Transcription of 1896.09.26 Educational Home Superintendent Jackson (No. 3)

Philadelphia, September 26, 1896

Statement of Mr. Jackson, Supt. Of the Educational Home.

I am superintendent of the Educational Home, have been there since the 15th of last November, 1895.

In regard to the charge made against me of having whipped one or more of the boys would say that they are substantially correct. About May 1896 I had four boys, - Ephraim Budrow, Francis Cook, Oliver Prue (Indians) and Ray Harper (White) in the lock-up. Ephraim Budrow was placed there for misconduct in the dining room. Francis Cook and Oliver Prue were placed there for making cigarettes, which is contrary to the discipline of the school. Ray Harper was placed there for bringing food to the others and assisting in cutting down the door of the lock-up; he had gone out in the street and stolen a crow-bar, and pushed it through into the lock-up for the boys to break the door down with, which they did.

Ephram Budrow was put in Wednesday evening about seven o’clock, and the next day the other three boys were put in. They were to be there for four days on bread and water, furnished to them twice a day. On Friday I went to the lock-up and brought Ephraim Budrow into the stable (I here explain that the lock-up is part of the stable premises) and ordered him to strip, and made him take off all of his clothing. I then flogged him with a driving rein doubled up - I held the two ends in my hands and whipped him on the bare back - it brought blood to the surface, but no blood was drawn nor was the skin broken.

Q. Can you tell me how many blows you inflicted.

A. I should judge about 20 - I did not count them (Informant says 100.)

Q. Were there more than 20?

A. No, I do not think there was.

I returned Ephraim Budrow to the lock-up, and brought out Francis Cook and him strip himself, and I inflicted the same punishment on him. I gave him a less number than I did Ephraim Budrow, as I thought he was less guilty. I administered the same castigation to Oliver Prue and Ray Harper in the same way. The boys were then locked up, and remained there until Sunday morning, having been in the lock-up three days. They were taken out Sunday morning.

The boy John Bender escaped when the door was broken down by the crow-bar.

The boys were given eight ounces of bread twice a day no other food.

Q. Did you state to each of these boys whey they were whipped?

A. I told them I would them to start a revolution. I did not whip the boys on account of their making cigarettes, or the boy Ephraim Budrow for misconduct at the table, but because they had broken down the door of the lock-up. The boy John Bender had a pistol in his hand, and when I demanded it, Ephraim Budrow nudged him and said, - Don’t give it to him, I’ll stand by you - I feared to attempt to wrestle with them for it, for I thought it might go off and someone be killed. I saw the boy John Bender making a start for the door, so I quickly closed the door and went for a policeman. In about 10 minutes I returned with a policeman, and we went in, and the policemen found the pistol hid away under the floor, also a bag containing 40 cartridges.

Q. Do you know the pistol was loaded?

A. No, but I believed that it was loaded. The pistol is in the hands of the Magistrate at the 37th St. Station House.

Q. Had any of these boys been in the lock-up before during your time?

A. Yes, Oliver Prue and Francis Cook.

Q. (Put to Francis Cook) How many times have you been put in the lock-up by Mr. Jackson?

A. Twice.

Q. Some three or four months ago you were whipped by Mr. Jackson; have you any idea how many blows you received?

A. About ten.

Q. Why did he whip you?

A. Because he found twenty keys and locks, tobacco and cigarettes in my box.

Q. It is stated, Mr. Jackson, you said at the table after you had whipped the boy Ephraim Budrow that you had given him over 100 blows, and that he had got down on his knees and begged for mercy; is that so?

A. No sir, I did not make any such statement.

Q. (put to Miss Deeble, matron) It is reported to me, Miss Deeble, that you were present at the table after the boy Ephraim Budrow had been whipped, and Mr. Jackson made the remark that he had given Budrow over one hundred lashes, and he got down on his knees and begged for mercy.

