property at the expiration Of their
sentences. Thornton seems to have
made a business of keeping watches
and other things from me poor untor-
tunates, and not only that but he kept
all the money he could get from the
prisoners, sums ranging from 20 cents
to S25 and over. In addition to this he
borrowed all the money from colored
men who would lend to him. He was
also in the habit of taking towels,
soap, thread, sheeting cotton, matches
| etc, all belonging to the institution.
The supposition, by many people,
was that Mr.. Stoutenburg was paying
| back all this money out of his own
pocket. Not so. The truth is that the
money used in this business came out
Of the funds left in charge of the clerk
of the Almshouse by inmates, or pau
pers. who have died possessed of small
amounts of money ranging from "
upwards. During many years these
amounts have accumulated to large
sum, and out of this fund Mr.. Stouten'
burg has been paying back these diff
ferent amounts Now, everybody
/ knows that all the money that has
/ been left by the inmates or paupers Of
! the Almshouse belongs to the govern
ment and should be turned into the
! Treasury and Mr.. Stoutenburg has
no more right to use such money than
he has to put his hand in our pocket
to get money for this purpose, but this
is but another of his methods of run
ming the establishment, When paying
back these amounts he would caution
the prisoners not to say anything
about the matter, well knowing that II
the facts leaked out they would show
ND the Intendant i'm a very bad light.
This man Thornton has left the Asy-
mm and no one knows where he Is,
but the infamous act of retaining
small sums of money, watches, ETC.,
from poor boy, or man unfortunate
law breakers though they be-, whom
Thornton had in his power, stamps
him as a man Of the meanest and most
contemplate stripe. and yet he was
shielded in his conduct by Stouten'
burg himself, and we might say, fur
ther. that Stoutenburg is shielded by
Commissioner Ross,
AS in the case of the public schools,
Congress will be asked to legislate
Stoutenburg out of office. Complaint
after complaint against the work
house methods has been lodged at the
District Building and so-called inves-
LEGATIONS have been made, and the mat
ter whitewashed, as usual and the
whole business fell through.
Mr.. Ross has been told that the man
agement of the Washington Asylum
was foul to a disgraceful extent but
he has not taken any steps to better its
condition in any way
The few facts contained in this ex-
cerpt are sufficient to cause the re-
moval Of W. II. Stoutenburg If the
District Commissioners cared any
thing for clean and efficient manage
ment of the Almshouse but from all
appearances nothing will be done
about the matter until the attention OF
Congress is again called to the deplor-
able state Of affairs. John w. Ross is
primarily responsible for the conduct
of the Washington Asylum, and 1t has
been blot on the good name Of the
District, and If he has been unable to
secure a right man for the place of
Indendant. he ought not to allow the
present incompetent official to hold on
TO the office, for in so doing he is CO.
partner i'm the incOmpetency. If no i'm
provement can be made Mr.. Ross
ought to resign himself He says he
would resign before he would dismiss
Stoutenburg.
We cannot think the President made
a wise selection when he chose John
w Ross for Commissioner. Had Mr..
Mckinley known the state Of affairs
Existing in the Dictrict he would not
have appointed Mr. Ross to the Com
missionership.
In the organization Of the nineteenth
Board of Commissioners. Mr.. Ross, see
ing the failure Of his management Of
the School Board and the public
schools. turns them over to Mr.. Nc
farland, and takes the police depart
ment. and keeps the Washington Asy-
lum so as to cover up the rotten man
agement Of w. II. Stoutenburg. Con
gress was appealed to for relief, or in
vestigation OF the institution, but It
was so late in the session that they
could not act upon Il, But Mr.. p. j.,
Otev. Of the District Committee, had a
bill favorably reported by the commit
tee. Mr.. Otey also visited the Work
house and found things rotten, Just as
had been repeatedly stated in the press
and elsewhere, and we suppose he
made a statement Of facts to the Com.
missloners. After his examination Of
the conditions OF the WOrkhouse, Mr..
Otev says he finds abundant ground
for complaint. and still Mr.. Ross de-
laws In appointing some one at the
Asylum who has ability to conduct the
place on business principles, and in a
Thoroughly clean manner.