Page:Immigration and the Commissioners of Emigration of the state of New York.djvu/67

Rh to be from twenty-five to thirty, but it occasionally contained a larger number. The superintendent spoke favorably of the diet and treatment, in which opinion some of the inmates concurred, though in a manner evidently constrained. A female witness, indeed, who was examined at this interview, acknowledged to the Chairman of the Committee, who had an opportunity of speaking to her privately, "that, if she had told the truth, she would have seen the road mighty soon." The Committee of the citizens of Williamsburg, above referred to, obtained from the inmates a direct acknowledgment of the facts sworn to in the affidavits of Long and others. These gentlemen, from personal and prompt inspection, convinced of the treatment and suffering of the inmates, forwarded them articles of food.

The comprehensive testimony fully confirmed the complaints. In relation to the food, some twenty witnesses distinctly swore that the biscuit was generally "blue moulded," and offensive to "taste and smell;" and the samples, though sworn to be of the best description distributed, were dark and hard, and unsuited for the support of the females and children at the "Poor-House and Hospital." It appeared, under oath, that the biscuit was frequently given to the hogs the inmates preferring to go hungry and supperless to bed. The fish was represented to have been bad, and to have fallen to pieces when put into water to boil; and all affirmed, who were beyond the influence of the establishment, that the food supplied was equally deficient in quantity and quality. The soup was usually innutritious, and manufactured from grease or mutton tallow, which was kept in the superintendent's store-room to be employed for that purpose. The meat used is stated to have been musty and dark, and the bread "distributed twice a week in slices (to use the language of a witness) as big as your hand, and not enough for a child." These statements were corroborated partly by the admissions of Tapscott and his employees, as well as by about fifty affidavits, the most important of which may find place here.

Margaret Bertram, an inmate for nearly twelve months in the institution, "recollects that two children died there. The mother of one died at sea; no particular nurse took charge of it; several