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| The White House "torture room" |
At the Florida Industrial School For Boys in Marinna,FL atrocities took place from at least the 1940's through the 1960's which until recently were kept hidden inside the victims. One victim started a website and support system for these boys now men who were beaten beyond my comprehension. Thanks to this brave man Roger Dean Kiser author of The White House Boys: An American Tragedy I am able to tell you their story. Thank you Mr.Kiser and all the brave White House Boys for allowing this blog to be written.
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| Roger Dean Kiser |
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| an example of the paddle used on these boys |
Many of these boys were not sent to the reform school for any crime,they simply weren't wanted or were orphans. They were taken to a building at the school behind the mess hall called the White House and were told to lay on a filthy mattress on a bed frame with springs. They then had to hold onto the metal bed frame and bite the nasty pillow while they were beat with a leather strap that had a metal strip inside for reinforcement. The wounds were horrendous. They bled down there legs and had blackness from their lower back to their knees. Many of these men have permanent scars on their bottoms and upper thighs. Some have disc damage from being so hard. One man even lost his fertility from the beatings damaging his testis. Here is the recollection of the school doctor's dau.:
From "For Their Own Good" St.Pete Times
Dr. Wexler is dead, but his daughter remembers helping her father, who had poor eyesight, when their family lived on campus. Sheila
Wexler says she occasionally treated boys who had cuts or welts on their behinds. "But if they needed a stitch," she says, "it
would only be a few." Would you beat your child until they only need a "Few Stitches?" A casual, horrific statement that shows the Mindset at Marianna.
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| The White House Boys at the sealing of the white house for good by Florida Dept. of Juvenile Justice. |
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| cemetery at the school |
There is a cemetery at the school,now called the Arthur G. Dozier School that records say only contains boys who died in a fire or flu epidemic. The boys who died in the fire it's reported were shackled to their beds unable to escape in 1909. There are other boys there too such as a boy called Owen (his Middle Name) Smith who was shot in the back of the head by police for running away from the horrors. Another boy died of cancer after being sent home 3 times after beatings paralyzed him. Every time his mom got him walking they make him come back and beat him paralyzed again. His tumor was removed once but ultimately killed him after it spread to his lungs. It is safe to say these beating hastened this poor boys death.
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Michael O'McCarthy
You're probably wondering who these monsters were. The names of some are known: R.W. Hatton,Arthur G. Doizer Mr. Mitchell and Troy Tidwell the so called one armed man. Tidwell and Mitchell are still alive. The other have passed and have had to tell the Lord the truth on their respective judgement days. Troy Tidwell is being sued for the abuse he dolled out on these boys. I watched his deposition and saw an 87 (Now 89) year old man smile sadistically at times and lie through his dentures or play dumb throughout. It made me angry. Thank you Mr. Kiser for you help on this blog and for the pictures. |
Finally I would like to say goodbye to a brave White House Boy who passed last year, Michael OMcCarthy. Thank you sir.
http://www.thewhitehouseboysonline.com/
http://www.thewhitehouseboys.com/
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| Troy Tidwell giving deposition |
The plaque in the above photo says: THE WHITE HOUSE PLAQUE
"In memory of the children who passed these doors, we acknowledge
their tribulations and offer our hope that they have found some
measure of peace.
May this building stand as a reminder of the need to remain vigilant
in protecting our children as we help them to seek a brighter future.
Moreover, we offer the reassurance that we are dedicated to serving
and protecting the youth who enter this campus, and helping them
to transform their lives.”
The Whitehouse
Officially Sealed
by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
October 21, 2008
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