The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-15
INVESTIGATION OF
THOMAS NOW ON
Charges Against Superintendent
of Industrial School Arc
Being PrObed.
STARTLING STORIES ARE
TOLD BY THE WITNESSES
After Four Are Examined. Ad-
jOurnment Is Taken Until
Thursday.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune.
OGDEN, June 14.-The first day in
vestigation of the charges against Su,
perintendent II. n. Thomas Of the
State Industrial school. by the commit
tee appointed by Governor William
Spry especially for that purpose, was
concluded this afternoon after four
witnesses had been examined. Unless
the committee adopts some rule Of evi-
dcnce, by which the vast amount OF
testimony, direct, hearsay and other.
wise, can be governed, the investigation
promises TO be n long -drawp-out one,
lasting for several days.
The sensation of the dav was fur-
nished by Mrs. Helen Crosby. an aged
woman residing in Ogden. She had
grandson. Robert B. Turner, II years
of age. committed to the Industrial
school in January, 1908; Mrs: Crosby
! related IN voice choked with sob5
how 'ther boy had been taken down
with scarlet fever at the school and
died in August OF the same year he
was sent to the school. She declared
that she was not notified Of the lad 8
condition until the morning before he
died.
$50 was paid out by her aud her hus
band for casket with 'fglass lid
SO that she could see her boy in death. y
but that this privilege was denied her
by Superintendent Thomas and the san
jtary inspector, After being notified of
the boys illness the gray haired old
woman said, she went to the school aud
asked Mr.. Thomas why she bad not
been notified earlier To this, she said.
lp ma
Mrs. Crosby said the nurse at the school
told her that there were nine cases OF
the disease in the hospital at the time
her grandson died.
Question Not Answered.
Turning 10 DR.. T.. 6. Gowans, a mem
Der of the committee, Mrs. Crosby in
quired If one nurse could give each
patient the proper care. DR.. Gowans
courteously replied that the committee
was not present to give opinions on
such matters Mrs Crosby said that
son that the food at the school was of
inferior quality. She declared that
when she asked Superintendent Thomas
about this he referred her to the gov
crnor as a witness 10 the character Of
the food served at the institution. when
She replied that the food is always bet
ter OH the davs when the governor or
After Mrs, Crosby had been ques-
toned by several members of the com
mittee, and Mrs. j. H. Bishop OF the
committee presenting the charges
against the superintendent, she turned
10 face the inquiries of Superintendent
Thomas. Mr.. Thomas asked her if she
did not consider two deaths from scar
record. Mrs. Crosby didn I know, but
said she didn't believe ''hcr boy"
would have died in such a short time
after being taken i'll if he had been
properly cared for. Replying to the
question of the superintendent if the
Turner boy was not user of cocaine,
Mrs. Crosby admitted that he "snuffed
something up his nose at divers times
before being committed to the school.
Says Food Is Bad.
Mrs. Lille V. Halstead, of 40 Twcn-
ty-siXth street, the first witness called,
complained TO the committee Of Gun
gentlemanly questions asked the girls
by Superintendent Thomas in her pres
encc and improper food allowed them.
Replying directly to the question Of Or.
Gowans if she considered the food fur
nishcd the inmates Of the school suf
fciently nourishing, Mrs. Halstead re-
piled positively that she did not. She
then gave the menu served the girls
during the time she was employed at
the school, which began in September.
1905, as teacher. This consisted of
coffee. syrup and bread for breakfast
with separated milk for the coffee she
said On one occasion ''hy-blown
meat was sent to the girls cottage, but
Mrs, Halstead said she returned it to
the cook with the admonition that she
fed her dog better meat,
Mrs Halstead declared that the ma.
tron had on several occasions purchased
fruit with her own money for the girls.
The witness told Of an instance in the
summer of 1906 when she acted as ma
tron for one month, to relieve the regu-
lar matron. The girls were taken TO
South Fork canyon on camping trip.
the Encouragement of Sn-
Thomas, Mrs. Halstesd
said, the girls were allowed to roam
around the camp, -Four of the girls es-
,aped her observation for twenty min
itcs. when she found them in the com
oany of several men, Emma Mcknight
md Ada Swensen were apparently In.
oxicated and she detected the odor of
liquor when they, with the other two,
Minnie Wallace and Minnie Jordan.
we're taken hack to the camp. Camp
vas broken the next morning aud all re-
urned TO Ogden.
Vile Questions Asked
Some time afterward, the recreant
,lrlS having becn connneu IN thc
: cell, " Mrs. Halstead said Thomas
her to attend "court. - The
,irls, one at time. were examined in
Ter presence, and the questions asked
~ the superintendent, repeated IN
ow tone by Mrs. Halstoad, which re-
ated 10 what took place during the
ime they were with the men on tho
amping expedition, were vile in the
xtrcme These questions, Mrs, Hal
tead maintained, tended to degrade the
iris, and she declared that they nor
he will ever forget the examination
hey werc subjected to.
To show the manner III which the in
lates are at times treated at the school,