Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-13


upon the girls who arc committed 10
the New York State Training school
Tor Girls at Hudson. according 10 the
report OF the recently abolished De-
partmcnt of Efficiency ana Economy
upon its Investigations OF STATE insti-
tutions.
The report which was transmitted to
the Legislature by John II. Delaney
the commissioners. before he left Al
hany. recommends that a new supc.in-
tendcnt be selected In place Of Or
llortcnse Y. Bruce at the Hudson in
stitution. The Investigation OF the
training school was made in December
and was one OF the last to be CON
Quoted by the department.
The report also assails severely tho
management OF the State Agricultural
and Training School for Boys at In
dus,ry. near Rochester. and rccom-
mends that a new superintendent he
chosen to replace David Bruce. who is
charged with responsibility for the
worst run institution in the State
The report contains n description OF
conditions in every prison, rcformatory
and State hospital for the insane. and
may furnish grounds for charges
against tho Hospital Commission and
the prison authorities. 1t is highly
sensational In many respects. and con-
stitutes - severe indictment OF the in
stitutions.
"Hnter Cure" in Use.
form Of water cure" for unru!y
girls * in use at tho State Training
school in Hudson, according TO the re
port. The girls are almost stranSled.
II Is alleged. AS part OF the punishment
FOR being impudvnt or disobedcnt The
system OF punishmcnts followed in this
school, which admits girls from twelve
10 sixteen years OF age. is declared to
he more severe than any in use in the
state prisons, where the most dcspcr-
ate criminals arc confined. Some OF
the methods of "discipine" are de-
scribcd in the report as follows:
'if girl speaks an immoral a
profane word her mouth is washed out
with four teaspoonfuls OF compound
prescribed by the physician, consisting
of asafOetida, gcnt!an and nuX vomica.
For more serious cases strips OF plaster
are fastened diagonally across the
mouth extending from the temples to
the jaw OH both sides OF the face, with
Il wide piece across tho mouth. Ac-
cording to the assistant superintcni\nt
this plaster is kept on for twenty four
hours, but IT Was explained, We al
ways lift the plaster for meals
The water cure" is described as fol-
lows:
The girl is taken to her room by the
by the trained nurse OF the hospital and
one Of the matrOns of the cottage. The
bedding is removed from her bed. n
blanket rolled is placed on the wire
springs. The girls clothes are looscncd
and her hands are handcuned behind
her back and leg irons are put on her
feet.
Wet Towel Over Her Mouth
I'm this condition she is laid across
the roll of blankets. The assistant
superintendent sits on the knees Of the
girl while the hospital nurse dips a
wet. over the mouth Of the girl for
ten minutes. The girl. being fright
cned. stranGlcs. and In the cndeavor TO
breathe through the wet towel. draws
in the water. This treatment either
stranSlcs or suffocates her. and is kept
UP until the girl gives in"
Solitary confinement even more Sc
we're than that In vogue at the Bed
ford Reformatory for Women is al
legged to be the rule at The Hudson
are described az six by eight feet. with
out windows. with Il door similar to
u refrigerator door.
The cells are deadcncd," says tho
report. 80 that no ordinary sound can
he heard by the occupant. There Is
nothing in the cell. and the girl is
obliged to sit all day on the bare
floor. She is provided with a supper
Of dry bread and water. the same for
breakfast and for dinner has a meat
turned loose in a heightened yard for
an hour daily. The superintendent
complains that these isolation cells arc
not entirely soundproof"
Under no circumstances are the girls
at this institution permitted to con
verse. excepting for forty-fivc min
utes of a so-called recreation hour. not
even at their meals. They must main
tain silence all day lond while doing the
heavy work OF cleaning and scrubbing
the buildings, in class and In march
Ing from one building or room TO
another.
Boys Not Properly Fed.
The chief complaint about the boys'
school at Industry is the neglect OF
the boys. who arc committed from nine
years of age upward 1t is charged
that the boys are not properly fed.
that they are not properly taught in
school that In the month of inspection
last year no toilet soap for bathing
had been furnished for the boys. In
addition to being undcrfed and moi
kept clean. it Is assorted that tho
clothing given to the boys Is very
poor. ragged and dirty"
The truth it," sums up tho rcport
that all of the resources Of this in