Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-23
|BLOODHOUNDS
| SUGGESTED FOR
CATCHING GIRLS
Public Opinion Opposed Hav.
ing Dogs for Chasing State
Wards, Says Commits
missioner MayfieId.
From a Staff Correspondent.

rIom d otdII correspondent.
Il Lincoln, Neb., March 22.-As a
means of catching girls who escaped
from the Geneva Industrial school, a
Bpair of bloodhounds had been sug-
Rgested, Paul S. McAulay, superih-
tendent of the home, said, but after
Econsideriug it he consulted with
II commissioner Mayfield and the lat
liter said that public opinion would
lncver stand for such methods. Nc
IAulay said that Mayfield had sug-
Ifcsted then that all punishment at
1.-THE Institution should be done by
lwomen. This fact came out today at
Ithe investigation before the legisla-
Five committee.
Il The case of an 8-year-old girl was
mentioned. The girl had been sent
Ito the home after the parents were
divorced, with her three sisters. The
little. girl had been compelled to
stand in the room and watch the
authorities punish her older sister,
|Iit was admitted.
IL McAulay made no answer when he
Twas asked if he thought those meth
|Iods were right.
/ Sunday School Breaks Into Work.
h Sunday school at the institution
IIhad been discontinued, the superin-
|ltendent testified, because it broke
Into the day of the employees too
|lseriously. The teachers were off
lion Sunday and when Sunday school
WAS held it kept the employees at the
Institution from Monday until Mon
day, with no rest, he said.
4 That at no time other than during
9the play hour are girls permitted to
talk to each other; that inmates of
the home are not given the same
Hood as the employees, nor the same
quality or quantity of food. was the
Testimony of Paul S. McAulay,
superintendent.
| Mchulay confessed that there was
mo woman to whom the girls felt at
liberty to go for confidential advice.
Reason for Methods.
The superintendent told the men,
lbers of the legislative committee the
lreason why these methods had been
followed was because it twas custom
at the Institution. He said that he
had been afraid to inaugurate re-
forms, which he himself thought
were needed, because he was fearful
that the employees of the institution
would quit.
/ Now that he un ierstood that the
committee was back of him, McAu-
lay said he was willing to make the
changes.
In theI same dining room the girl
Inmates were required to eat substi-
tute butter, while the employees had
real creamery butter, MacAulay
said. II there was no distinction
made, he testified, he would have
been unsuccessful in keeping his
help. If he had his say there would
be no difference in the food served
the inmates and the employees, he
said.
| Denies knowledge of Fight.
| McAulay denied any knowledge of
Il fight alleged to have taken place
between inmates and employees of
the institution, which arose when a
girl was slapped in the face by a
male employe.
I Replying to question as to
whether he thought that girl
should ever be punished by a man
employe, the superintendent said he
did not, but admitted that the prac-
ltice had obtained in few instances.
He said that while the whippings at
the institution were supposed to be
done with broad strap, he had
heard that some of the family man
ayers, who are women, had used
hose about Is inches in length.
The Institution deficit had been re-
Iduced from $4,000 at the time he
took charge to $4,000. McAulay