New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-17
MRS. DUNPHY, ILL,
FACES TRIAL TODAY
Suspended Superintendent
OF Randall's Island
Schools IS Feeble.
TO ANSWER CHARGES
IN HER SICKROOM
State Board Of Charities VIII
Hold Hearing on Rice
Report.

After ten rostponements Mrs. Mary
c. Dunphy. suspended superintendent
Of tho New York Children's Hospital
and Schools, on Randall's Island, will
be placed on trial at II o'clock this
morning in tho room in her cottage
where she lies Ill.
She will not be IN bed when the
charges against her are heard. accord
ing TO her physician, Or. Michael c.
O'Brien.
Though Mrs. Dunphy is quite Ill.,"
said Dr. OBrien yesterday, "her con-
dition Is so improved that she viii be
able 10 sit in chair II would be in
advisable to have the trial elsewhere,
as she has not been off the floor Of
the building since she became sick"
Mrs Dunphy is sixty-seyen years old
and very feeble She has not been IN
good health for years. At present her
chief ailment il Brights disease.
The charges, which comprehend neg
lect Of duty in permitting patients to
be III treated, will be read 70 her and
she will be given an opportunity 70 an
swer them herself. There will be no
witnesses arraigned against her, and
she will not be permitted 70 call any
witness, save herself. In her behalf.
John A. Kingsbury, Commissioner OF
Charities, was in baltimore last night,
bat - he returns in time he will pre-
side az the hearing. Otherwise Deputy
Commissioner Henry {. Wright will
direct the proceedings. II Is believed
chat not more than an hour viii be
consumed.
Gronville Clark, o. counsel for Mrs.
Dunphy, said yesterday that he had
al least fifty persons, many OF them
prominent, who stand ready 70 testify
for the accused superintendent. Under
Commissioner Kingsbury's ruling they
viii not have the opportunity they
seek.
"Do you intend to appeal TO the
courts after the hearingY Mr.. Clark
was asked.
81 can't say what will be done" he
said. at seems to me that Mrs. Dun
ply is entitled TO redress against q
situation of this kind
Mrs. Dunphy has been In the ser
vice for forty-two years. She was ap-
pointed superintendent on October y,
1892. The charges against her we're
fled and at the same time she was
suspended on March .. This came at
the end Of an investigation lasting
fourteen months.
Also to-day there will be held the sec
ond hearing OF the State Board OF Chair
ties into general conditions on Ran
daIs Island. According 70 an Official
statement issued last night, Stuart A.
Rice. confidential inspector for the
New York City Department OF Chari-
ties. Will testify to what are called
shocking cases Of brutality discovered
by him while he was working for seven
weeks disguised as an orderly on Ran
daVs Island. Part O. the time ne
served as Waterman. His investiga-
tions were made in the pavilions for
Predetermined boys.
Rice, in his report, says that he saw
an orderly tie the feet OF boy 70 the
foot Of a bed; that he saw an orderly
strike boy with his het; that he saw
orderlies kick helpless PATIENTS that
he saw female attendants strike small
children, and that on ono OCCASION a
threat TO kill was made against a Grip
pled child. For none OF these attacks'
Rice reports, was there the slightest
provocatlOn.
In assaulting tho patients the hand
was invariably used "The hand leaves
no marks" Rice was told.