The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-24
Bows From the State School at Owa-
tonna Relate Grievances.
Two Youths Claim They Were Treated
Badly BY Farmers.
Placed in Service With Men Who
Were Extremely Brutal.
Mother Now Seeking Her Third Son..
Chance for Inquiry.
From Fridays Daily.

An attack is being made on the state
school at Owatonna, and The Minneapo-
lis Times asks the question:: rs the
Minnesota public school at Owatonna
merely an agency for placing children in
servitude? The Times of today con-
tains the following:
If the stories that James and Will
lam Quigley, who live with THEN
mother, Mrs Clara Quigley, 5000 Twen-
ty-ffrst avenue S., is true, and if THEN
eases are typical ones, it would APP
pear that the institution is deserving OF
investigation.
The boys tell stories of cruel and in
human treatment on the part of farm
ers with whom they are placed, and
state agent, to whom frequent COM
plants were made.
Mrs. Quigley has had possession OF
her two sons since last September, after
having been separated from them fOI
three years, and during the entire time
of which they were with two farmers
who are brothers. The mother is now
trying to secure possession of the young
est of her three sons, who is with farm
er in Nicollet county. She has already
consulted an attorney and will commence
habeas corpus proceedings in case she
can defray the expense incidental to this.
As Mrs. Quigley is not in the best OF
financial condition, her worries are at the
present times many.
Mrs. Quigley's present troubles grow
out of divorce proceedings which were
instituted against her husband four years
ago. She was granted the divorce and
the custody of the children The hus-
band was instructed by the court to pay
alimony, but has not complied with this.
In September, 1899, Mrs. Quigley
found her responsibilities too heavy,
and she then decided to have her three
sons. James, William and Harry, placed
III the state public school. She had
been given to understand that they
would be well cared for and educated.
With the understanding that she was
only attesting to the good health OF the
children, Mrs. Quigley says she signed
a paper, presented by George f. Holt,
which, she now understands, practically
relinquished her right to the children.
But she never appeared before the Judge
of probate of Hennepin county.
Then the boys were sent to Owatonna.
They remained there until in March,
1900, when the three were placed on
farms. James, aged l3, was given to An
ton Zins; William, aged II, to Cornelius
Zins, and Harry, aged 8, to Joseph Zins.
The two first named had farms across
the road from each other, near Fulda.
while the other lives in Nicollet county.
On the farm with James was lad named
Karl Sallberg, an orphan.
To review the stories of inhuman
treatment as told by the two lads last
night to a reporter for The Times, would
read very much the same as chapters
from Charles Dickens works. The Quig-
ley boys say they frequently complained
to State Agent Lewis, but nothing came
of it. James says that the Sallberg boy
was completely cowed, and at one time.
because he had happened to run over a
couple of hills of corn, while blowing.
was beaten with llnotted rope until
he bled from the mouth and nose. AT
the present time he has dwindled down to
a living skeleton. Although mere lads
they were expected to work with the
hired men, often from sunrise until late
at night. According to the boys, to be
allowed to 90 to bed about midnight
was common.
After having endured this life for a
year and half, the two brothers and
Sallberg decided to run away. They
had nearly reached Dundee, eighteen
miles away, when, according to their
story they were overtaken by the Zins
brothers, who had given chase in a
buggy. They received terrible beating
at that time. They were knocked down
with bare fists, and upon arising would
be given more of the same punishment.
They were then taken back to the old
drudgery.
At first the boys were permitted to
write home, but after year of servi-
tude with the farmers, the mother
ceased to receive letters. Neither did
they receive any from her. A compare
son of notes between them now indi
Gates that the mail had been intercepted
The mother commenced to hear stories
of other cases OF cruelty year ago, and
she visited her sons, being much con