Punxsutawney Spirit, 1911-02-22

              NO. 38 ly<K VOL. XXXVIII. PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA., FEBRUARY 22, 19H Superintendent Smith, of County Home Exonerated By Investigating Board William Fairman Refuses To Sign Report of Board and Submits a Minority Report and Gives His Reason Therefore. Special Offer In Buster Brown Hosiery 50c 25c Hosiery for .. . Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs- day We give 3 pairs of Buster Bro wn All wear, See special window school boys there is no display. sizes 3 to 11. hosiery that will equal them for so take advantage of the saving. For the rough trons in some tiwns pay for the entire service. Keynoldsvlile and Bradford consumers pay $.'S a year for the privilege of sprinkling their lawns. 2. Wa.ltor Hoeh called and sworn, i son of Mike Hueb, of Young towntihii>: a boy bordering oil Imbecility, who testified that Smith struck him opce and kicked him once; that lie I liked him with a paddle when he was in bed, until he broke the paddle; that he made him carry his bed tick on his head and shoulder, commencing some time after breakfast until near noon; that lie became so tired that lie had to lean on his can*? to rest himself; that he was required to work and help care for the sick among the old men in the hospital: that he didn't like it and slipped off from the home, or ran awa> ; that night overtook him in thenelghborliood of Hrockwayville where he stopped with a poor family over night; that his shoes and stockings were wet; that he was exhausted from fatigue; that he was put in a cold upstairs room to sleep where both of his feet were frozen; that he was carried to a hospital in Ridgway, subsequently returned to the home in Jefferson county, where after incredible suffering his right foot was amputated, close up at the instep, where the shoe is tied and three of the toes cut off the left foot; that lie went on crutches for a good while until his foot partially healed. From then till now he has been going with a cane. This freezing occurred about the llth of January. 1910. After he recovered sufficiently to walk wit,h a cane, Smith sent him to the barn to help milk the cows, clean out the cow stable, put down hay and straw for their feed: that his right foot healed up at one time for a mat tor of about two days. All the time before and since the amputation that foot has been sore, and oozing puss all the time; that the sore is now. at this date as large as a silver dollar and a large quantity of puss running from it at the time it was examined before us. "I was kicked and hit after my feet were frozen and amputated." 1 was badly treated by Smith nearly all the time. Ever since my feet were frozen 1 have been unable to retain my urine. The ill treatment that I received at the hands of Smith was to punish me for wetting the bed which I could not help. He made me carr> the tick on my shoulders and head where everybody could see me. tfnder the former assistant Stewart, my foot was dressed about once a week; the newassistant superintendent dresses it. for me everf day. I have never been furnished with an> means to prevent the urine from running onto the toed." I. I call your attention to the testimony of Hanry Schoch, who testified that the superintendent has seised hint In an angry manner and without cause and threw him eight or ten feet on the floor: that he shook or slapped him on a second occasion without cause; ihat he had seen ijmith strike and abuse others, I'a? OXcil for one; that he blacked his filce and made his nose bleed; that tlti food was very slim. conversing with many of the inmate* outside of those sworn, I beg leave to submit the following facts and statements of the several witnesses, called before the board and duly sworn in the presecne of the committee, as well as your honorable body of commissioners. Proprietor E. S. SWARTZ, & J. A. Weber Store 010 BASEBALL PLATER SUCCUMBS TO HEABT TBOUBIE Reynoldsville Pays Less Per Quarter Than Punxs'y Wili 'Pay Per Month. THE WATER RENT IN NEIGHBORING TOWNS AWAITING CQUICIl'S SOME Funeral arrangements have no* yet been made. denial, always willing to serve a friend, his manifold acquaintances s on became lasting fr'end-, and !ii.*• death \i generally tn virned. He was 45 \ears of ago and is survived by liis wife and five children. man throughout this section. Xo matter what the circumstances of ones introduction to Jack Kane, he remembered not only your face, but your name even though years elapsed between the time of introduction and your next meeting with him. BI8QKYILLE STUNG AND IIP IN ARMS I Harvey iCrnst was called an J testified as follows: "I am about 14 years old. I have been in the homo for some time. Smith has used me cruelly. I was sent to drown some rata from a rat-trap. I opened the door down at the road and some of the rats got out. Smith saw it, came up to where I was. took a cane out of the hand of one of the inmates and struck me four or five times over tlie* head and shoulders with it. I put up my hand to save my head and lie struck me on the third finger of my right hand and broke my finger as you see it. The finger was exhibited to tin' committee without any nail on it. Harry Sloppy appeared anil testified. "I have hem in the home for sonic years. Smith has whipped me two or three times; he hit me on the head. I helped to do the milking and he whipped me for leaving the barn door open. I saw Smith kirk Walter Hoeh on one or more occasions."In the neighboring town of Reynoldsville where, water of the very beBt quality flows the the spigots, the charge for hot and cold water, In the kitchen, and a complete bath room outfit, Is $1.5(1 a quarter; fifty cents per month. The charges for store rooms ts $1.00 per month and for lawn sprinkling purposes $:!.00 per year. In Bradford, where the water 11 likewise of an excellent quality the charge for full domestic service amounts to $8.40 per year, about one third of what the local companies propose to charge. Breweries, hotels, etc., are charged four cents pelthousand gallons, and the domestic (water companies In nearby towns jould not be otherwise than interesting.