The Washington times., 1919-02-21
LAST WITNESS IN
GREER CASE HEARD

night in the court investigation OF
the strange case Of the bakery chill
dren.
Seventy-five witnesses have given
testimony in the investigation, which
began in Juvenile Court just one
month ago tonight.
Assistant Corporation c u
George P. Barse. for the District, and
Attorney Levi H. David, for Mr.. ard
Mrs. William A. Greer, respondents.
will argue the case before Judge
Kathryn Sellers when court recon
venes at Z o'clock tonight.
The action is a civil proceedings
begun by the police to get the GUS
tody Of eight orphan children who
formerly were working in the Greer
bakery operated at the Greer home,
116 Twelfth street northeast. Should
the court find against the Greers, no
penalty is attached. Technically, the
Greers are not defendants, but re-
spondents.
Five Counts Against GFeers-
There are Eve counts against the
Greers as custOdians Of the children.
First-That children entrusted to
their case are being exploited for
their labor to their mental; moral,
physical and financial detriment.
Second-That the children are sub
jected to harsh and cruel treatment.
Third-That the children are without
proper and comfortable. helpful and
| sanitary living and sleeping quarters.
Fourth-That the children do not
receive the medical care and attention
and educational advantages necessary
for their mental, moral and physical
welfare.
Fitth-That the children do not get
proper supervision and "are subjected
to vicious and immoral associations,
practices and inGignities. and that
persons and personal decency is vio-
lated to the detriment or their physi-
cal, mental and moral welfare"
Testimony Covers S3 Years.
Testimony offered in the case covers
the past thirty-three years, or the
entire period OF the married life Of
Mr.. and Mrs. William A. Greer.
For nearly twenty years orphan
children have been working in the
bakery. They were obtained from time
to time from orphan asylums and in
stitutions in various cities. Most of
them have come from Philadelphia.
Social service workers of Washing
ton have taken a lively interest in
the investigation and several social
agencies have taken steps to secure
more drastic legislation to safeguard
orphan and dependent children since
the inquiry began
Much OF the testimony offered has
been Of q highly sensational nature.
resulting in the charge by counsel for
the Greers In open court that the in
Vestigation had assumed the nature
OF prosecution and by "loose talk
OF some OF the Districts witnesses
serious charges have been made"
against his clients.
Argue over Philadelphia Case.
Last nights session was devoted
for the most part TO argument by
counsel over habeas corpus proceed
ings instituted in Philadelphia on
January IL laSr-against Mrs. and Mr..
John Greer. the daughter-in-law and
son. respectively, Of the respondents
in the case.
A certified copy OF the proceedings
in the Philadelphia case went into
the record here. In the action in
question, Mrs. Margaret Ryan sought
to get the custody Of Mrs. Mamie
Margaret Lynn Bayne. then and now
at the home OF Mr.. and Mrs. John
Greer in Philadelphia.
The court dismissed the proceed
irgs when it was learned that
the woman in question was Of age.
Counsel for the Greers sought to
show that the proceedings were in
stigated by Mrs. Nina G. Van Wrinkle, !
welfare worker OF the Washington |
Police Department. Mrs. Van Wrinkle !
directed the investigation OF the case |
Of the bakery children.
Mrs. Bayne was formerly at the |
Greers. Recalled last night. Mrs. |
Van Wrinkle said she had been IN |
Philadelphia; that she had sought to |
get a private interview with Mrs. !
Bayne; that she had laid her case be- !
fore Judge Charles L. Brown. OF the |
municipal court OF Philadelp lphia; that /
she had visited a priest who sought |
to aid her.
The proceedings were Instituted. |
Mrs. Van Winkle said, after she re |
turned TO Washington. She was not !
present at the hearing, she testified. /
May Give Decision Monday.
1t is probable. should argument OF /
counsel be concluded tonight that the /
court will take the case under ad-
visement and announce her decision
on Monday next.
The Greer counsel already has laid
the foundation for an appeal should 1
the case be decided against his clients.
More than 100 exceptions have been
noted to rulings of the court and sew
eral motions probably will be made
before the case is finally adjudicated
in the Juvenile Court.
Counsel for the District likewise
has noted exceptions and has laid
the foundation for appeal should the
court find for the Greers.
In the meantime, the children in
volved are being held at the House
OF Detention. Should the court find
for the District, the children tempo
rarily will be under the custody OF
the Board OF Children's Guardians.
who have the authority to return
them to the original institutions from
which they were sent to the Greer
bakery or TO place them in homes
in the District.