The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-30

denounced as petty and small. He laid
special stress on the crime committed by
the seven boys in the canyon
Criticism of Women.
In regard to the so-calIed improper
questions asked the girls by Thomas. At
tOrney johnson was severe in his crit
icisn of Mrs. Tracy and Mrs Halstead,
who knew of those questions at the time,
who made no protest against them. who
held their positions for years, and in the
case of Mrs. Halstead, tried TO get back
after leaving He enlarged upon the fact
that many of the girls were bad before
entering the school. and that II was nee
essary for the superintendent to ascertain
this fact Thomas, he said, made mis-
takes. but ne was doing his best all the
time He deserved the hearty sympathy
and support of all well disposed citizens,
said Mr.. Johnson.
The charge that the food was bad was
ridiculed. He asserted that the meat
eaten by Thomas and the other teachers
and officers was the same as that eaten
by the boys He thought charges should
he based on something more substantial!
than the complaints of those who had
been discharged from the school.
Judge j. W. Agee gave a summing up
Of the case on behalf of the citizens com
mittee that preferred the charges in the
beginning. substantially as follows;
Cruel and Inhuman Treatment.
That the boy King, after being confined
in a cell till he became sick and had TO
be sent to the hospital, was brought out
and by order of Superintendent Thomas
was flogged before going into the hos
pitaI-
Seven boys were confined for two or
three days in two cells. each cell being
about 4xi2 feet, and containing only one
cot sufficient only for the accommoda-
ton of one person, and were fed on bread
and water only. The odor arising from
the cells was very bad.
Boys were given from fifty TO seventy
five blows with a heavy leather strap,
with nothing on but their shirts.
The Malin girl was for several days
confined in a cell. the floor of which was
covered with water so that plank had
to be laid from the door TO the cot on
and water only, at period when she was
In i'll health, until Mrs. Tracy, the matron,
appealed to DIT. COnrOy. who ordered her
removed from the cell.
That contrary to the regulations or or
ders of the board of trustees, the Ore
gOn boot" was used on different boys.
One girl was asked by Superintendent
Thomas to go through with an indecent
performance before the superintendent
and in the presence of the matron, and
when she refused to do so was confined
in an unsanitary cell for week and fed
on bread water.
Fraudulent Transactions.
Scott the instructor in carpentry. was
sent with one boy TO do work on the pri-
vate property of Superintendent Thomas.
and was paid for his work $50, or. ac-
cording to Mr.. Thomas at the rate of
about 81 per day. while at the same time
his services were ne sded at the school in
the construction of dCrmitOTies, and an
outside carpenter was employed to do the
work that should have been done in the
school by Scott. and was paid 81 a day
for his work While Scott was working
for the superintendent the state furnished
him board and lodging. Neither the state
nor the boy received any paw for the
work done by the later.
A detail of two boys was sent with
Griffin, one of the employees. to do work
on the private property of Superintendent
Thomas when IN sir services were badly
needed in preparing trenches for the new
water system.
detail of from one to five boys and a
team belonging to the state were sent
with Myers, an employee of the school. to
work upon the private property of the
superintendent, when there was work to
be done on the water system. According
to the uudisputed testimony, Myers and
these boys and the team worked four or
five days on the private property of Mr..
Thomas
According TO the testimony Of Miss
Mitchell. a witness for Mr. Thomas and
who was a teacher in the school. Miss
ConrOy was employed as a teacher of
music. but from Christmas. 1908. until
April or May of this year, and we believe
until the term of office of her brother
DR.. COnroy, as trustee. expired, she was
at the school only two or three times;
yet she was carried on the payroll and
her salary paid by the state.
Disregard of Law.
For some time after Mr. Thomas be
came superintendent, the statutes OF this
state section 2060 requiring contracts TO