> Waetr rates seem to be the general 'topic of conversation at the present time and a list of charges made by 5. Mi'. Olinstead produced and sworn. A man with one hand and part of the arm off. "Smith choked me and used me like a dog. Hi' choked me until I was black in the face and unable to speak. He did It because I wanted to go out and peddle around a little with one hand to earn something. He tore my coat and shirt and suspenders off me | while he was abusing me. He Is ill- Under the new standardization scale consumers here will pay $8.©< per year for lawn sprinkling purposes, more than the water company pa- Brookvllle Is the only town in till section where the rates anywhert nearly approach the charges sooil ti be fixed upon sousumers here. $2.01 per month Is the charge for domesti service in the county seat, but ther Is nothing in the schedule that say anything about horses or cows Brookvllle be It known Is raising ai awful howl and contemplates a mu nlclpal plant. quarter foil full domestic service. Blalrsville citizens pay $3.75 Tltusville has a municipal plant and the charge for domestic service' for one year is $11.40. In Tionesta (he charge Is $2.50 r. quarter for a single hydrant. In Butler a minimum charge ol $1,000 per month on meter servici is in effect. In DuBols, all houses are metered, The minimum service Is fifty cents per month in addition to a meter rent of fifteen cents per month. A sliding scale is in effect there; 1,000 gallons costing 2f> cents, 2,000 gallons 20 cunts per thousand gallons, 2,000 to 4,000 fifteen cents per thousand gallons. 4,00 to 0,.)00 gallons 10 cents per thousand gal Ions. The average domestic consumer in DuBois pays 05 cents per month for his water service. meter charge is six cents per thousand gallons. The charge in Punxsutawnej" at the present time is 40 cents per thousand gallons without the twenty-five per cent additional charges which will be in effect on March 1. Upon a previous occasion council signified Its willingness to sign the agreement but asked that the railroad company affix its signature first. This has been done and the agreement Is now in the hands of a committee whose business it is to ascertain whether or not the wording of the article is the same as that submitted to council previously. If It Is, it is highly probably that the agreement will be signed and returned to the railroad company following the next meeting of the borough dads. borough of Punxsutawney, upon which the construction of the overhead bridge at South Penn Street rests, has been signed by the railroad company and has submitted to council for its signature. sylvanla railroad company and the The agreement between the Penn- The deceased was possessed of a •emarkable memory for names an faces and for that reason prabably uad a larger acquaintance than ny "Jack" Kane was probably best known 'throughout this section as a bnsebal player. He wus, perhaps, t.ie irst professional ball player in this lection. The Uutiols, Clearfield, Brookrille and Indiana nines as well as the many others throughout this lection employed Jack and for years ie was regarded as a star twirler. On Thursday night Mr. Kane left the hotel feeling In Ills usual health. The following morning he was suffering from a slight attack of grippe but was able to be about. He did not apparently grow any worse aud up until a few minutes previous to his death was feeling in excellent health. •lack Kane Dicil at 11:110 l.asl Night at His Home hi llryiioltlNville John Kane, who for eight years has been in the employ of J. Owen ISdelblute, proprietor of the National hotel, lleynoldsville, in the eapacltv of bartender, died suddenly lasi night at 11:30 o'clock, heart disease following an attack of grippe causing Ills death. C. That Mr. Smith's management of the home and farm could not well be improved upon with the means at his command, andthat but few coul.l do as well as he has done. D. That Mrs. Smith as matron, Is B. That the home, in so far as Mr. Smith is responsible, has been and is being conducted in a most creditable manner and with uniform Kindness to all of the inmates. A. That Mr. Smith has not been guilty of any cjMtel treatment to any inmate during all the time he ha* been superintendent. 8. That after hearing all of the evidence In support of the charges, giving the widest latitude to all concerned. we find from the clear and creditable evidence as followed: 7. That the moving spirit of this trouble is one who has been refused permission to go to Brookvllle when he wishes. That the reason for this refusal of permission is because when he does go to Brookville he invariably returns under the influence of liquor, if not much intoxicated. An 1 in support of the fact that he is a prime mover, letters were produced which he had written to some of the female inmates of the home, where the allegation is made that if they "stick to him lie will have Smith removed;" and, further, the testimony was offered of several boys in the home whom he tried to influence to disobey the rules, with the direction that if Smith punished them to report to him. l>. That the evidence discloses the fact that tin* complaints made against Mr. Smith come from persons who have violated the rules of the home, and that because they are not permitted to do as they please they have been and are making unfounded accusations of ill treatment. r». That no one making complaint, of cruel treatment by Mr. Smith, the superintendent, has been corroborated by a single witness, while all of the complaints have been flatly contradicted by a large number of the inmates who are credible and reliable persons. 4. That we further requested that all persons named by any one making charges as being present or having any knowledge tending to support the charges, should be called. That we extended to each one having any complaint full liberty to tell his or her story, without any restraint or enforcement of the rules of evidence, the taking of testimony extending over a period of five days, during which the tJ."> witnesses wore examined by us; and that we made a special effort to have all of the witnesses called before us who had been called and examined by the grand jury at the January sessions, 1911. 