The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-13

Of which the majority Of the public
the complaints caused them to vAn-
ish into thin air and to react on the
complainants.- But tho Investigation
accomplished exactly Wlsat tbs GOV.
RArning board OF tine ita1tftutiUn wanted
| II to accom- plfsh, ana when II was
halted 1t was because the inquisitors
had learned enough. though the gov
erning board wanted 1t to go still
further. The charges against farrell
and Lewis both OF whom testified be-
! fore the inquiry, were not made a
matter OF record because they were
not on trial. and were not present
to defend themselves when the
charges were brought. But they were
aired before the committees, and one
of those present attempted to force
another and more serious charge
against the officer who is alleged to
have been 30. officious that he defied
Mrs. Light, threatened to bring her
to trial for contempt of court and
to have her fined $40.
The investigation was begun in the
pavilion at Bon Air. DIR. s. G.
Hatcher. chairman of the State Board
Of Charities and Corrections. presided.
and the investigation was. conducted
| by DIR. Douglas s. Freeman. Haskins
Hobson, Commonwealth attorney of
Chesterfield county, represented the
executive board of the Virginia Home
and Industrial School for Girls. At
the outset DIR. George W. Mcdaniel.
of the board of trustees of the home,
said that the trustees wanted the
Investigation to be thorough and
complete.
Lewis Is First Witness.
| A. B. Lewis was the first witness
called. He Is a carpenter. and was
employed to do some work at the
institution. He said that he saw girls
digging a trench while Banks stood
idly by He saw the girls saving
wood. and he saw them working in
the field and kept there, ne said, with
out dinner until after o'clock. At
torney Hobson asked him IL he could
sing and whistle, and he said that
he did sometimes. He denied that
he ever sang, Hug Me Tight, Honey"
1t had been complained that he had
made advances to the girls and had
signaled to them by whistling.
! Squire S. G.. Cowan was called. but
said he knew little about the home.
except that when he had been there
he had found everything in excellent
condition.
Nicholas BEDFORD. brick con-
/ tractor, who had had work at the
home. said that he had had no diff
Guilty with Banks though he thought
he should not be in charge. He said
that he had never seen Miss Butler
In the field " 18th the girls. though she
might have been there. He said that
he could never telephone to his part
ner in Richmond. as he was not al
lowed in the home. and that his mes
sages were sen. through Banks.
Squire l.. w. Cheatham said ne pre-
sided at the trial of a runaway girl,
and said he was instrumental in bring
ing about the inquiry because of what
the girl had told him.
Officer FARRELL Testifies.
County officer farrell told about
being refused entrance into the
grounds when he wanted to serve a
subpoena. and that Mrs. Light told
him he was not a gentleman IL he in
sisted on coming in. He arrested the
runaway girl and said her hands were
as hard as those OF a workman. He
said he offered to help raise money
to send the girl to her home.
He had tilt with DR.. Mcdaniel
when the latter asked him II his Of
fees We're not over a barroom, and
invited the minister out to see him,
and got smile for his pains. His
headquarters are located in a build
ing where liquor Ia sold. though liquor
was not sold there when he first NOV
ed in.
Polk Miller testified as to the char
acter of Beverly Banks, whose pres
ence on the farm excited all the ILL
! favored comment He characterized
him as an old-time darkey who would
( fly to the rescue of the girls If need
1 be.
/ r. 3. Christian and Percy CHM,
residents of Bon Air, testified as to
the good management of the institu-
ton. Mr.. Glinn said that he had
twice been called on for assistance
by Mrs. James Buchanan. then ma
iron. The first time the girls were
running amuck. and had saturated
brooms with kerosene and were at
tempting to set the buildings af1re.
He was helpless until some of the di-
rectors came. The second time he
was asked to come because Of the fear
OF trouble from the outside. He arm
ed himself with a shotgun and spent
the night He had seen the girls
working with Banks. and said that
the negro was absolutely reliable and
trustworthy.
Mr.. Waddin on Stand.
S. 2. Waddill. clerk OF the Hen
rico county court, was an important
witness. After explaining how the
accounts were kept and saying that
Mrs. Lign: had a petty cash account.
and telling of his efforts to get
teacher for the school. said that he
had heard Of efforts being made at
night TO get into the grounds, and
had ordered Banks to arm himself.
He sent Banks a pistol.
Asked as to the form Of punish
.ment administered he said that cor
poral punishment had been discussed,
but had been disapproved by the
board. He had not heard of the
cutting OF girls hair as a form Of
punishment. He said that Banks was
employed to direct the work in the
fields. and to protect the girls, and
that ne could not administer any
form OF punishment. He thought
Banks to be good man. j. T.
Waters and his son. Eddie, who had
done some hauling for the home. tes
tilted that they had not seen the girls
mistreated by the negro, and had
not even heard him speak harshly to
them. When asked what his business
was. Waters replied "minding my
own business and letting other peo-
pies alone"
Fl. d. c. MacClachlan. chairman Of