The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-13
Testifies Under Oath
That She Did So in
Order to Get Away.
INMATES BOSSED
BY NEGRO IN FIELD
Marion Gives Pitiful Account of
Mental Depravity and Uphill
Task of Reform-Girls Tried
to Burn Building and
Stoned Teacher They
Did Not Like.

Marie Mcnamara, the girl whose es-
cape from the Virginia Homo and In
dustrial School for Girls was the direct
cause Of the investigation OF that in
stttution. yesterday testified before tho
State Board of Charities and Correo-
lions that the stories she told to county
officers about her mistreatment at the
school were false and had been told
In the hope that she might be sent back
to her father.
Nevertheless abundant testimony was
brought out, including that of the ne
gro. Beverley Banks himself, to the
erect that he worked with the girls
in tho fields. called them by their frat
names. had a limited authority over
them, and that up to three months ago
no one else was with them when they
worked, except occasionally.
The further facts were brought out
that there is no system in the school
for separating the various classes of
inmates, according to their moral and
physical condition, and that no voca-
tional training, other than cooking and
sowing. Is provided. Lack of funds
was cited as the cause for these short
comings
Drove Teacher Away.
Tho most interesting witness was
Mrs. NJ. NJ. Light, the matron of the
home. who gave the examiners, as they
stated In court, the impression that the
handling of incorrigibles is something
that they had never before understood,
and that she was n most efficient and
faithful superintendent.
She described the difficulty which
had been experienced In attempting to
Install, some months ago, a teacher by
the name of Mrs. Reed The girls re-
peatedly attacked Mrs. Reed, and would
have seriously injured her but for the
interference OF the negro, Beverley
Banks. On the morning that Mrs Reed
left the school literally in fear of her
life. the Inmates concealed themselves
about the grounds and made m attack
upon the carriage with stones, SO that
she escaped with difficulty. 1t was also
related that the inmates upon another
occasion tried to set fire to the build
iEgs with brooms saturated with kero-
sene. Mrs. Light described the condi-
ton and propensities OF the incorrigi-
bles In way calculated to convince the
most skeptical OF the difficulties of her
undertaking.
Hnrd Work Necessary.
All of the morning session was do
voted to testimony of witnesses who,
from observation, stated that the negro
had authority over the girls and that
they worked very hard. Mrs. Lights
testimony and the investigation at the
school, which took place in the after
noon. shed the most light on these
facts.
In regard to the matter OF hard
work, Mrs Light stated that 1t was an
absolute essential In the handling of
that class OF girls, and she was sup
ported in this statement by DIR. James
buchanan. She stated that the girls
had at least an hour and n half OF
recreation daily. during which time
they played ball croquet. Checks" and
other games. She pointed out that IL
would he impossible for the thirty six
inmates TO be ovcrworked in cultivat-
ing the thirty acres OF the home farm
and caring for the few head OF live
stock kept there.
Average Mentality Low.
With regard TO the condition of tho
Continued ON Eonrth Pnre