Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-30

SCANDAL BREAKS
! AT STATE SCHOOL
BANDMASTER AND WIFE ARE
ACCUSED
BOYS ENTERTAINED BY WOMAN
Is CHARGED
Gross immortality Allowed Full Sway,
Declares Trustee-lnmates Bru-
tally Beaten and Under
fed, He Asserts
CONTINUED from Psro One,

and but little flesh and bone building
food.
One of the first steps taken under
the Desmond-Newlin Clarke regime
was to find out what became of the
paroled youths, what their surround
ings, were and whether any of them
drifted back into temptation. The re-
suit of this was the appointment of a
probation officer, the choice falling on
w. p. Webster of Pasadena.
This officer was charged with look
ing up every application for parole, and
his report became part of the records
of each case Mr.. Desmond says he did
not consider him the right man for
the place, but was In the minority.
s. p. Backs Greeley
Southern Pacific influences stalked
up when the movement to dislodge
Superintendent Greeley was under way
and nothing ever came of it. .
The meeting at Whittier yesterday
was held behind closed doors.
The three trustees hurried away and
two Of them evidently preferred to let
the interviews ,emanate from Governor
Gillett's office, as Mr.. Clarke could not
be found In Pasadena last night and
a woman who answered the telephone
at Trustee Newlin's said she was quite
positive that Mr.. Newln could not be
found anywhere last night.
Trustee Desmond was found In his
library at his home and had no hes
itancy In telling what the board did
under more or less pressure on his
part and that of others.
Trustee Desmond Talks
my friends tell me that my hobby is
charity work and that l am of an in
quiring turn of mind when get into a
work of this character. If that is
true 1t served me we'll in the Whittier
situation" said Mr.. Desmond.
II was urged and urged by DR.. Lind
ley to take a. place on the board and
yielded only after months, and when Il
did go on the board refused the presi-
dency.
However, once serving, the question
at once struck me what becomes of the
paroled members? l found that the ad-
ministration did not concern itseli
about that, disclaiming responsibility.
/ thought differently and have put In
much time trying to find suitable
homes for former inmates. Many of
them have done well, am proud to
say.
I'VE succeeded in having parole
officer appointed, which was a step in
the right direction.
Make Confidantes of Trustees
Somehow the boys and girls would
come to us occasionally to tell US their
troubles, and from these we CLEANED
that there was a general lack of re-
spect entertained for some officers.
Evidently the superintendent lacked
control.
ST made repeated trips to Whittier
and found that there was good ground
for some of the taks.
First we found that love letters to
the boys had been circulated, signed
with the name of the wife of promi-
nent member of the official staff.
I'VE found, too, that Mrs. Willes per-
mitted boys to remain in her room as
long as a half hour frequently.
"I demanded that a stop be put to
this and Greeley scolded the boys, but
seemed to treat 1t lightly. He did not
punish the woman.
Discharge Mrs. WiIles
'The trustees finally brought about
her discharge.
"I demanded of Greeley that he dis
charge the bandmaster, her husband.
too. He said he was the best band
leader in the state, and when re-
turned one day l found that the mu-
sician had been laid off for three days
only. demanded not only his dis
charge, but that he be forbidden to
again enter the states reservation.
''It was only recently that we found
letters and now hold them sent to Bes-
sic McCamant, one of the paroled girls,
signed with Willes' name which fol-
lowed her to three homes we put her
in at Huntington Park, in Los An
geles and In Garvanza. Later the au-
thorities took the girl out of an i'm
proper place and she Is now back in
the school. a.
AIIeae Shocking crueIties
I'm McLouth's case the boys stories
concerning his treatment of them are
shocking.
"He used profane words constantly,
especially toward the dark fellows
'.The worst was the case of a lad
got up earlier in the morning to feed
and milk the cows. The boys took
turns in resting for an hour as each
could divide the work.
''Some weeks ago DIR. Claire Murphy
operated on Rodriguez for hernia. He
took seventeen stitches. One morning
while Rodriguez was sleeping he and
the other boy say McLouth came up
unawares, kicked him In the side and
jumped on him. The stitches opened
and another hernia resulted
Nicktn9 is common
Another boy was kicked because he
spilled some milk.
Two boys were stuck head first in
mud puddles by McLouth, they claim.
he holding their feet up in the air to
give them the mud baths.
Another boy was left tied in COW
stanchion.
I'VE promptly discharged McLouth."
The other members of the board
favored keeping Mrs. McLouth in her
position as it is stated there was moth
ing discriminating against her, but
Trustee Desmond insisted on a clean
out. He carried his point.
Charges will be filed against some
men and possibly a few female en-
ployes alleging incompetency.
The principal demand however, is
that superintendent Greeley be made
to walk the plank also and that rigid
rules he established for the proner care