The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-03-16
TERRIBLE
ABUSES OF
CHILDREN

New York. March ls--The state board
OF charities for several weeks has been
conducting searching investigation of
the westchester Temporary Home for
Destitute Children, in White Plains.
The inquiry has been secret and the
board Of managers OF the home have
Joined with the state board in an effort
10 avoid publicity.
II ia known. however, that startling
conditions have been unearthed az the
home, and that grave abuses have been
discovered The home il under the man
agement OF superintendent James w.
Pierce.
This is the same Pierce who, as SUI
perintendent of the home, was investi-
gated by the state board OF charities in
1896 AT that time he was charged with
cruelty 10 the children entrusted 10 his
care.
1t was shown that he beat and hogged
boys and girls with cato -nine-tails
and that he used shaCkles and chains on
others who attempted 10 run away or
violated the rules Several girls from
Ji to II years old testified that they had
been logged by Pierce while lying in bed
with nothing but a sheet between them
and the lash.
KEPT IN SOLITARY.
Pierce admitted the flosgings and the
chains and shackles, but declared that
they were never used in a spirit Of
anger or III wills that he believed such
harsh measures were necessary 20 main
tain discipline
BY direction of the state board OF chari-
ties the board OF managers ordered that
corporal punishment and the use OF the
chins he abolished.
~ ho ovid hiq
own admissions Pierce was retained as
superintendent and has remained in the
position ever since.
Public attention was again directed
toward the home a few DAYS ago. when
Willie Hellwig. Is years old who had
escaped. told Judge Zeller in tho Chill
dren's court. of the brutal beatngs he
had received.
The lad also asserted that he had been
kept in solitary confinement on bread
and water repeatedly, tho last time for a
whole week Although a deputy sheriff
from Westchester county vas waiting In
court 10 take Willie back TO the home.
Judge Cellar refused 20 deliver the youth
Nil prisoner. and instead sent him 10
the Juvenile asylum.
GIRL TWICE A MOTHER
Superintendent Pierce declares that cor
porsl punishment IL no longer inflicted
by him nor by his subordiates with his
consent. In it's place he has substituted
four iron cages in a remote part Of the
building in which children are locked like
animals and kept on bread and water
often q few days at a time. The cages
are made OF iron Stats and are six feet
hight. four feet wide and four feet deep.
Only the smaller children can stretch
out straight when lying down In tho
cages and the large ones have 20 dra "
up their legs IN q cranlped position which
becomes painful after a night or two The
state board OF charities Is bound 10 con-
denim these cages. /,
Young women inmates IN the house
have given birth - illegitimate children
one girl has twice become n mother
within Two wears.
The paternity OF the children is laid
~ the door OF certain employees. but so
far az can be learned none q the accused
has ever been prosecuted TtSs said that
in one or two instances the offender was
indicted. but that for fear OF raising
scandal against the house the cases We're
never tried and the worst punishment
ever meted out was dismissal from the
Intuition
children from two % rs wears are re-
received ~ the home and in some in
stances they are retained beyond the aEc
81 "a years