Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-20

Greer boy or was privy to the un-
warrantable beating that had been ad-
ministered to him. 1 was assured by
Mr.. Humphries upon reaching ST.
Anthony that he had not in any wise
been party to the matter, but, on
the contrary, as soon as it was called
to his attention had summarily dis
charged the guilty party and insisted
upon his. punishment through the law
This statement I found to be correct
Decided on Investigation.
after having gone thus far 1 con-
sidered it my duty to remain as n
member of the investigating body. Mr.,
Hill acted as chairman during the
four days that we conducted the in
vestigation. Mr.. Humphries was rep
resented by counsel. and Messrs Hol-
den & Hanson. two able and efficient
attorneys. acted as prosecutors. The
evidence was presented in much the
same way that 1t would have been in
a court Of justice. The entire board
considered 1t necessary to have a
shorthand reporter take down the tes-
timony and W. Orr Chapman was Sc
lected for that purpose. number of
witnesses were examined and the
Greer matter was gone into. There
Is no doubt in the minds OF myself or,
l imagine, of any other member of the
board. that this boy was brutally and
inexcusably beaten.
"The Importance Of this matter, af-
fecting as 1t did one Of our leading
state institutions. prompted the board
m ~ f,tr y,I ALL A.,
I believe now that it was wise for the
board to conclude to investigate the
conduct Of the institution from its in
ception.
Il find severan instances where in
mates of the institution had been un-
warrantably punished and very severe
ly beaten. While some alleged in
stances of this kind were of doubt
full nature, there were a few such cases
which, to my mind were clearly proven
These matters. however. in the main
related to the management before I be-
came an ex-officio member of the
board.
Having conducted the examination
for four days. public duties of a press
ing nature demanded that l return to
likewise demanded her return. After
consulting with the attorney general,
I concluded that 1t would be proper to
have referee take the remaining tes-
timony, have 1t transcribed and SUBJ
mitted to the board for further action
thereupon requested Mr.. Hill to act
as referee in the matter and Mr.. Chap
man was retained as stenographer
During most Of the investigation that
followed, as am informed one or more
Of the members of the board besides
Mr Hill were part Of the time present.
Conducted on Improper Lines.
II have carefully read the testimony
taken during the long investigation
that followed This investigation
took wider scope +han any OF us had
anticipated. but Mr.. Hill wisely con-
cluded that having gone into the mat
ter, it should be finished in It's entire
ty and most thoroughly. That evidence
is before us.
Il conclude from my examination
OF the evidence that the institution
from Its inception has been conducted
on improper lines. That 1t is impos-
sible for any institution to be success
fully managed where good and bad
children are kept together. Harm Is
bound to result and dissatisfaction pre-
vail. tE
THE children have always been
divided into groups called families and
each family has a head. These heads
Of families have jurisdiction over the
pupils under them and are responsible
to the superintendent This is in ac-
corAanco WIFI, tro uaual v,lav n, in.ti