Philadelphia Times 9/28/1881 p. 1

THE LINCOLN HOME INVESTIGATION

Modified Statement of the Boys Concerning Superintendent Hugg's Methods

The committee invited by the lady managers of the Lincoln Institution to investigate the charges against Superintendent Hugg, held its opening session last evening. The members have no connection whatever with the institution; they are: Colonel William McMichael (chairman), Silas W. Pettit, John J. Ridgway, Charles Hazlehurst, G. Colesberry Purvis, Charles Carver, Henry L. Geyelin (secretary). On opening the proceedings Mr. McMichael announced that Mr. Pettit had been elected to conduct the examination, though any member might put questions. This privilege was unsparingly used. Every gentleman took an active part in the proceedings and the inquiries were of a searching character. By request of the committee all others save representatives of the press left the room. Four boys were heard in evidence. They were selected from those interviewed some weeks ago by THE TIMES. Substantially they repeated their stories as told therein, but added particulars which tended to deprive some of the punishments recorded of the character of cruelty. It proved that the first boy called, Edward Pierce McKernan, had been discharged from the institution. William P. Drinkhouse was not ill-treated. He repeated his story of being whipped for going to church by Mr. Hugg. He saw William McFall whipped by Mr. Doughty, the assistant superintendent. He was whipped pretty hard, but did not complain to his mother or employer. Henry Lithgow often knew boys to be in the lock-up and to be beaten with a rope. Mr. Hugg used to carry the rope in his pocket. There was a good deal of whipping, he said but only for good cause, though the wrong boy was sometimes caught. Robert Packer was the most severely punished boy he knew of; he was stripped and his skin bore marks of punishment. Samuel Evans was stripped about a year ago for running away. He was also placed in the lock-up for a month. He suffered from the heat and was frightened by rats. He was not continuously locked in the room. The janitor let him into the adjoining room, and he sometimes slept there on the floor. He ran away because he saw other boys beaten and Hugg boxed his ears. Henry William Schreiner’s testimony also turned on the case of Packer ad a companion, Schlegle, who were badly beaten. Both had left the home, he said. Both were marked by their punishment, but no blood was drawn. They had mixed up the furniture in the big boys’ rooms and their cases were brought to the notice of the Society to Protect Children from Cruelty.

Superintendent William M. Hugg was examined regarding these cases. His versions of most of the cases varied in no material way from the boys’. Drinkhouse was whipped for disobedience. A rattan was used at first, then the rope and finally the strap, which was mildest of all. The confinement of boys in the lock-up was never continuous.

Document History

• Transcribed by HS 2024-08-28