Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-07
MUT|NYlGA|NST RULES
Girls at Reform School In
dulge in Riot.
SEW Err L ES C A P E
THREATEN SUPERINTENDENT
WITH PERSONAL VIOLENCE.
Attempt Made Recently to Burn the
Building-Inmates Violent and
Resist Discipline.
SEW ERAL ESCA P E

The mutny at the girls reform school.
which occurred last Saturday morning and
which was briefly described in The Star. has
developed to be far more serious than was
at first supposed. An investigation made to-
day by a representative of The Star dis
closed the facts that minor mutiny oc-
CURED last Thursday, resulting in the escape
OF five girls, only three of whom have since
been captured; that an attempt was made
to burn the building of the institution Au-
gust IT, last; that there appears TO be vio-
lent dislike to certain methods of admins
tration now practiced by the superinten-
dent, and that the only reason the inmates
remain in the institution is that they do not
realize the insufIiciency of the bonds that
hold them. Today some of the incorrigibles
are locked up in rooms with doors so frail
that they scarcely will withstand the weight
of full grown person. while the others are
roaming about the buildings. free and loud
ly proclaiming not only that they took part
in the mutiny of Friday but that they Will
participate in others.
The school comprises two buildings-one
where all incorrigibles are first incarcerated
and the honor building, where those
| whose conduct is exemplary are quartered.
| 1t was in the first building where the trou-
BILE of last Friday occurred, and from
which the five girls escaped last Tuesday
The first trouble was not significant. There
was no general uprising. The five girls
saw an opportunity to elude their watchers
and did so. Two of them were captured
before they go out of the grounds, but the
other three made for the hills and escaped.
One of them Hattie Langdon was appre-
hended in Washington Friday morning and
Overseer Beydler of the reform school went
in town to get her. She was not disposed
to make the trip peaceably, so the overseer
placed handouts on her and put her on the
street car. arriving at the institution about
10 O'Clock. Hattie was taken before the
superintendent, Mrs. winnifred ]. Burrows.
who sentenced her to solitary confinement
in the dungeon and to a diet of bre ad
and water.
Origin Of the Trouble.
Here is where the trouble occurred. The
other inmates are very fond of Hattie. be-
cause of several scars she bears from Sc
we're burns. When the news spread to the
class room there were grumblings, ana
murmurs of discomfort. Mrs. Burrows has
been superintendent of the institution only
since the first of this month, and the In
mates were not used to her strict rules
and resented the rigid enforcement of those
rules When she came into the class room
the girls hooted her and made threats OF
all kinds She ordered silence and an up
roar greeted her. She returned to her Of
flee and decreed that every one of the In
mats fifty-eight in all, be locked in their
rooms the next day, and be given nothing
but bread and water for food.
At this juncture the plot was formed In
the morning Miss Florence Russell. acting
superintendent, and Mrs. Margaret o Brlen,
one of the teachers, went up to the rooms
to carry out the orders of the superinten-
dent. At first all was silence. Then ne
gro girl shouted from the rooms:
Are you ready?'
She was answered by a chorus of Yes.
yes,' and the battering down of doors
was commenced. Chairs were hurled
against the frail panels, which gave way
like so much pasteboard. Heads protruded,
eyes took in the situation at a glance and
the bodies followed. Some of the girls
were small and weak and were unable to
free themselves. These were liberated by
the others, who were cursing and shouting
at the top of their husky lungs. Some one
yelled, Tets go to the kitchen and get some
knives" while another leader led the way
to the fire escape.
Two Teachers Alone.
Miss Russell and Mrs. o Brien were alone
in the building, the superintendent and
other teachers being in the honor build
ing. Miss Russell attempted to head off
the rush to the kitchen, for she realized
that if the frenzed girls got hold of knives
and other weapons. it would take a com
pany of infantry to stop them. At the
door of the kitchen, however, she was
greeted by one of her TRUSTEES, girl
whose behavior has been good and who
preferred to stand by her teachers This
''trusty'' is big girl, and she was block
ing the door, driving the rioters back with
her fists.
In the meantime, Mrs OBrien was busy.
She darted into her own room, procured a
revolver, and returned to the hall. con-
fronting the rest of the girls with her
weapon She declared today that those
nearest her turned pale when they faced
the muzZle of the revolver, and they
stopped She ordered them into line, and
held them at bay until help arrived In
the melee Mrs. OBrien was hit on the
head with a board, and negro girl with
a stick just missed striking Miss Russell.
The hallway looked as if 1T had been in
collision with lightning express train The
panels were smashed from every door, and
the debris strewn all over the place.
The inmates were subdued, but not con-
quered They continued their mutterings
and avowals of further harm to the super
intendent.
Ridiculed the Police.
Mrs. Burrows, when she ordered the girls
to be locked up all day and fed upon bread
and water said she would be on hand when
the punishment began, at breakfast time.
7:I5 am. She did not arrive, however, ac-
cording to statements made at the institu-
ton today, until about o'clock, and when
she came she was accompanied py ponce
men. When the superintendent and the
policemen went into the room where the
girls were corralIed they were ridiculed.
One of the policemen threatened to take
them all to the station house
'Hooray.' they shouted in unison. Come
on. take us. We'd like ride I'm your old
patrol wagon. Come on. We dare you to
try to take u.s. and similar challenges.
Finally the incorrigfbles were returned to
their rooms and two policemen were put on
guard to watch things until the doors could
be repaired.
It developed today that trouble has been
brewing since Mrs Burrows took charge of
the institution, less than a week ago. She
comes from the north. New York city being
her home, and the inmates are said to OPP
pose her on this account The acting su-
perintendent. Miss Russell, who in
charge from August Is TIL November !.
had adopted the plan of mild treatment.
rather than harsh methods of administra-
ton. to govern the inmates. The girls be-
came used to this. and the punishment