A. I heard Mr. Jackson say he had whipped him, and that he got down on his knees and begged for mercy, but I do not remember that he said he gave him 100 lashes, but I heard that remark through the school of the boys.

Q. Did he speak of any number of lashes that he gave him?

A. I do not remember clearly.

Q. Do you remember any figures he gave?

A. No sir.

Q. Did you hear Mr. Jackson say he only gave the boy ten lashes, and deny that he gave him 100?

A. No sir, I do not remember that.

Q. (put to Miss Allen) It has been reported to me, Miss Allen, that after the boy Ephraim was whipped, you were present at the table when Mr. Jackson said he had given him over 100 lashes, and he had gotten down on his knees and begged for mercy; do you remember such a remark?

A. No sir.

Q. Do you remember that he stated any number of lashes?

A. No sir, I do not.

Q. Tell me, in your own words, what conversation took place at that time in regard to the whipping.

A. I am afraid I could not, I let such things go in one ear and out the other.

Q. Do you remember any conversation taking place about the whipping of Ephraim Budrow?

A.I do not remember.

Q. (put to Mr. Mercer) Mr. Mercer, it has been stated to me that you were present at the table after the whipping of Ephraim Budrow when Mr. Jackson made the remark that he had given him over 100 lashes, and that he got down on his knees and begged for mercy. Part of this conversation has been corroborated by one of the witnesses here, and so this conversation must have taken place. You were present when the whipping took place?

A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember what conversation took place at the table in regard to it?

A. No sir, I do not remember.

Q. Do your remember any of the conversation?

A. No, I could not tell you what we were talking about. I have not the slightest idea.

Mr. Jackson made the statement that he had not flogged more than six or seven boys since he had been in the Institute. Mrs. Cox stated that they have a court of seven Prefects and seven vice-Prefects, composed of the older and better boys, before whom the graver offences are brought and the ones accused, tried and sentenced.

Q. Mr. Jackson, I am also informed by other parties that three boys were flogged by you in the large school room; that all the boys were told in chapel to go into the large school room, and you made Willie Madden, Arthur Pye and Charles Williams take off their coat and top shirt, and whipped them in the presence of all the others; is that true?

A. Yes sir, it is. They were tried by the Prefects and found guilty. They had run away; one of the boys was between 19 and 20 years old and had taken off a little boy about 14 years. They had been playing cards and when Mr. Mercer came upon them they ran away and were gone three days, when they came back.

I am may say that one of our rules permit corporal punishment when passed upon by the Board of Prefects.

Q. Were these four boys who were so severely whipped brought before the Prefects?

A. No, they were not.

Q. Then you broke the rules?

A. Yes sir, but there is another rule which gives to the Supt authority to inflict such punishment as he deems in his judgement proper.

Q. then under that rule you thought it proper to inflict such punishment as you did?

A. I certainly did.

Q. Then you think that was a proper punishment?

A. I do, for the Indian is a treacherous character, and if I did not use force I would be afraid of my life. These boys bring with them from the West all the viciousness of mingling with the white class and of their savage nature, and it is only by sternness that they can brought into subjection, and as long as I am Superintendent I propose to rule the Institution in this way, and I am not afraid of the biggest Indian in the Institution. To attempt to persuade or lecture such boys is useless, and the only means to compel them to live up to the rules and regulations here is either by imprisonment or corporal punishment, both of which they dread.

At this juncture Mrs. Cox took issue with him, saying “I have never found it so.” “My experience has been that the Indian character is docile and gentle, amendable to love and kindness, and I would rather have 200 Indian boys under my care than I would 200 white boys of the same age.” To which Mr. Jackson replied: “I have never found it so.”

Q. Mr. Jackson, I hear that when you flogged the four boys in the stable, that the others stood at the door and witnessed it; is that so?

A. No sir, the door was locked, and they could not have seen unless they peeped through the cracks.

Document History

• Transcribed by HS 2025-07-27