2. That the several inmates who had made complaints of cruel treatment were called separately and examined under oath. l. That we met with you:* board and Mr. Edgar Smith at the county home on February 2, 1911. That there were present your board, and \\ . M. Fairman, Esq., J. W. Walker, Esq., 1). (;. Oourley, Esq., and H. 0. Campbell, Esq.. of tlie committee, A. B. Stewart, Esq., attorney for the board of county commissioners*, E. A. Commit, Esq., attorney for Mr. Edgar Smith, and Mr. Buell H. Whitehill, the official court stenographer. That the members of your committee were first duly sworn to discharge their duties and to make this investigation with impartiality and to the best of their judgment. We, the undersigned, appointed a committee to act with your board in an investigation of the charges preferred b> certain inmates of the Jefferson county home against Mr. Edgar Smith, as superintendent, respectfully report as follows: Edgar Smith, superintendent of the Jefferson county home, charged with cruel and abusive treatment the January grand jury, which body recommended his immediate dismissal, lias been exonerated by the board of investigation appointed by the county commissioners, consisting of I). G. Gourley, John \V. Walker, of Hrookville and \V. M. Fairman and H. Clay Campbell, of this place. The board met Wednesday at Brookville and submitted a report to the board of commissioners that had been appointed by them exonerating Mr. Smith of all charges made against him. W. M. Fairman, of this place, differed with the majority 'of the board and refused to sign the report submitted to the commissioners by his colleagues. To the Commissioners of Jefferson County: The following is the report submitted by the board, all signing but Mr. Fairman, who will prepare a minority report and submit il to the board of commissioners: Being one of the members selected by your body to investigate the conditions existing and having existed at the poor farm in Jefferson county, and having spent five days in taking testimony, as well as observing the facts on said farm and in the buildings thereon, having heard the testimony of some fifty or sixty witnesses, as well as visited all the rooms in the building, 1 mean the home, To the Honorable, the Hoard of Commissioners of Jefferson County:lows Mr. Fairman's minority report fol- \V. M. Fairman, Esq., of this place, a member of the board of investigation of the management of the county home, and who refused to sign the report submitted to the board of county commissioners by that committee, has filed his report with the county commissioners, giving therein his reasons for refusing to sign the document. "If the sworn testimony taken by the court of investigation at the county home is in any way similar to the testimony taken by the grand jury I onlyw shi to say, in my opinion, that it is the most tyrannical and inhuman decision ever given against the unfortunate and human rights in this or any other country." Commenting on the report of the investigating board. Rimer 15. Heck, of this place, a member of the .January grand jury, which made charges of "cruel and abusive treatment of the inmates of the home" against Mr. Smith, this morning said: "The report of John \V. Walker, H. Clay Campbell and 1). (I. Gourley, members of the committee to act with the board of county commissioners to investigate the charges preferred by certain inmates of the county home against Edgar Smith, superintendent, has this day been submitted to the board of countv commissioners. Thereupon .1. X Jelley moved that 'said report be tiled and laid on the table for the future consideration of the board as soon as the minority report of W. M Fail-man is placed, and if no such report is filed within a reasonable length of time hereafter, the said report may be called tip for further action hereafter.' Commissioner Mc- Gaw seconded the above motion and after discussion it was unanimously passed." The commissioners have issued the following statement in regard to the report of the board: D. («. CJOURLEY, JOHN W. WALKER. II. CLAY CAMPHELL, Esq, Committee. And now, Feb rut ry 15, 1911, we would respectfully recommend ihe retention of Mr. Smith as superintendent of the count.N home, as we deem him a competent and careful man to promote the interests of both the county and the inmates. H. That the testimony discloses the fact that the habits of Walter Hoeh, one of the inmates, are such that he is not a fit companion for younger boys; and your committee would respectfully recommend that he be restrained from mingling with them so long as he is an iumatet of the home; and further, that as soon as it can be conveniently done, we recommend that the said Walter Hoeh be transferred to some State institution where lie can be propertly cared for. G. That we again express our findings to be fully supported by all of the credible testimony taken in the case, and which can be fully verified by the notes of testimony taken by Mr. Whit eh ill. the court stenographer.F. That under all of the credible testimony produced before us we find that in no instance has Mr. Smith used any cruel treatment toward a single inmate, but that on the contrary he has acted with great prudence and self control. R. That the difficulties to contend with In the management of the home are of the most trying character. That some of the inmates arc aged men and women, of excellent character, who have lived correct lives and have been useful and respected citizens in their various communities. That with such the manager of the home has had no trouble. That others of the inmates, because of mental infirmities or a disposition to disobey the rules, are difficult to control, making the task of caring for them very burdensome, and making it absolutely necessary for the1 manager to restrain them at times In order to enforce discipline. entitled to the highest respect for her untiring efforts in the interests and for the comfort and care of the inmates, which care is manifested in every department of the home. Continued on Page Three. »■■■ m