The copper era and Morenci leader. [volume] (Clifton, Ariz.) 1911-1929, 1914-06-19
HUNT ASSUMES ALL
BLAME FOR FORT
GRANT MESS
Includes Newspapers in Charge of
Political Motive Made and Repeated
Against CaIlaghan, Who Removed
Lid" from the State Industrial
School
WHIPPLE is DAMNED
WITH FAINT PRAISE

PHOENIX, June -"State Indus
trial -School-the Whole Truth of it,
is the title given by Governor George
Hunt to a pamphlet shortly to be is
sued at his own expense.
Included in the pamphlet will be Au-
ditor J. c.. Callaghan's report on the
industrial school, Superintendent W.
M. Whfpple's reply and a statement
by the governor, bitterly assailing the
persons and newspapers who have
criticized the management of the in
stitution.
The governors statement is a lit
tie over 1000 words in length Fol
lowing are some of the high lights:
During a period extending over a
number of months the state indus
trial school, recently transferred from
Benson to Fort Grant, has been un-
der fire. Over the head of the super
intendent of that institution the state
administration, for the success or
failure of which 1 will, should and am
willing to be held responsible, has
been subjected to severe criticism,
not to say abuse. A number of in
dividuals have been untiring in the
circulation of tales of alleged irreg-
ularities at the school, and certain
newspapers, freely and with evident
eagerness, have acted as their aids
and abettors, disseminating ultra-sen-
sational accounts, always emanating
from obscure and indefinite sources.
of the serious conditions said to exist
at the home for Arizonas delinquent
and incorrigible boys and girls.
Finds "Conspiracy."
1T would seem unnecessary to Sug-
gest the motives which have inspired
the individual and journalistic parti-
cipation, but whether they were of
the loftie5t patriotism or were mere
ly of a despicable political or per-
sOnal nature, there is no room for
doubt that the movement. has been
carried forward, persistently and sys-
tematically, to the great hindrance
and detriment of the industrial
school, and, it is reasonable to sup
pose, to the discredit of the. admin
istration among many citizens not in
a position to know or to judge of the
facts.
TT is the purpose of this pamphlet
to set forth the facts as they exist
and as they are established by the
record of a recent investigation held
by and at the instance of State Au-
ditor J. G. Ca1laghan. The auditors
report, having every appearance of
being the eliminating feature of the
systematized destroying effort already
referred to, was widely published in
full, set off by spectacular and glar-
ingly false headings, but not one of
the newspapers doing so had the fair
ness or decency to publis hSuperin-
tendent Whipple's reply. Thus it be-
comes necessary through this extra
ordinary means to lay the case before
the people
This is followed with a description
of the school as it was at Benson,
and its history up to the time of the
discharge of Superintendent Harper
for whipping the inmates. Of this the
governor says:
while this removal was necessary,
and was effected promptly upon the
presentation of the facts upon which
it was based, it is just and proper
to say that the deplorable conditions
with which the overcrowded and de-
moralized dissatisfaction and mutiny
afforded some palliation of that Off
cial's conduct
Whipple, it is declared, took hold
under great difficulties. The school |
was removed to Fort Grant but lack |
sorting order to be a painfully slow |
one. On Whipple's administration !
the governor comm ents:
Faint Praise for Whipple.
Il do(not deem it necessary, in
this statement, to enter into dis
eussion of Mr.. Whipple's management |
IF the institution. The charges of |
he auditor against him areset forth
n that officials report of his investi-
cation and an answer is contained in
he superintendent's reply. I must
say, however, that Superintendent
assumed herculean task
md he has earnestly strive, against
he most discouraging odds, to per-
orm it. Whatever may be ones view
# what might have been accomplish
ID in the time since the superin-
endent took charge, it cannot be |;
lenied that a constant change for the ;
letter has occurred, the continuance
# which there is no reason to doubt.
From the class of newspapers that
or reasons of their own will hear no
tatement that does not condemn
ave come the persistent and mali I
ious attacks to which the school has, {
its period of greatest trial,
'een subjected. Lurid headlines have !
nnounced every runaway that has oc-
urred and many that have not. High {
y colored pictures of decentralization s
ave been published and every pos
ible effort eXerted to make them
rue. Scathing editorials denouncing
conditions existing only in the ina {
;ination of the writer's, or based upon
lalf truths of which no fair eXplana- !
ion was attem pied, have supplement-
d those so-called stories with clock
yC1.ly orify iT1if Of