The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-22
MORE SENSATIONS
IN THOMAS CASE
WOrmy Currants Fed to Indus.
trial School Inmates, Says
One Witness.
TESTIMONY AS TO GRAFT
ALSO GIVEN DURING DAY
Much Light Being Thrown Upon
Methods at the Re-
fOrmatOry.
Special 10 Tic Tribune.

Special TO Tic Tribune
OGDEN, June 21.-For the most part
the evidence adduced today before the
investigating committee hearing the
charges against Superintendent II. II.
Thomas of the state industrial school
was OF cumulative and corroboratiye
nature. Some sensational statements.
however, were elected from the wit.
nesses.
When the session convened at s
clock tins morning, Attorney Nalen-
tine Gideon asked Chairman Joseph TO
request the attendance of DIR. +. NJ.
Conroy, former member of the board.
Frank Ballantyne and C. H. Chandler
at the sessions Of the investigation. In
The afternoon the returns from the
subpoenas issued on Ballantyne showed
that be refused to appear before the
committee TO testify
Mrs Mary Ann jackson, employed nj
the school for three months during tho
summer of 1906, and again from April
| 1907, until June, 1909. as an assistant
to the mairon and cook at the girls
cottage. was the first witness called
Mrs. Jackson corroborated other wit
nesses, who have previously testified
regarding the poor condition of the food
! served TO the inmates of the school.
She declared that for the whole time
she was employed at the institution
the supply of currants which were given
to her upon requisition were wormy
and unfit for food. Notwithstanding
this she says, they were cooked and
served to the girls.
The syrup was Of an inferior grade.
she declared, and was so sour that it
| For ,,.,1.
the lust week Of every month there was
always an insuffjciency of food, ac-
cordng TO the witness. because of an
effort to keep within the appropria-
tions.
Oregon Boot for Boy.
A boy named Fernstcrmaker, an in.
mate of the school. was subjected III
the indignity and pain Of an Oregon
boot during the summer of 1906, de-
clared the witness. One morning he
couldn { get up. and IL was found that
he had rheumatism as the result of
the shacklc. The witness said the bed
ding at the girls cottage was in poor
condition The quilts and mattresses
old and worn and the springs uncom-
Portable. She was asked by Chairman
Joseph If she knew the currants were
wormy, why she fed them to the girl
inmates, and the witness replied: "Mrs.
story of the whipping of n boy named
Charley Worthy until his arm was
| black and blue from the shoulder to the
elbow was related by the witness. The
boy, she said, told her an officer named
Winterbean gave him the whipping.
Charles r, Holhngsworih, clerk Of
the board of trustees of the industrial
school, was called to the stand, Mr.
Hollingsworth said he has been sery-
ing the school in this capacity since
MAY IL, 1886. He was asked by At
torney Gideon, representing the com
mittce pressing the charges against
Thomas, if he did not keep a record OF
the minutes of the meetings Of the
board The witness replied in the at
fjrmatve. Attorney Gideon then re-
quested that the minute book showing
the records of a meeting at which the
matter OF corporal punishment at tho
school had been discussed by the board.
I and records showing when BOYS of the
school were sent 70 work outside OF inc
school grounds Tho secretary prom
| ised 10 have the records ready at any
! time they nre desired.
Scott Tells Things.
John IT, Scott, one of those who fur
nished the information at the mass
meeting held at the Weber academy,
when the resolution formulating a re-
quest 10 the governor TO call an m
Vestipation of tho charges against
SUPERINTENDENT Thomas was adopted,
testified that he had worked at the
school as manual instructor and car
nenter during the wears 1907 and l9US,
! IIn described tho "ccll'' in which re-
fractorv BOYS are confined, and after
wards, in company with superintendent
Thomas. visited it and reported 70 inc
committee that its general appearance
! ,.,,t l;Yt1, 1iffprpnrn from the
| time he was working at the lnstItu-
| ton.
MIR. Scott related the story of the i'm
prisonment, whipping and subsequent
death of Ole Peterson. boy inmate OF
of the school. in August. l9of Inc pol
was caught chewing tobacco. lle WIS
mt in the cell and kept on The usual
bread and wafer dict for several weeks.
| After being taken out. the witness Saiu'
he was very sickly. and after short
time took typhoid fever and d>eo' Inc
hoy according to the witness. was put
in thc cell without being given n near
ing, but he may have been called o"'
OF tho cell later for the nearing.
Attorney r. D. Johnson, representing
Thomas. succeeded in showing that
other bows were sick with the same
m.la1y at about the same t,Ine, wnlch
was believed 70 have been que ~
drinking water out OF the dlt'h cana
running nearby. IT was proven tnae
since iIat time watcrworks connections
Ind been made. and the health oil the
school much improved
Charges, of Graft.
Regarding charges OF graft maae sn
,oa;,,et Thomas. the witness related IN
Incident when he was detailed ON tne
superintendent 5 new residence on
Madison avenue. where ne did carpen-
ta" ~" a"o ,.nrt for a period of three weeks,
Scott MAS paid 500 month by the state
for his services at the school; When
he he completed %" the work ON Thomas s
rosidcnrc. he said, the. superintendent
gave him his personal check for $50 ana
n check for $40 from the SCHOOL Sco.t
saws the regular pay OF carpenters o.