The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-12-05
superintandant stahler Found cniltu

"A letter from Westminster, Carroll county,
GATED November 30th, says: The Circuit
Court rendered its decision today in the case
OF the State against Edmund Stabler, superin-
tendent of the Baltimore Manual Training
school for Boys, for assault and battery on
the boy John w. Barrus, which, after trial
OF several days, was argued before the court
last week.
'All three of the judges-Jones, Revell and
lhomas-were on the bench, and Judge Jones
delivered the opinion of the court, which was
unanimous. The accused was adjudged guilty
and fine of SIS imposed. The decision was
prefaced by brief review of the testimony in
the case which the court said had been con-
sldered exhaustivey, with the view of reach
ing just and proper conclusion.
The case, Judge Jones stated, devolved upon
the court the most delicate and responsible
question that has ever arisen before it. On one
hand the duty and obligation of the court to
protect the children of the unfortunate class
placed under the care of the institution in
charge of the accused was obvious, while on
the other hand, the effect of the decision upon
the influence and work of the institution itself
was to be given full consideration. 1t was ap-
parent that good had been done by it to the
class to which the boy whipped in this case
belongs. The question for the decision of the
court was very narrow one. Ordinarily lay
ing on the hand would constitute an assault,
but that was not so in this case. Authority is
given by the law to infiict even corporal pun
lshment upon inmates of the school.
1.-THE traverser has shown by many promi-
nent witnesses a reputation of which any man
might be proud but character does not affect
this case as it might some others. good
man in q moment of excitement or passion
might go beyond the authority or discretion
vested in him by the law to inf1ict punishment
in such case as this. Owing to the delicate
nature of the issues involved the court had
used great care and deliberation in reaching
decision. The whipping occurred, of that
there was no question, but there is some diff
ference of testimony as to its severity. The
boy himself testified that he was struck six or
seven blows, but other witnesses made it much
more severe
"The chief point of consideration was the
condition of the boy after the whipping. He
was Of tender years and the question was to
connect the condition of his body with the
whipping. The whipping was administered
on Thursday and the condition referred to was
discovered on the following Sunday. There
were Indications that it resulted from the
whipping and this was not disproven by the
testimony. There was evidence that the boy
| had been beaten by other boys, but if the
bruised condition of his body was caused by
such beatings it should have been known to
Mr.. Stablei. The condition existed and there
should have been some means of explaining it
if it were not caused by the whipping.
I'm fixing the penalty the court said it re-
garded the whipping as only an indiscretion
committed IN a moment of excitement or
while the accused was angered by the conduct
of the boy. Such cases are common in fam
lilies where parents whip their children in
anger. Concluding, the court said that in view
of the excellent character of the accused and
the good work done under his management at
the institution, the penalty would be only
nominal. As two indictments against the
traverser were tried together and the State had
entered plea of not guilty in one of them,
the costs were divided between the State and
the defendant. The costs in this court have
! not yet been taxed and hence are not exactly
| known. The defense concurred in the action
| of the court, and there will be no further pro-
ceedings in the case.
"The effect of the decision upon Mr.. Stabler
was not very marked He was slightly ner-
vous and evidently disappointed but exhibited
decided selfcontrol. Several directors of the
school were present when the decision was
rendered and be left the court room with
them. They seemed to manifest undated
confidence in him as the manager of the in
| stitution."
This case was first tried at Towson before
| Judges Fowler and Burke, who failed to agree
upon a verdict. Judge Fowler deciding in Sta
bler's favor and Judge Burke against him. In
both trials Mr.. John Grason represented the
State and Col. D. G. Mcintosh appeared for
| the accused.
Cornerstone for Fine New Church.
| The cornerstone for the new Andrew Chapel
| Methodist Episcopal Church South, to be erec-
ted on the Belair road at the corner of Frank.
| lin avenue was laid last Sunday afternoon at
O'Clock, the attendance being large despite
the unfavorable weather.
The services opened with an invocation by
the pastor, Rev. John B. Henry, who also
read short history of the congregation, which
was organized in 1853. An address was made
by Rev e. " REGISTER, pastor Of Trinity
Methodist Episcopal Church South, Baltimore.
In the hollow chiseled out for the purpose
was placed list of pastors of the church,
list of the members of the congregation,
sketch and photograph of the present church,
list of the board of trustees and the building
committee picture of the new church, a
copy of several newspapers, including religious
publications and number of old coins. The
stone was then put in position by Rev. Mr..
Henry.
The edifce is being built as chapel to'
which later and auditorium will be added.
The structure will be entirely of granite and
will have two floors The first story will be
used for entertainments and festivals and the
second story as the church proper: The struc-
ture will cost about 5000. Mr.. II. G. Shelley
is the contractor, and Mr.. Hugh s. Magruder,
of Baltimore, architect.
The congregation was organized in 1858, and
the present frame church on Southern avenue
was built in 1856, being the first structure of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South to be
erected in Maryland.
The building committee is composed of
Messrs Thomas G. Biddison and John e. Swift
and Rev. J. B. Henry.
Honesty is the Best Policy"-A Dis
reputable Proverb.-There are many famil-
lar proverbs whose character for truth and We
racity would not bear inspection, but which
are almost universally accepted as self-evident
truths, says the Washington Post. We do not
know how many decades or centuries the
world has thus accepted Honesty is the best
policy" and we have no idea that our protest
against it will impair its standing. But, all
the same it is an untruthful and, therefore, a
disreputable prOverb.
therefore, cannot be the best or the worst.
The man who deals fairly because it is polite
to do so may not have even germ of honesty
in his nature. 1t is fact that reputation for
integrity is business and social capital 1t is q
fact that man in almost any kind of business
cannot afford to deceive or cheat. 1t is fact
that man incapable of acting ON any higher
motive than unmitigated selfishness can adopt
noshrewder plan than straightforward dealing.
But genuine honesty calls for something nobler
than that. It has no relation to cunning or
craftiness and it is courageous enough to face
ruin rather than be false to itself. The man
whose only reason for avoiding dishonest acts
is personal profit is better citizen than thief,
but he has not a bit more of real honesty in
his soul Let such man be confronted with
an opportunity to get what he most ardently
desires by felonious means, and let him feel
assured that he runs no risk of detection, and
his sham honesty goes down and out.
Mr. Yellott Now President of the Board.
When the new Board of County Commits
sioners met for the first time last Tuesday. Mr..
George w. Yelott, who was reelected, moved
that Commissioner Slade be chosen president
of the Board. he being the Oldest member of it.
Mr.. Slade positively declined the honor and
nominated Mr.. Yellott for the place and he
was chosen by the votes of Messrs. Slade and
Mann. Messrs. Yellott and Mann received
several handsome gifts of flowers from admir-
ing friends.
As an instance of the impossibility of pleas
ing all, Mr.. Yellott said that during the past
two years he had known of one delegation
coming before the Board on one day asking for
an extension of the fire department, and of an
other delegation coming before them on the
next day asking that the entire fire department
be abolished. Speaking to those who might
receive appointments from the Board Mr.. yell
lott said that if the county employees would
recognize public office as public trust, and
not as an opportunity for private gain, and
would. therefore, be satisfied with the pecuni-
airy returns which the law contemplated they
should have instead of constantly reaching
out for further emoluments at the county's ex-