Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-23
INSISTS ON PROBE
OF W0MEN'S HOME
Mrs. PIummer Will Make De
mand Of Board Of Managers
Tomorrow
QUOTES LETTER TO BROWN

Members of the board Of managers
Of the State Industrial Home for
Women ut Muncy, Pa, will confer with
Mrs. Charles A. Plummer. member Of
the Pennsylvania Prison Society, to-
morrow, according to an announcement
made today by Mrs. Plummcr at her
home, 761 North Forticth street.
The conference will be at Williams
port, Mrs. Plummer said. If the board
shows willingness to go to the bottom
Of the charges Of cruelties made against
the institution and to remedy condi-
tions, she declared the probe about to
be asked by Governor Sproul by
thousand women who have signed a
petition, will be abandoned.
Reiterating her charges against the
institution. Mrs. Plummer at the same
time made public letter sent August
1S to President Judge Brown OF the
Municipal Court. and so far unan-
swerpd. Judge Brown IS member Of
the State Board of Managers, but, the
letter states, has not been present at Il
meeting since last September.
The minutes of a board meeting. held
July 20. report the reading OF letter
from Judge Brown explaining his
absence from the meeting and pledglng
support to Miss Wilson as superlntend-
ent and holding her responsible for
everything" Miss Frankie Wilson is
the superintendent against whom Mrs.
Plummer brings charges.
Among the charges made in the let-S
ter to Judge Brown Is one which alleges
the books of the institution are kept at
the Office of Senator Sones, chairman
of the board. instead Of in the insti-
tuition itself, and that two Of the Sena-
tors private bookkeepers are on the
payroll.
Letter to Judge Brown
The letter follows:
Dear Judge Brown:
Il regret that l had to bring to light
conditions at the Industrial Home for
Women at Muncy. l gave Senator Sones
chance, but he did not embrace the
opportunity.
after my first visit / reported to
Bromley Wharton. secretary of the
Board of Public Charities. who visited
Muncy and found things just as / had
dcscribed-a girl manaclcd with hands
behind her and arms cut from the irons
and in a cell without mattress. lie
ordered the manacleS removed at once
and told them never to put girl in u
cell on the cement floor to always put n
mattress in. On my second visit |
found that Sones Cottage had obeycd
this order; Sproul Cottage had not
There a girl had been confined for six
days on bread and water on the cement
floor. with no mattress. I called DR..
Wood to see her, as she was in a bad
way.
"You know, if the rest do not. that
girl must be visited once in twenty
four hours by q physician when under
such confinement. DIR. Wood says he
never before had been called to visit n
girl in her cell.
Says Law Is Broken
Knowing you as I do. I know you
would not stand for cruelty such as is
practiced there. Pennsylvania has as
many good women as the West. and
our women are paying their taxes that
support our institutions and have
right to expect the positions offered by
them.
Senator Sones' two bookkeepers are
on the payroll. / guess you don't know
that. Also that the books are kept at
his Office when they should be at the
institution. where third bookkeeper is
paid to keep them. This is against the
law.
You have not been present at a
board meeting for some time; not since
last September, l believe, 80 are really
not responsible for the condition men
toned herein. You have always been
kind and cOnsiderate when I would
bring the troubles of unfortunates to you
and you could help them.
Senator Sones knows all. have
the signatures of 1850, and with ease
can secure zoo. 200 more, if necessary.
His political career, I believe. is over.
] warned him, but he refused to listen.
You know perfectly we'll that Frank
Smith, McAlins and Britten do not
know anything about running an insti.
tuition to reform girls.
'Regretting that you are on the
board, CLAIRE PLUMMER.