Evening journal., 1909-11-23
HANDY MAKES
new CHARGES
Alleges This Time That Indus
trial School Superintendent
IntimidateS Witnesses
HEARS ANOTHER STORY
OF ALLEGED CRUELTY

Former Congressman L. Irving Handy.
who made public charges Of alleged cruel
treatment toward boys at the Ferris In
dustrlal School sometime ago. an invest-
cation of which will be held the early
part Of next week, made new charges to-
day. He accuses Superintendent Stewart,
of the institution, with interfering with
his witnesses.
Mr.. Handy charges that Mr.. Stewart
waited at the Ford Building for former
inmate Of the school who was in Mr..
Handy's office, and took him into custody
and returned him to the Ferris School,
The young man I'm question, who is now
within a month Of his majority, escaped
from the institution sometime ago and
served an enlistment in the United States
Navy He was arrested in Philadelphia
recently and the authorities notified the
Ferris School superintendent, according
to Mr.. Handy. but Mr Stewart said that
the school did not want the youth as he
was too old.
Mr. Handy says that the young man
in question also went to the Ferris
School on returning to Wilmington for
81, which was due him and was not
detained. Why he should be taken
back TO the school after the opportunl-
ties which the school superintendent
] had to detain him, had he wanted him,
Mr.. Handy says he cannot explain.
| Mr.. Handy informed a reporter for
| THE EVENING JOURNAL to-day
that this new witness in the case re-
lated a tale Of cruelty which verlfies
the statements made by other former
/ inmates Of the school. He said that the
| young man told him of being whipped
once with one hundred and fifty lashes
and that when he could not longer
bend over and take them, he was
"bucked," that is his hands were tied
and pulled over his knees and then a
stick run through under his knees.
While in this position the whipping
was continued, Mr.. Handy said. He
added that the boy was positive that
he had been struck one hundred and
fifty times by the strap welded by
the school officer.
Mr.. Handy's statement follows:
| I feel inclined to make some pub
lie complaint concerning the action OF
Mr.. Stewart, superintendent OF the
Ferris Industrial School, tending TO in.
terfere with fair and Impartial inves.
tigation Of the charges against his
conduct towards the boys In his Gus.
tody. An occurrence this morning viii
illustrate what have in mind. Harry
Hamilton was formerly an inmate OF
the Ferris Industrial School. Some
years ago he made his escape and has
since then been in the Navy Of the
United States He is now within
about one month Of his majority. Re-
Gently. being in Philadelphia, he was
arrested and the authorities OF the Fer
ris Industrial School were informed
that Harry Hamilton was in custody
and asked whether they desired his
return to the school. The reply came
back that he was not wanted because
he was too old. Thereupon Hamilton
was released and promptly returned
to Wilmington and went out to the
Ferris Industrial School for the pur-
pose of getting from Mr.. Stewart the
sum Of $500 which Hamilton claims
was owing TO him when he made hi;
escape from the school. Mr.. Stewart
did not pay him the money but told
him that Mr. Boyer had II. Hamilton
, then went to Mr.. Boyer for the money
but did not get Il. He thereupon cam,
TO my office and told his story. de-
string to interest me in his effort tC
, get the $500 which he claims TO b'
{ due. I examined him in regard I,
the treatment OF himself and othei
I boys while he was an inmate of th'
Ferris Industrial School. He told
story OF cruelty quite equal 10 anl
: that has come from other sources il
/ regard to the school
Desiring the trustees Of the Ferris
Industrial School TO have the beneh
of what he can tell them, suggested
+ that he remain in Wilmington unit
the investigation is held by the trus
) tees. This he agreed to do and secure,
work at a morocco factory in Whining
/ ton. He was at my Office this morn
! ing when I reached II at o'clock. FL
) told me among other things this morn
2 ing that he had seen Mr.. Stewart oi
: the street and Mr.. Stewart had toll
! him before he entered the Ford Build
= ing that IL he, Hamilton, did not leav
s the city he would be taken back 4
' the Ferris Industrial School.
l Although Mr.. Stewart had refuses
3 TO take Hamilton from the Philadelphia
. authorities and had likewise failed L
s detain him when Hamilton visited tn
[ school itself, yet this morning whe
! Mr. Stewart saw that Hamilton wa
9 coming TO the Ford Building where m
e Office is located. he waited for hin
e and when Hamilton left my office. afte
+ an interview with me Of a half a
= hour, Mr.. Stewart seized him and car
e ried him away saying that he mus
e return TO the school This action ca
Q do no good TO Hamilton and no goo
$ to the discipline of the school. TIL
Q young man cannot legally be detaine
d by the Ferris Industrial School 70
o more than a month. because by tina
. time he will reach twenty-one year