The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-10-18
CLAIMS
kIDDIES
BEATEN

Home, Oakland station, have beer
numerically beaten up" aud
cudgelled were made today in
statement by Clara Mickle, the
cook at the home.
She declared that during the
last four weeks while she has
been employed there little boys
have, been beaten about the head
and bodies with clubs, sticks,
straps and fists.
Following her accusations the
cook was discharged by the me-
tron. She packed up her belong
ings and left, saying she was go
ing TO report the whole matter to
the police.
- Says Cook SwOre.
~ admit that we do spank the
children sometimes, but we never
go any further" said the matron
OF the institution today. Not
only, Is this cook incompetent bur
, she has been constant trouble
brewer ever since she came. fhis
morning when told her we
didn't need her services any more,
she Aswore like a trooper at me
and said she was going to repor,
NE - the police"
Clara is the real, old-fashioned,
Typical cook, of the kind that APP
pears to know how to WELD the
rolling pin to good advantage.
| When she told her story she
didHet slide over into corner and
speak in breathless whispers.
She went right out on the back
porch of the home where all
might hear, and had her say.
Is Typical Cook.
81 would have quit here before
this. if 1t hadn't been for the
children. The matron's kind OF
afraid of me. Oh, we had 1t out
here something awful last Tles-
day. See that big boy over there?
| Well, she knocked him down and
pounded him over the back of his
neck with her fist.
"And I've told her il she strikes
another one I'll have her arrest
ed, and | mean it,"
The cook put her hands on her
hips, as some other cooks have
been known to do, and her ewes
| flashed.
She has kept a register with
pencil and paper of some of the
headings" such as these:
Notes From Register.
| willie, because he would not
get up at night, Sept. 20.
| ERNEST, because he had his
face next to the other boys face,
Oct. is.
- mike, because his brother had
his coat on the floor, and 1t was
not Mikes, Oct. 10.
AKA, for talking and hollesing
in the basement, Oct. IL.
Henry, Oct. IA; Anus, Oct. IA;
Joe, Oct. 16, etc."
Susan M. Shearer, matron OF
the home. denies that any of the
children have been struck at any
time.
1.-THE charges are absolutely
untrue" she said today. "Ill
give you permission to 'undress
the children IL you want to and
lyou will find absolutely no marks
tof violence of any kind on their
- Directors of the home are MAX
ing an investigation of the charges
to-day. They asserted their con-
ffdehce In the matron, expressing
the belief. that the accusations are
groendless. Il
EComplained Last Week.
Last week the cook complained
Ito Che city health department of
1.-the food which has been served
ito the children. The flour used
for cooking was full OF worms,
lscme of them an inch long, she
declared.
/ Immediately health officers
lstarfed an investigation, The
Icon elton was found to be as Clara
LMickle had stated. 1t was dis.
Ecov@red that the flour was being
stoIed In an old bin on the sec
ondff floor OF the barn in the rear
! OF the home building. 1t was In
/ Vested with worms.
/ The bin apparently had nol
been cleaned for many weeks
said the health officer who made
i the investigation.
il Notified to Clean Up.
4 The matron admitted there has
been some trouble with the flour
but declared the bin has been
lcleaned thoroughly. You'd think
| we had been feeding the children
on worms" she said.
Il The home has been notified Il
clean up,
- l@~s IfsH 49, =a-Ifs 2 - tI'4 =