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

went away, telling Mama" 10 get out
Of the way. She or Miss Kuack6tedt
had TO- sit IN the school with her. and
Banks had to sit on the doorsteps to
protect her.
4. II an doing this work for 6pd and
charity" sire .safd. A+aSd I would Be
I'm danger IL had not control Of them.
And say in the presence of the Re-
cording Angel that have never mis-
treated them
She became embarrassed when ask
ed by DIR. Freeman II she had ever
been called on to give up copy OF
her monthly statement, and what
seemed to be a delicate subject was
a little later fully explained. She did
not want to answer at first, but finally
said yes"
General Mental Type Low.
She described the condition OF the
girls wnen they entered the home.
and told Of how she had to labor with
them and sit up with them at night.
She said that the general mental type
was low, hut that some of them could
be saved as useful members of So
ciety. She said that outdoor work
was the only cure for them and for
the peculiar mental deficiencies and
lack of moral sense which afflicted
them. She said that she switched
them occasionally as punishment, but
that she shingled their hair. not to
punish them, but on account of the
condition of their hair when they came
to the home. She also punished them
sometimes by lessening their meals
or. in more serious cases, by confine-
ment.
The question as to whether she had
been asked for a copy of her month
y statement bobbed up again, but
DR.. Freeman said that the member
Of the board who had asked for the
copy was present and could explain
the matter. She told of her exper-
fence with Officer FARRELL, who, be-
cause she refused to let him into
the grounds. which would have been
to take her to court and have her
fined $50 for contempt, though he
didn't explain how he would sit az
Judge over her.
Mr.. Lecky went on the stand and
explained why he had asked for a
copy of the monthly statement. The
books had not been properly kept
by his predecessors. and he asked
and got the copy of the monthly
statement siruply to keep his own ac-
counts straight. Mrs Light had not
wanted to testify to this for fear of
EN- barr asing a former treasurer He
said that the per diem allowed by the
State was fifty cents a day for each
inmate.
Expert Testifies.
The Rev. James Buchanan testified
that physical exercise and labor were
the only cures for the moral and
mental diseases suffered by the girls.
He had recommended Mrs. Light to be
matron after he had searched in New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimo ore.
believing her TO be fitted because OF
her knowledge of local Southern con-
dftions. After describing the three
mental types Of girls received into
the home, he said that the institution
had q two-fold purpose in caring
for them-frst. to protect society un
til the public has sense enough to
care for them: second, to care for
them until the legislature made ii
impossible for the feeble minded 10
propagate their kind.
A. c. Fech, one of the alleged
instigators of the investigation. was
merclessly cross examined by Attor-
ney James Fl. Drake, and by DIR. Nc
Daniel. He was made to admit that
he had gotten one of the inmates OF
the home to sign a blank piece of
paper after telling her what it was
for. to start an investigation. 1t was
said afterwards that the girl learned
later that she was supposed to have
signed a petition for an investigation.
and that she went to Mrs. Light and
cried about it,
He said he believed there was moth
ing to complain of in the management
Of the home, except the elevation of
girls in the field" He said that he
was born in New York and that ne
| had lived in Virginia since 1874. He
the home OF his own knowledge. He
felt better about 1t. and thought that
no person not in the work could under
stand the situation. He could not re-
Mr.. Lecky. in which a negro had VOL
ated a solemn trust.
hanks ON Stand.
Banks told his story when the in
ouisitors moved to the home. He said
he had been instructed by Mr.. Waddill
to carry a pistol. and that Mr.. Waddin
has sent him weapon. He used II
one night when he was watching from
the house and saw white man try
ing to break into the grounds. One
man had threatened to shoot his head
OF the girls to take something to kill
him and Mrs. Light. He said that there
was no trouble while. Mrs. Buchanan
was matron as there was during the
time of the temporary matrons. He
testified that the girls held up Jack
Hudson, the former overseer of the
farm, and made him dance, and another
held him up for cigarette. He stated
that he was once offered $40 to bring
message from Bon Air, to one OF the
girls.
The taking of testimony closed with
hearing some of the girls. One testi-
fed that the witness named Lewis has
signaled her and called her into the
barn. She said that she had been
punished little. but not much. and she
thought Mrs. Light "the best woman
who ever walked in shoe leather"
Mrs Light wanted the girl to testify
further and to name farrell as an i'm
moral man. but the board excluded
this testimony. Another girl testified,
however. that farrell told her to COM
plain about the home. and asked her
to agree to everything he said and not
to admit that she was seventeen years
old. FARRELL. she said. offered to help
her to go home II she would agree to
everything he said.
All Of the girls testified that they
liked tho work and were not over
taxed. and that they loved their
mama"
The hearing will be resumed on
August Sth In the rooms of the State
corporation commission. There are
only few more witnesses to be named.
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