Ephraim Budrow Testimonial

1899.45029 p. 92 of NARA 126 pp. LI Inspection Report by Chas. Dickson; 3 page Affidavit of Ephraim Budrow re punishment at LI (No. 1)

Philadelphia, September 25, 1896

Q. What is your name?

A. Ephraim Budrow.

Q. Where are you living?

A. At the Educational Home, Greenway Ave and 49th St.

Q. By whom are you employed

A. I am working for Mr. Whitney, 43 N. 2nd St.

Q. I understand you were severely beaten at the Educational Home; please tell me in your own words when it happened, the cause of it and all about it.

A. It happened about three months or more ago. I was sitting at the table, and a waiter brought us a potato, which was only about half-cooked, without a plate, and threw it to me, and I rolled it down the table and it fell off. Mr. Jackson told me to get up and he would put me in the lock-up. I got up and he took me to the lock-up. He put me in on Wednesday evening about ten minutes of seven, and Friday morning about eight o’clock he came in to the Lock-up and took us into the stable and made me take off all my clothes, shoes, stockings and all my clothing, and beat me with a long strap doubled up. Mr. Mercer was there with him and stood on one side of me, but he did not touch me, just looked on. So far as I can judge Mr. Jackson gave me about fifty blows or more. My back was made raw from it, and there was blood on my arms and shoulders, for I saw it. Before he whipped me he asked who threw the crow-bar, through the window and I said I did not know anything about it. He gave me no reason why he was going to whip me, but I suppose it was on account of the crow-bar, but I knew nothing about it. After he had whipped me he took me back into the lock-up and kept me there until Sunday. All the time I was in the lock-up I was fed on bread and water, and that only twice a day. (The stable was adjoining the lock-up). On Sunday morning I was allowed to come out, and I swept the yard. When I was out sweeping the yard the Assistant Matron brought me a cake and an apple, and Mr. Jackson said right there he would discharge her for it, and he did so.

Q. How long have you been in the Institution?

A. Since the last of July 1895. I knew how to speak English before I came, as I managed to go to school out West. My father is a white man, and I belong to the Chippewa tribe.

Q. Have you ever been brought before the Committee for misconduct?

A. No sir.

Q. Had you ever been threatened with whipping before?

A. No sir.

Q. Was any other boy in the lock-up when you were there?

A. Yes, three others, Francis Cook, Oliver Prue and Ray Harper.

Q. Were they in the lock-up when you were taken out to be whipped?

A. Yes, sir, and the lock-up door was left open, and these fellows stood there and saw me whipped. After I was whipped and put back in the lock-up Mr. Jackson took out Francis and made him strip and whipped him in the same manner, and I and the other boys witnessed it. He gave him about as many blows as I received, and he was naked the same as myself. After Francis Cook was put in the lock-up he took out Ray Harper and served him the same way. We also witnessed this, and he whipped him about the same as myself. After he put him back he took out Oliver Prue and stripped him and whipped him in the same way, and I think he gave him about as many blows as the rest of us. After Oliver Prue was put back in the lock-up the door was locked on us, and we remained there two days more on bread and water. The stable where we were whipped was about four feet from the lockup. The other boys’ backs were bleeding a little, for we examined each other and saw it.

Q. Did the boys state to you why they were whipped?

A. No sir, they did not say anything about it.

Q. Do you know of your own knowledge why they were whipped?

A. No, sir, I do not, unless it was because they made cigarettes. About two weeks ago we were at chapel when we were told to all go in the big school room, and after we had all taken our seats, Mr. Jackson called up Willie Madden and made him take off his top shirt and coat and gave him a whipping with something like a rattan or small whip. He gave him about 15 or 20 blows.

Q. Did Mr. Jackson state why he was whipping them

A. Yes, they had run away and came back the same day and that was the reason he said he was whipping them. The next boy whipped was Arthur Pye and he was made to take off his coat and top shirt and he was whipped in the same way. He then called up Charles Williams and whipped him the same as he did the other boys.

Q. Do you know whether Mr. Jackson drinks liquor?

A. No sir, but I have smelled liquor on his breath.

Q. Are you well treated by the other people in the Institution.

A. Yes, by all excepting the Matron.

Q. Is it a customary thing for the boys to be whipped?

A. No, sir, we were never whipped until Mr. Jackson came.

Q. Does a whipping take place there as often as once a week?

A. No sir.

Q. Were you in the lock-up when one of the boys drew a pistol?

A. Yes sir, but he did not draw it, he only had it in his hand and would not give it to Mr. Jackson. But the pistol was not loaded. I know it was not as I opened it and there was no cartridge in it. Mr. Jackson called in a policeman who took it from him.

Q. Is it customary for the boys in the Institution to have pistols?

A. No sir, what I guess some of them bring them with them from the West.

Copy of Affidavit.

Document History

• Transcribed by HS 2025-07-27