M, - March 6, 1996 While I am - - . me alleged 3:33:52? 'lhe Pegple of the Capital District have had more than their fill of the news stories about this writer once again in cm; Horne for Boysand Girls in Waxervtiet. New York, I ask you all to indulge emotional issue Members o'wth at this story has ripped the-heart out of this community for it is such an and are being torn a an is (t'hj same family who were residents of the Home do not share the same memories news re arts and 5 pg! that they share. What I have read in your local papers, seen on video tape of card over the air waves about issue leaves me with a feeling afsadness, dread and fear in :11 and'i'mnd. While it IS very drflicult to expose yourseifin a public forum, lam compelled to do so ents the last few months. I am leaving myselfopen to public scrutiny my sincere hope that if you have some knowledge of my past and the person I am today this testament as truthful, plausible and act upon it accordingly disdain and judgement. it is you will perhaps regard om: was Coleman's Home [lived therefor understand from family members that ake their word on it because I never she was a very unstable ofthe three (3) smaller children at St Coleman's. I rewarding, fulfilling and wonderful I had a very unusual childhoo childhood memories until the age of 13 are of sick and unable to take care ofus. I and mentally I'll have to I Life has not always been 5 an orphanage. My earliest about l0 years. My mother was very erson both emotionally knew her There were seven (7) believe they were in another home, . cared for by the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin d, clothed, schooled and given shelter by the nuns. There was good times and bad times hares to do. Some worked in the kitchen, some in the laUndry, in the dormitories, and in the bathrooms "earned good housekeeping skills The older girls showered the younger girls. We were seyegated into age groups. While I knew that I had an older brother and older sisters ther ever recall b'einQvateliy b'gle gflhem' The boys and 81m never mixed' we 5151" 0n difl'erent floors. I don't Way- He was 80in '8 oor. I do remember the summer day when my older brother-was taken Coleman's ""5133 (3 6 boys home LaSalle Alban . It was policy that boys could only stay at St. brother was bein mam 33?- remember my Sister and I holding onto each other and crying that my father on a weele sway: I feared that I would never see him again, It was a long time before I did. My u" 8y broufl'yh'm "3 59? By this time,-Was living with him and my er- I had brothers and sisters and did not even know them for a longtime, I - I Eemember movies on S.unday nights. I remember!th wonderfirl kinds of music' I remember Sin nuns'akr't I belieye this 15 where I get my appreciation for music, all very you" ging ehrgh school girls and novrces and even appeared on television at a 8 age 0 perhaps 8 or 9. I could sing very well. I remember in the evening afler supper when all the girls would come together I would get to sing with my sisters_ They would call us the-- gu' s. It was fun. I remember field days when the young nuns would play baseball and the lcids got to participate to relay races. I remember hot dogs, and pie and watermelon eating contests on this wonderful, magical summer daY--_ I remember the many Christmas parties we attended, with the Bear Manning party as the best. We would receive gins-and sit on Santa's lap. We had this wonderfiil strawberry Shortcake, and huge stocking stufi'ed with candy, cookies and oranges when we lett to go home. I remember my first communion and confirmation. I remember going to church every day and Father-wonderfiil sermons. He geared his sermons for the kids, he always told little stories so we could understand the point of the gospel. I remember sitting in the TV room and watching John Kennedy sworn in as president, It is very vivid because January 20th is my birthday. I remember the first astronaut circling the earth. I remember the day Kennedy was shot and being so afraid that whoever killed him would come to the home and kill all us children. I had no concept of time and dinance. Inside the walls of the orphanage was my world. I remember playing hop--scotch ,jumping rope, and jacks. We used rocks or wads of paper because we didn't have real jacks. I got quite good at the game. I remember swimming in the wading pool across the road on the grounds and the stones that hurt your feet when you crossed. I also remember very harsh discipline boardering on abuse. I remember getting your knuckles cracked with the music sticks. When one child was bad, all the kids got punished. I remember standing in line waiting for your turn to get hit. I remember being forced to kneel for hours when you were bad. All the kids in row afier row with an occasional rap to the head of any child. I remember dinner frequently being lime yeenjello with shredded carrots and peas or white rice with raisins. It was years before I could eat white rice afier leaving the orphanage. The food was pretty generally awful except for when the inspectors came. We would then be sewed by the nuns from real glass dishes with table cloths on every table. We would get meat loaf and mashed potatoes with gravy and peas and dessen in the winter. In the summer, these were the days that were field days. When the ins ectors lett it was back to normal. I remember attempting to run away from the home to go to my house, getting caught and subsequently beaten. I remember being ridiculed and told you were going to go to hell if you didn't attend church every day and sometimes the older high school girls would hit you. I remember there was a section for the bed wetters. Every day when you wet your bed, your nose was rubbed in it and you were called all manner of names and belittled. Your must understand how small our world was, another world did not exist. This was life. The good and the bad. I was such a quiet, timid child and .was not. She had fire in her I did not. I learned very early that ifyou were very good, didn't make an noise and kept to yourselt'you wouldn't get hurt, It was when you got noticed that you would get into trouble. was always being noticed, .was not a timid child. I thank God for Aunt- and Uncle .they made our lives a little ll of heaven. The made us feel loved and cherished. The became our parents. We were pan oflheir family. "'55 alwaYs the and their kids' They would take us home with them on the leekends. We won pretend that we had been away at boarding school during [he week and were now home. what life was like at SI. Coleman's. We knew what would happen to us Eventually. would tak - home to live With them, Shortly afler that. they moved away. Our roteclors were gone. was sent away for a month to New Jersey to one of the nuns sisters house. Siste-to be exact because he was havmg a baby, Me and a high school girl were sent. I w" told I was going there to keep the niece :ompany and the older girl to keep house. I did not question it at the time, I was maybe II years old. What would I have questioned. Here I was being singled out for Ihis great honor. I was getting out of the orphanage 'or a whole month. I would even get paid $40.00. I would no longer have to do hard work morning to go to church. I assumed this was OK with my father, My sister told me reCchy that the reason i was sent away was to protect the nuns. She had been severely beaten and since I wasn't there and she was in the nfimiary there was no need for my father to come and take us home for the Christmas holidays. I have no reason to disbelieve her. My simr-was sent away for three months to Cobb Memorial. This was a satellite home operated by the nuns for the severely retarded children. At the time I did not know why but -did These two events are fact and should be part of our oflicial records from St. Coleman's. I know how high the stakes are in this very emotional case Please investigate these allegationsthose people who would again sweep this tragedy under a rug Please be diligent and do not let your own beliefs or politics hinder you in the discovery of the truth of what happened at St. Coleman's Home so many many years ago. lfchildren were murdered, avenge their deaths. See those responsible held accountable before the law. Let justice be sened. Please do not fai!' once again. innocent children Give hack the lives of those adults who are again revisiting their childhood nightmares. Give them back hope and their faith in their fellow man Make sure that this will never or could ever happen again. The truth will set us all free. Please help me to again have a family. Sincere