The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-07-15
The New Gretna CASE

II Was cApcCJcu Jlldt bu6 case dRdlUS
: Mr.. and Mrs. Gibbs, of New Gretna
} which was opened two weeks age
would be continued on Thursday, bu
Prosecutor Kelsey said Mrs. Gibbs ha
: a lawyer who was engaged in Atanti
/ City, and at his request the case woul'
! go over another week.
When testimony was ia ken TIVE
, weeks ago, Mrs. Gibbs stated she haC
. put chain on the neck of one of he
children at the suggestion of DR.. God
dard, who she had consulted. Prose
cutor Kelsey at once tried to discover
the whereabouts of DR.. Goddard tC
have him testify, if possible. 1t was
found that the doctor is at Columbus
Ohio, so Mr.. Kelsey sent him a letter
as follows:
July 3, 1919.
DR., Henry H. Goddard,
Columbus, Ohio
Dear Sir-At a hearing under the
child's welfare, before the court on the
10Th ult., a Mrs. George c Gibbs, re-
siding near New Gretna, in Burlington
county, stated that she had taken her
two ENTHUSIASTICALLY, aged II years,
and Anna, about nine years-to you at
Vineland, n j., for examination and
| instruction. That she had informed
you OF the vices of the children and
asked you how to correct them; that
you informed her, as one of the means
OF correction, approved by you and
adopted by the institution in which
you are interested, was a mastiff collar
fastened around the neck of the child,
properly locked, the collar fastened to
a chain, so as to prevent the child from
getting away. Judge Wells and my
self, as we'll as Mrs. Macumber, the lat
ter person stating that she had worked
under your instruction for ten years,
seriously questioned Mrs. Gibbs state
ment. 1t created some little stir in the
court room. | Immediately adjourned
the case for two weeks pending an in
quiry from you as to the truth of her
statement.
Mrs. Gibbs was before the court for
abusing her three children. The child
rem ran away quite often and STAYED
out in the woods two and three DAYS at
time. The neIghbors found the little |
boy, David, about eight years of age,
with heavy chain around his neck, |
with paddock on it and two Yards of |
chain. Mrs. Gibbs admitted that she |
placed it there and stated that her |
reason for 80 doing was that you had |
advised it. | now want to refute her !
statement. | would kindly ask that
you let me know if you have ever had |
an interview with her about her child |
rem or ever recommended any such 1
or have you ever counten-
anced such treatment to a child of |
tender years such as the Gibbs child I
rem. l would appreciate your letting
me know before Thursday, the 10th.
Very truly yours,
Jonathan III Kelsey.
DR.. Goddard, who is the director of
the Bureau of Juvenile Research, at
Ohio, answered the letter
as follows:
Columbus, Ohio, July 7, 1919.
Hon. Jonathan H. Kelsey,
Prosecutor of the Pleas,
Mount Holly, N. j.
Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your let
Ter of the Sd containing the following
AT hearing under the Child's We'll
are before the court on the 26th ult,
Mrs. George c. Gibbs, residing near [.
New Gretna, in Burlington county,
tated that she had taken her two
children, Dorothy, aged IL years, and
Anna, aged nine years old, to you at
Iineland, n. j., for examination and &
That she had informed (
vou of the vices of the children and ,
sked how to correct them that you |
her, as one of the means of
direction, approved by you and adopt
d at the institution in which yen ;
we're interested, was a maStiff collar !,
around the neck of the child,
properly locked, the collar fastened to J
chain, SO as to prevent the child |
rom getting away" !
The part of this, beginning that ,
ou informed her," etc, to the end of I
he paragraph is absolutely and un- +
false. | never even heard :
T such treatment and any one who !
.nows Superintendent tombstone
nows that any employee who even
such treatment would be a |
andidate for discharge from the in ,
titution and would certainly move
prosecute any one who practiced
UGH plan.
L will add that am not apt to re-
lember many of the hundreds that
sed to see me at Vineland but think
do remember Mrs. Gibbs. If I am
OF mistaken she said that her hus-
and was dentist; that he practiced
! Philadelphia and committed, which !:
thought was very strange. She said
nat all her neighbors were bad and
nat all their children had bad prac-
ces which they taught to her children.
he also told strange stories of how her
hildren defed her, etc.
l remember thinking at lifetime
nat she was very peculiar mother.
rom my recollection of that inter- t
lew and from what you write me, /
hould be inclined to suggest that if
GU would have her examined for in I
anitY you would find an explanation t
( the whole matter. do not say this g
ghtly because she has slandered me
for consider it SANDER, or would be !
she is responsibility, but because / i
believe that this is the ex- i
lanation of the situation IL
: Respectfully
Henry H. Goddard,
Director.
1