The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-15
REFORM SCHOOL
INQUIRY BEGINS
Witnesses for Those Making
Charges Against Superin-
tendent Are Heard.

The investigation into the affairs of the
state industrial school began yesterday
with the full committee present. The
committee prererring the charges. COM
posed of Rev. Noble Strong EldeTkin,
mrs Kate s billiard and Mrs j. M
Bishop, was also on hand Governor Spry
attended part of the afternoon session.
put took no part in the investigation
Inc tlrst meeting was held at Il o'clock
IN the forenoon. At an executive session
Harry s. Joseph was elected to preside
over the investigation. \. ]. Harris was
designated as examiner and Harold j.
Packard was chosen official reporter 1t
was announced that the resolution passed
at the recent meeting at Weber academy
was not specific enough. and the COM
mittee was requested to file charges in
writing. This they did, charging Super
lnJendent X. H. Thomas with cruelty to
the children, supplying them with i'm
proper food and with being unfit for the
position he holds.
The first witness at the afternoon ses-
SlO nWaS Mrs. Lille B. Halstead who
was employed at the school as a teacher
FOR two years beginning in September
100. She related in detail the facts
brought out at the Weber academy meet
ing with reference to the had condition
of the food. the negligence of Superin-
tendent Thomas when the girls were
out camping in South Fork canyon. and of
the questions put to the girls as the re-
suit of that outing Some of these uueS-
dent Joseph insisted on Mrs Halstead
reading the questions in order to get them
into the record She told of Hattie Malan
being put into a cell because of the dis
appearance Of a diamond ring from the
home of Assistant Superintendent William
A. z. kneass. She was put on bread
and water for several days The floor
Of her ceh was covered with stagnant
water, over which she had to walk on
plank to her bunk. The place was I'M
sanitary and filthy. Mrs Halstead said
the food at the school was very poar. The
children had butter but twice q week.
and it was so bad they could not eat it.
Questions were asked by different mem
bers of the committee to bring out all of
the facts. In response to questions by
Mrs. Bishop. Mrs. Halstead said that the
syrup was sour. the beds sagsed. the bed
bugs fierce. the mattresses and comfort
ers poor the toilet arrange ments dirty
and unsanitaTy.
Mrs. Helen CROSBY was the next wit
ness. She told of the death of her grand
son. Robert D. Turner a boy OF seven
teen. She said the coy was taken sick
on Sunday ard died on Tuesday; that she
vas not notified Of his illness until Tues
dav morning. She said the uursa who
cared for him had nine scarlet fever pa
tents and was unable to give them
proper care. She said Superintendent
Thomas was discOuTteOus and unkind.
that she bought a $50 glass case for the
boy. but that she was refused permission
to see him even through q window Mrs.
Crosby was very much affected. and her
testimony was given between s0bs. She
said she never wanted 60 hear Of the
state Industrial school again Superin-
tendent Thomas asked Mrs. Crosby if the
boy was addicted TO cocaine before COM
ing TO the school. and she said that he
was. Mrs. Bishop made the point that
as he had been in school several months
the cocaine should have been oCt of his
system.
Joseph objected 10 this but Mrs Bishop
insisted and IL went into the evidence.
Mrs T. y. Tracy repeated her form
testimony about the improper food aud
the impossibility Of correcting tie girls
without permission from Thomas. Maud
Nalan told Of seeing her girl in the cell
with the floor covered with stdgnant wa
ter. compelled TO walk on q plank 10
her bed and fed on bread and water for
seven days The committee adjourned
until Thursday morning.