Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-14
SERIOUS CHARGES
MADE AGAINST HEAD
Of ORPHANS HOME
Accuse Superintendent OF lmmor-
atty and Assistant With
Brutality.
GOVERNOR ORDERS
OFFICIAL PROBt

Shocking stories of brutality to small
children and charges of immortality against
tho heads of the Delaware Orphans Home
and Industrial School ut Hares Corner,
were revealed last night and today IN
hearings gwen William Ellis. colored,
S,,nerirt tendent of the home and George
Thomas his assistant. he facts were
brought out through an investigation of
the home by the State Board of Charities.
Ellis was held under 81 900 bail by
Magistrate Gillis for the Court OF General
Sessions on each of three charges OF a
serious nature upon two women who were
inmates of the home.
He WAS represented at the hearing by ).
frank Rall. while Deputy Attorney
General T. Warren Green conducted the
prosecution Ellis was given preliminary
hearing before the Magistrate yesterday
hut the case was continued unth thiH
morning 10 permit the State to Introduce
additional evidence. =,
Ada Askins. with 3 Scvcn-monthS old
child IN her arms testified that Ellis was
the father of the child Sarah Gaddls
testified that Ellis was the father OF her
child Ellis Is a married man. llls wlie IT
the hearing tins morning tainted.
The second arrest made In the lnveStiga
tIon took place yesterday by officers At the
rol.cc station Yesterday. George Thomas,
assistant superintendent was taken INTO
c,,sto,lv when he visited the pohcr station
IL see Ellis. Detective McC Cov, Assistant
State Probation Officer j. Albert Oiivcr
and Richard Mackenzie, head OF the
State Board of Charities. were on their
way 20 the institution when they met
Thomas. Further investigation at the
Institution convinced the officers Il was
time to act in the case OF Thomas and the
l.olirc here were notified To hold HIM II ho
visited the police station.
Thomas was gwen hearing last night
bafora Magistrate tfillls on three charges
II brutality He was fined SO and cost
In each case, in default OF which ne was
committed to the workhouse Tor tcrnl
II six months \ large horsewhip w'ta
which Thomas Is said TO have dashed the
children was an exhibit at the hearing
According to Mr. Mackenzie, evidence
that the institution has not been con-
Quoted IN a proper manner Is strong, and
h. added that he has been investigating
the place for some time. The invcstIga-
tion Of conditions At the institution was
ordered by the Governor.
Ellis has been at the institution SINCE
1901. The home was to take care ct
children from infancy to the age OF sixteen.
Mr.. Mackenzie said there seemed TO he
no reason To doubt the children had been
over1vorked and not properly ted. n
vcstigations by DR.. Chester IL. Wells,
Dr. C. 5. Osincup, medical director Of the
State Board Of Education; Dr. J. b. Stubh
and DR.. Harvey A. Murray Of the medical
staff of the Colored Babies Home, VII
mington, as well as County Superintendent
dent of Schools Jump, show conditions
n the home are bad, according to Mr.
Mackenzie.
A feature OF the hearing last night was
.he appearance of George klllum, coiored
Of Chester. who has several small children
NJ the institution He SAID he wanted tc
take his children away from the place but
did not know what TO do with them. HIS
wife IS dead and he Is 8 cripple and
scarcely able to take care OF himself
Mr.. Mackenzie SAID today that he
would hike to learn OF colorcd people whc
would raise some Of the children. he hes
already secured homes for some OF them
but wishes TO secure additional homes
Inquiries should be addressed TO tho
State Board of Charities, Church Build.
ing