The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-29
FLOGGED Them.
Supt. Charles OF Reform School
Charged With Brutality.
Had Two Boys Who Tried to
Escape Cruelty Whipped.
ON BREAD AND WATER
We're Also Weighted Down With
a Ball and Chain.
MIR. Charles Dilated Upon Pun
ishment Before School.
Board Of Charities TO Be Asked
to Investigate.
ON BREAD AND WAITER

H W. Charles superintendent Of the
Reform school. is charged with cruel
and brutal treatment Of inmates OF the
institution.
1t is likely that the state board OF
charities wiz investigate the charges OF
cruelty against the superintendent He
admits that he had two boys, Hughes
and Harris who escaped last week
fiogged, placed on bread and water
given d ball and chain to carry,
deprived of all their merit marks ana
later put to work on two meals a oay
carving the shackles and chain
The boys are about IS years old Iney
escaped from the school ana We're
caught and returned within a couple OF
hours superintendent Charles ordered
them fiogEed. 1t has been reported that
the whipping was so severe that the
boys cried for mercy and that when the
logging was over their clothing was
bloody 1t is charged the lashes mad
cut through their trousers into thelf
skin and left stripes of blood upon the
cloth showing where each OF the terri
Bile blows bad cut into the flesh
The 200 boys of the school We're called
together in the chapel and given lee
ture by superintendent Charles. he told
OF the punishment that had been admin
istered to the culprits and further an
nounced that all their merit marks
would be removed from their records
and that they would be fed bread and
water for 80 DAYS and be compelled TO
carry q ball and chain.
A State Journal reporter talked with
Superintendent Charles over the tele-
phone this morning
Were Harris and Hughes hogged p
was asked Of superintendent Charles
They received corporal punishment,
replied the superintendent
How many Iashes were given them 2
well. really. I don't know. One of
the officers administered it. 1t was rea-
You did not order any special num-
Der Of lashes?"
No"
Were they placed on bread and
We're they compelled to wear a bail
and chain2"
Yes, sir"
Are they wearing them now?"
yes, they are at work now"
How old are the boys2"
About IS years old"
Are they especially unruly2"
They have been reported quite
Are these forms Of punishment gen
orally administered 2"
Yes, in extreme cases"
Are they stil on bread and water2''
No. they are not on bread and water
now, but they are restricted in their
meals. They have but Two meals q
day"
The board of CHARITIES was in Topeka
yesterday, but did not visit the Reform
school and the report of the cruelty
was not made to the members. The
board viii be in session at the Reform
school next week, and the matter VIII
manded.
Supt- II. W. Charles succeeded w. S.
Hancock as superintendent the first Of
the year Mr.. Charles lived in Wash
rFaFn nr4Hn Il
Vincent, member of the board OF chali-
ties Charles was connected with the
schools in Washington county, and
from there went tOIndiana. He returned
from there to assume the superintend-
ency Of the Reform school. 1t is un-
derstood that since he has been in
charge Of the Reform school that many
complaints have been made to the board
of charities and that he has been rep
Timanded for the manner in which he
conducted the school