New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
Katharine B. Davis, Ex-Su-
perintendent, Says 1t Was
{ Never Resorted To I'm.
! der Her Administration
Dipping Also Under Ban
Prisoners Handcuffed. but
Never Forced to Stand,
Doctor Says at Inquiry
Stat Correspondence,

Stat Correspondence
BEDFORD HILLS, N. Y, Dec. 90
Or. Katharine Bement Davis, superin-
tsndent OF Bedford Reformatory for
Women from its inception in 1901 to
1914, appeared as a witness day be-
fore John NJ. Kennedy. vice chairman
OF the State Prison Commission, who
is investigating charges of cruelty
brought against officials of the insti-
tuition.
Concerning the "stringing up" which
witnesses have testineG TO be form
OF punishment at the reformatory Dr.
Davis said that this was never resort
ed to during her term of office. She
said that when she was superintendent
girls were handcuffed. But. she added.
they were never handcufed standing
with their hands behind their backs
When asked by Mr.. Kennedy whether
she regarded "stringing up" as a
proper disciplinary measure, DR.. Davis
replied she considered it useless and
painful. She also was asked if prison
ers who used improper language during
her administration had their mouths
washed out with soap and water She
replied that she had ordered this pun
ishment. but only in extreme eases.
Never Dipped Girls in Water
She continued by saying that in her
opinion the punishment OF unruy pris-
onars of the reformatory should be
placed in the hands of a trained
psychologist. For six years before she
left the reformatory, she said. she had
studied psychology and for the last two
years of her administration had the as
sistance o. :. killed psychlatrlst. She
said through her study she had
been able 10 determine that many Of
the women hitherto regarded as merely
unruly were actually feeble minded
Asked if she had ever had the heads
of the girls dipped in cold water, she
said
mo, | never did and I never would"
"You must not confuse punishment
with discipline" she told Mr.. Kennedy.
give the girls something to occupy
their minds; fiji their days with pleas
urable activities. Disorder in q par
matron in charge has little knowledge
Of human nature. You must make the
girls happy and they then viii be good
and obey YOU
Following the testimony OF Dr..
Davis the institution presented Wit
nesses to refute the charges of cruelty
hitherto brought against it by prison
ers and guards. First of these was Dr..
Orie M. Grover, a woman physician. at
tached to the institution from Decem-
Der !, 1914, to March l, 1918.
Toes Never OFF Floor
Under direct questioning by Daniel
P. Hayes, of the board of trustees of
the reformatory, DR.. Grover testified
that there had never been "strlngings-
up" of girls with their feet off the
ground during her term of office.
Humphrey Lynch, attorney for Ruth
Carter, out of whose trial for assault
the present investigation has grown,
cross questioned the witness. Several
times during his questioning Mr.
Hayes protested to Mr.. Kennedy that
Mr.. Lynch was "bulldozing' the physi-
clan.
Dr.. Grover admitted that she had
been present when girls were shackled
to cell doors, Tut insisted that their
feet were never off the ground. Fur
Their questioning brought from her the
admission that she had seen the girls
on their tip-toes with their heels two
or three inches from the ground.
She could not remember how many
times she had been present al Vncoc
punishments, but under pressure adj
mitted that it was at least half Il
dozen. She said further that she never
gave the girls physical examinations
before they were punished in this man
ner.
Dipping Has "Quieting Effect"
She also said that she regretted that
such measures had to be taken but be-
lieved that they were unavoidable in
certain cases. She admitted telling
William Mannix, a guard, to shackle q
girl higher on the door.
The doctor insisted that this form of
punishment did not begin with Miss
Julia Minogue, the present assistant
superintendent. but could not remem-
Der specific case before her regime.
She SAID that she believed dipping the
heads of girls in cold water had u
quoting effect on them.