The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-03-08
INVESTIGATORS
MEET REBUFFS
Encounter Difficulties in the In.
dustriaI School Inquiry.
QUESTIONS INTERRUPTED
LAWRENCE HELPS OUT COUNSEL
FOR THE INSTITUTION.

Il NDt-lNi Mafcn t---Llth lr5lai1t'L'
who tried TO investigate the re-
form school this afternoon
found themselves thwarted. brow
beaten. oyerawed and almost helpless.
Their motives were criticised. they
were placed in the attitude of sem
sation mongers, they were cross-eX-
amlned as if they We're witnesses Of
bad repute. from the start were made
TO feel they were prosecutors and busy
bodies who were meddhng with some
thing entirely outside their province.
With the aid of its trained counsel
the board succeeded in making the Leg
islators feel as if they, and not the
school management were on trial. The
result was that although the commit
tee spent more than three hours al the
Institution. only three witnesses were
examined. They were President Wright
of the school. superintendent -. d..
Allison. sr.. and Eva Curtis, former
: inmate who tried 90 set fire 20 the
sirls' cottage i'm the institution.
Favorable to Institution.
None OF the witnesses was exam
ined effectively on behalf of the Leg
a islature. while under the sklltul
manipulation of counsel for che board
their testimony was made 10 appear
as exceedingly favorable 10 the insti-
tuition.
There were four representatives and
four senators In the Investigation COM
mittee. The representative only
seemed 10 have any idea that the in
stitutOn was not wen managed or that
there was any foundation for the
charges brought against 81. Whenever
any representative tried 90 take the
initiative toward bringing out any
thing dlscreditable 90 the management
DE was either badgered, bulldOZed or
bellttled, or else artully sidetracked.
The committee appointed Senator
~GeOrge n. Lawrence. one of its menu
beers. as it's attorney TO direct the in
Quiry. but Senator Lawrence effective
ly if not Intentionally turned his eN-
animation and argument at all points
iu a direction that was favorable 20
the institution. Judge III. =. Hender-
son was present during the hearing as
counsel for the board. Practically
everything he did met with the app
prevail Of Senator Lawrence. who fire.
quenuy expressed entire satisfaction
with the examination as conducted by
Judge Henderson and suggested that
10 would Doe better TO let the judge ask
on the questions.
letter written by the mother Of
Eva Curtis ard her half-sisler was sub
mtted by Representative Nash. To
charged Superintendent Allison with
brutality and was the basis of the ques-
lions asked today. Eva Curtis
burst into tears during the eXamlna-
tiOn and furnished the one dramatic
incident OF the afternoon. Representa-
tive Nash. however. made 10 lively for
judge Henderson on one or TWO oc-
casions by protesting against the
h lawyers denomination of the
committee.
Eva Curtis on the Stand.
While Eva curtis was being exam
iued there were present iu the room
besides the committeeman AN the trus-
tees of the institution, eX-COuuty At
toruey Christensen OF salt Lake who
had prosecuted her, and Superlntend-
emit Allison. AS she sat alone at the
end of the table. with those familiar
hostile faces near her. and the repre-
seutatives. tO whom she might have
looked for encouragement in making
accusation. far iu the back
ground She looked the picture OF iso-
latl0n. She was pretty girl. evidently
accustomed 90 being regarded with
suspicion. and ready 90 say or do any
thing that was wanted or expected of
her
Judge Henderson questioned her So
tenderly that under his lead she said
exactly those things which reelected
credit instead of discredit u9on Su-
perlntendent Allison. The committee
adjourned until o'clock tomorrow
after listening 90 the Curtis girls tes-
timouy.
After the session they were told by
several persons that the Firl was an
inveterate liar and "a fine actor who
could cry TO order and effect emotions
with an the appearance Of sincere feel
ing