The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-16
REFORMATORy FOR PRISONERS
Continued from Page. ~

the calendar. ASIDE from the excite
ment over the Moore nine-h hour bill, the
committee on state institutions from
the house and senate held public hear
ing to listen to any charges of misman-
agemcnt at the Brandon school for the
feeble minded and the committee on sui
frage and elections in the evening held
another hearing on the MetZger bill al
lowing women to vote in presidential
elections. These three important fea
lures We're supplemented by committee
hearings galore and in the house Sin
clair of Essex made bold to raise again
the primary issue. Sinclair presented
q bill calling for referendum OF the
primary and the repeal of the primary
/ election law March %, 1918, if MA
iority vote yes at the referendum
Nothing Against Brandon School.
Sensational insinuations had been
printed regarding the management Of
the Brandon School for the Feeble Mind
ed, and it was alleged that the children
there had been abusivelv treated. The
committees visited the school last week
and listened to evidence, but have been
unusually silent, 50 the. press and public
were somewhat anxious to be present
at the committee hearing Yesterday
right after Adjournment
DIR. Frederick j. Russell superin-
tendent of the school, was present along
with DR.. Irving S. Coburn. Col John Z.
Paddock and Dr. r. f. McSwcenev OF
the board of trustees
Fraser Metzger, chairman of the
committee, on the part of the house read
testimony which the committee took
from an outside attendant at the school
BY the name Of Burnham. This en-
, ploye charged that he had seen inmates
, punished by standing for three hours
with their hands extended upright over
their heads holding board, and by con
iinement in the box stalls Of the horse
barn. He further charged that the farm
was ill-couducted, the vegetables frcez
ing this fall and so on.
: Il developed that he had only this
week stated to the trustees that the pa
tents were well fed and cared for anC
all that he objected to was tine farming
], methods of DR.. Russell. 1t seemed cyl
dent even to 2 lavman that the super
intendent OF the school could make III
professions as farmer, but the trustee
cleared that point by stating that al
. work by the doctor along that line wa
; voluntary and later the funds would
undoubtedly, permit of their employing
a trained farmer.
The various evidence presented OF
= abusive treatment of the patients wa
SO shattered in the hearing that it VA
apparent that Or. Russell must neces
@ sarilv receive complete exoncratiol
:. from the committee if nothing new !
II presented as evidence. The trustee
A. praised the superintendent for his con
). scientious work and care OF the patients
q Or. NcSweeney stated that not on
Q cent had been spent for medical attend
\ ancc from the opening OF the Schoo
and at the present time not one Of tn
= T. inmates were i'll, and gave DR.. Russo
: credit for splendid methods in carln
+ for fceble-minded.
i IN Russell emphaticallr denied a
allegations as to abusive treatment t
+, patients, but admitted that the ycgcts
:, bles had frozen on the farm and tina
:, some Of the barley was HOW frozen b'
y meath the snow Hon. Walter +, Scot
the state treasurer and q resident @
Brandon, stated that Or. Russell was a
ways busily engaged and he had noye
Fl heard amy insinuations i'll Brandon q
le to his conduct He believes that ii
k farm is a splendid property and tbs
the state was fortunate in the purcha,
o. of il.
rc The committee went into cXccutiN
+. session and il is not known when the
ST report Will he made public, nor VIA
they will recommend. But nearly a
. eonccdc that pr Russell will be eXonc
: atcd as the superintendent of the scho
- ii not of the farming end Of the instit
81 ton