Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-07-28
Answer Of the Members Of the Old
Board Of Education to the Prop
Osition of the Present Board.

Answer Of the Members Of the Old
Board Of Education to the Prop
osition of the Present Board.
EDiroR Journal; In the last number OF
your psper appears a resolution adopted by tho
Perrysburg Board Of Education at recent
meeting which demands a short notice at our
hands. just previous to the last election
pamphlet signed by Messrs Shannon aud Hord,
two Of the attorneys Of the present Board, and
Addison Smith, brOtherin-law Of James w.
Ross, President Of the Board, was freely dis
trlbuted among the people Of our town. In that
pamphlet the gray est charges Of official dshou-
esty were freely made and It was pretended that
the records contained proof that the old Board o'
Education had been guilty OF conduct which
could be called by no other name than pecula-
tinn and swindling. 1t was even Rravly stated
that the old Board had intended to pay twice for
the repairs on the Union School Building, once
in cash and once in bonds, so ns to ma Ike the job
crsi the tax payers some $40 900 or nearly $40,
200 more than the contract price. "The records"
states the pamphlet, care open to all and any
body can satisfy himself Of this charge By ex-
amining them" As SION as the contents Of the
said pamphlet became known TO Us, we, the
undersigned, al once, over our avn signatures
denounced all Of these statements as false, as
lies of the blacklist stamp. We accused th m
of misquoting and justify ing the records for the
deceive the people. In some cases we procured
aililavits of parties named in the pamphlet
proving the. charges false. We referred to
the t,ial which had been in the Court Of Com
mon Pleas regarding the bonds in which II was
expressly stated by Judge Pillars that there
was M evidence even tending TO show any bad
faith on the part Of the Board. Mr. Waite said
in open Court that they did not charge any one
with intentional dishonesty. Mr.. Waite further
said that no budy wanted to avoid payment Of
the bonds He gave his written consent that
some thirty FIVE hundred dollars Of the bonds
falling due since the action begun should be
paid and they were paid. MI that he asked was
to have the excess OF interest over six per cent
allowed by the Board, enjoined. Nlw tie whole
excess of interest all told is only 500 aud when
il is remembered that the attorneys fees already
allowed by the Board largely in excess of
that amount tMr. Waite has already been paid
5000 the people can gee how much they are
likely to make out of the law suit, even 1t sue
ccssful.
We repeat again so that nobody can misun-
derstand it. Ecery dollor ofhe face Of he bonds
issuedby he old board of E,iacation tcih interest
afsr cents per danum, oiU certainly be paid IL
he present Board gam tie6 suit. Mr.. Waite con
cedcs that. All Of the attorneys conceded that.
The whole contest is over the excess of interest
am uniting to but a small sum in any event. We d, :
ry tie Board OF Education to get state ment from
Mr.. w ite that lie expects or asks to have the
p1vment of the bonds prevented. Mr.. Waite
said he did not stand up in Court 10 ask fer a
Reputation Of the said bonds, bm he did himk
that the interest over six per cent ought not 10 be
allowed.
Now when it is stated in tie pamphlet that il
these bonds are paid the work will be raid foI
twice and that the records show this tn be true
and that these records are open to every one lot
inspection; when ii is fuiher stated that we have
been guilty nf conduct which in any one else
would be called swindling, and the records are
again referred 10 for proof, then we claim the
right as citizens who have either been bisely
slandered or else should be in the penitentiary
to have the records examined.
So we made a proposal We said to the
Board OF Education let us have three men, hon
est men, true men, men widely known tor honor
and probity, men in whom our community will
bave confidence. Let them be disinterestel men
outside of this town. Put all Of the records in
their hands. Let them have all of the facts and
make a report and sgn il. Then we pledge
our VOID OF honor to have that report published
at our own expense in AL of the papers Of Wood
and Lucas counties. If we are thieve; if we
are swindlers, their report will show. II we are
honest men, worthy Of public confidence and
these charges say they are base, in
famous lies, then the report will show it.
How do the Board OF Education meet this pro-
pOsal ? They must find some way to sneak out
How do they do it i? They dare not submit their
rascally pamphlet. together with the records, tI
any three honest persons but zee hgre dea.nuaed
iaresiigodioH How shall they avoid an
investigation SO as still 10 have their lies pass
current?
Why. they say, that If we will get every man
| who holds a bond Gr is in any way interested in
| the matter, to enter into an agreement to be
bound bv he report of these three men, then
| they will c0ndescend To show the record and
recommend the people OF this District to abide
| the event,
] They Dcrfectlv gaasss.as.i .h.. ,ley niish:.
just as well have proposed to have an ngestiga-
| ton prOYided we would bring them three meu
! from the moon to conduct it. We cannot do as
| they propose. We do not even know where the
| bonds are or who holds them. We understa nd
| tia ZEN .Hram Walblidge owned larg, nun.
| bel Of them. lie is dead and they probably are
| in .he hands of his heirs. They are scattered
| to the four winds OF Heaven and we neither
know the men nr have any control of them. We
! have not a dollar of interest in the bonds nur-
selves and the men who own them care nothing
| for us ar our controversy. OF course they can.
| not be induced to agree 10 anv such proposal as
the one made by the Board aud the Board know
| just as well as we do. When the bands fal
| due, payment will be enforced through the lega
tribunals, whether people consent t0 ii or moi
| and the holders Of the bonds know it. Such a
| miserable subterfuge to escape an investigation
| never was heard of before. Why are not Tie
! DodIu VI EuuCdtilu rs duAlDus AS we are u nave
| the records examined bv honest, disinterested
men Why do they seek to conceal them and
hide behind such sneak king sham proposal a,
| this ? tbs as we have said. 1t is because they
and their tools have sent out to the people here
pack ofiniamous lies and they know that al
! investigation would reveal the fact. Sham,
| upbn such sanderers! viii the people neve
| open their eyes and understand that they are be
| ing deceived and plundered at the same. time
| and that these men while protesting to lesser
expenses and cheaper taxes, are wasting tlei
money in useless litigation, all the costs o
which, together with large sums expended il
| the publication of these falsehOods attorney fees
bonds, interest aud accrued interest will event
ualy come out of the tax payers pOckes?
| II these men are allowed by creduous peo
pie to long continue their present course un
checked we shall require special act Of til
legislature To allow an extra levy oftaxes TO pa
Of the debt Of the District.
ANDREW Roach,
| TuopNTOg