The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-06
investigators Yesterday Spent
Afternoon at the Farm and
Questioned Many of the In
mates of the Place.
NO STATEMENT MADE
TILL WORK is OVER
Members of the Committee
See the Inmates at Supper
and the Superintendent Is
Asked Questions.

A committee, including John L.
Rupe, George Eggemeyer and Wilfrcd
Jessup, appointed by the Richmond
newspapers and commissioners. to
make an investigation of charges of
dissatisfaction among the inmates of
the county infirmary. instituted it's
work yesterday afternoon but was un-
able to complete it and has arranged to
again visit the institution Monday.
AS announced in yesterdays issue,
the committee will not make it's find
ings public until it has completed it's
work. The committee is serving pure
1y as disinterested parties, and in un-
official capacities. However, its pur
pose meets with the sanction of the
county officials. The committee does
not expect to complete its investiga-
tion Monday, as the work before it is
voduminOus. 1t is probable that it's
verdict will be made known by the last
of the week.
Reporters Also There.
The committee, accompanied by sew
eral others. representing the newspa-
Ders of the city. arrived at the poor
LOU
o'clock, and went Immediately about
its investigation. The committee ad-
journed about 6 o'clock to meet again
Monday to continue it's work.
During the time spent at the insti-
tuition. the inmates of the mems de-
partment demanded most of the at
tention of the investigators. Howev-
er, at the supper hour, the committee
spent its time in the dining room and
afterwards a short time in the other
apartments of the institution.
The inmates of the institution were
assured protection from criticism and
We're urged to speak the truth. The
committeeman told each inmate ex-
amined that he or she need have no
fear in telling the truth because the
committee would see that their state
ments would in no wise be reaction
ary to themselves. The committee had
no difficulty in obtaining expressions
from the inmates as to what they
thought of the treatment accorded
them by Superintendent Townsend,
after the above assurance was given.
Some of Inmates.
Monroe Bennett. formerly of Green's
fork. who has been an inmate of the
institution for nine years, is entirely
helpless owing to blindness, a broken
leg and numerous body afflictions,
but he seems to have clear mental
tty. He was the first inmate visited.
Elijah Fletcher of Dublin, who
came to the institution in June 1908,
suffering from nervous disorders;
Frank Brick" Snow, formerly we'll
known character in this city, who has
been living at the farm for more than
a year, the last four months eff which
he has spent in the hospital suffer
ing from nervous disorders; Ed Bald
rich, blind inmate from Hagers-
town; Thomas McGirr. John Lee and
katherine Van Zant were among the
inmates before the committee yester-
day. Frank Townsend, the superin
tendent was also asked a few ques-
tions but it is very probable that he
will be before the committee again.
At 5 o'clock the committee went to
the dining room and watched the in
mates at supper Several of the in
mates were asked whether the meal
served last evening was the same as
they had been in the habit Of receiv-
ing before the charges against the
management were made public.
The committee questioned the in
mates. relative to their treatment by
superintendent Townsend and men,
bers Of his family; the quality and
quantity of the food, and the duties Of
each inmate. Particular attention was
also paid to the cleanliness Of the in
mates, their quarters and the institu-
tion in general