The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-08
GOVERNOR IS ASKED
TO REMOVE THOMAS
Brutality and Graft Charged
Against Reform School
Superintendent.
RESOLUTION is ADOPTED
AT MEETING OF WOMEN
Accusations Brought Against
Official Sickening in Their
Character.
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune
OGDEN, June T.-Brutalitv. surpass
ing that found in most penal institu.
tions of the country and graft ONLY
slightly shadowed by the manipulations
of Wall street combines and misman-
agement of the grossest nature, were a
few of the sensational charges made
against Superintendent II. II. Thomas
and the management of the State In
dustrial school at a mass meeting held
in the lecture hall of the Weber acad-
emy this afternoon which was called
by the Women s clubs of Ogden to in
vestigatc the many unsavory rumors
which have in the past few months
gained circulation throughout the state
There were no hearsay, no second
hand declarations. Every person who
testified TO the prevalent conditions ar
! the state institution spoke from facts
as they knew them, and incidents which
came under their direct observation. AT
times some of the prominent women
of the city. who were present TO tell
what they knew. suppressed sob as
some particular story of brutality was
| related.
Perhaps the most sensational story Of
the meeting was that related by j. fl.
Scott, Young man who was employed
at the school for ZEN months as an in
structor Of manual art and carpenter
ing. Mr.. Scott began work at the
school in June. 1907. but rendered his
resignation after working less than a
year because, he said, his ideas of dis
ciplne and the management of the boys
differed materially from those held by
Superintendent Thomas. During the
month of August Of that year Mr..
Scott said that lad who was working
under him was placed in an eight by
four feet cell upon the orders of SUI
perintendent Thomas because he was
caught chewing tobacco The boy was
kept in the vile place for three weeks
on bread and water dict.
Emaciated Condition.
When he was released Mr.. Scott de-
cared that he was in an emaclated
condition as the result of his imprison-
ment and diet. For several weeks af-
ter the lad was in poor health. One
day he was missed. A search was made
and the boy was found in the attic
above the carpenter shop asleep. He
was punished again, \ short time at
terwards he took typhoid fever and
died
Questioned as to- graft at the inst-
tuition Mr.. Scott said he was sent by
the superintendent TO perform carpen-
tering work at private residence IN
The city in October of the year he was
employed at the institution, when he
was required 10 work there for three
weeks on the state s time. He related
an incident when son Of Superlnten-
dent Thomas, after returning from
drive late at night demanded that one
of the bows at the school get out OF
L l. h..S
were frequently punished for using to-
bacco, which was furnished them by
son Of Superintendent Thomas. Dur
ing the time he was at the school,
lad was whipped for an iufraction OF
the rules until blood streamed down his
back in rivuicts and his clothes were
LITERALLY torn To shreds. Some light on
the diet AT the school was furnished by
! Mr.. Scott, when he declared that the
bill for syrup each month was about $50.
This. he saws, is the chief article of
diet for The inmates. while the oi1lcers
OF the school had the hest that The
market affords served on their own
| tables.
! /. Blair. former employee of the In
dustrial school. was called upon and
gave a minute description Of the menu
served al the dread and water table.
The bread he said was unfit for food:
The kitchen and the places where food
! is prepared for the inmates Mr.. Blair
declared rocked with filth and was en-
tircly unsanitary,
Letter from a Mother,
4 letter which caused a lump to rise
| in the throats Of many present was
read from Mrs. Clara Buck of Bing..
| ham CANYON The letter was addressed
to the committee which called the meet
lug. Mrs Buck said her SON was an
inmate Of the school When taken down
with scarlet fever hc became delirious
and DESTROYED some of thc furniture and
bedding in his room. For this. she says,
he was put in dungeon and kept IN
close confinement, although seriously Ill.
The letter was read by Mrs Bishop,
member Of the committee.
A communication from Mrs. Lillie V,
Ualstei, of 40 Twenty sixth street,
who was employed at the school as
matron. was read after the men. pres
cnt had been invited to temporarily re
tire from The room. In this letter Mrs
Halsted declared that some of the ques
tions put to the girl inmates of the
school in her presence by Superiuten-
dent Thomas caused her to blush WIZ
shame. Some infraction OF the rules
during a camping trip prompted the SUI
ncriniendcnt 10 hold ''court, = at which
questions of the vilcst nature were put
to the delinquent girls by the superin
tendent to ascertain how they mao
spent a few minutes during the camp
ing trip while not under the observation
of the matron. Mrs. D. I. Tracey, nm
iii recently a matron nj the school anu
\ number of others who had at different
times becn employed at the school IN
various capacl.irs declared that the food
served 10 the girls and boys AT the IN.
stitution was entirely inadequate ana
unfit for consumption. N
After those present had told or an
;La,. L -auareliup tb>, oBa1rS RL the