Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-20

tgno'utns ono fdts.ter-He IS Charged as
beng Alike faHlty IA Grammar, Orthoyraphy
dRd Fdets-The Board Re9aire him 20 BRING
ferrdrd HIS ErideHee for his Charges.
The Board OF Trustees OF Public Schools held
special meeting at the Franklin school build
Ing last evening, "for the purpose Of considering
certain statements published ia q communica-
TON In The EVENING STAB OF the 14th Instant,
signed Anti Cornell" All the members were
present except Mr.. Hovey.
Major Richards lin the chair read the call
for the meeting; after which Mr.. ChAmplin
Whereas Q communication appeared in ras
STAR of the 18th instant, editorialIy declared to
be from member Of this board, in which COM
munication the charge Is made, in effect, that
corrupt means were used to secure the votes
OF the members Of the board for Cornell's
BIOGRAPHIES; Therefore,
ton be, and he hereby 10, called upon to present
the proof Of such charges here and now.
MI Harris did not think any member should
be called upon to criminate himself. He be-
lieved that q special committee should be ap-
pointed to make an Investigation.
Mr.. French wanted an investigation into the
charges right away. As q member of the board
he did not desire to rest under criminal impu-
tations An hour. These charges must either be
proven at once or withdrawn. He favored MT.
Champlin's resolution.
The communication in TIE STAR was read by
the secretary.
The resolution OF Mr. Champlin was adopted.
through the chair who WAS the author OF the
communication. He might as well say right
there that he was not.
Mr.. Harris said the trouble Is no one knows
who the author is.
A member.-"Are you?D
Mr. Harris, emphsticalIy.-"Se,s sir, am not
the author" Laughter.
MIR. Lloyd The author of that communca-
ton = present, and sitting at this table. Ii he
7 Is not man enough to announce himself "a the
author we can prove it on him. Mr.. Champlin
is authorized by Mr.. Crosby s. Noyes, editor of
TIE EVENING STAR, to give the name of the
author"
Mr.. Warner favored giving the author time
to present his proofs.
Mr.. Wright favored immediate action.
Mr.. Wolf thought the matter was being
wrongly pursued. 1t should be investigated by
committee. III member AYERS himself the
author and declines to offer the proof what is
the remedy? He wanted the matter settled by
commencing at the right end and not by work.
Mr.. Alice said he had originated the call for
the meeting because the writer seemed compe-
tent TO substantiate his statements.
Mr.. Hart said he would make brief state
ment and the board could do what they pleased
with Ii. 1.-The told them that he was responsible
for the communication in question it would be
no more than he had told otner gentlemen.
Whatever he had said in that communication
he was prepared to prove in q proper way
Ii would be impossible for him, however, to
bring his proofs at the present meeting. II
the board would appoint an investigating
committee anu give him reasonable time ne
would substantiate his charges.
Mr.. Wilson said what worried him most WAS
the bad spelling and the bad grammar dis.
played in the communication. He saw no use
OF investigating anything that occurred two
years ago. In his opinion the charges in the
communication did not amount to row of pins
MIR. Wright said he for one would not allow
such charges TO be brought against the board.
Mr.. Wolf thought his colleague should have
time.
Mr.. Champlin said that when he first saw the
article in TIE STAR he az once came to a
conclusion as TO its authorship. He was a little
in doubt, however, on account of the gross vio-
lation OF grammatical accuracy. He was an
old member of the board, and had the matter
rested with him he would not have called this
meeting. He had heard it said on the street
that MIR. Hart was the author, and he had sub
sequently asked MIR. NOyes and found that Mr.
Hart had written the article. As he (Mr. C)
was party 10 the introduction of the Cornell
geography, ii was a little unpleasant to have
parties on the street ask him how much he got
for his agency I'm the matter. He therefore
concluded he would sign call for a meeting:
The insinuations in the communication were
grave, and every member was personally inter.
ested- For this reason he did not think the
matter should go to a committee. 1t should be
investigated by the board as a committee of the
whole.
Mr.. Mcclellan said there were rumors of the
same kind two years ago, but the member OF
the board who was charged with making them
on being questioned Indignantly denied it. Ger
tainly II every time a book contest was to be
decided the members were to be subjected to
charges OF bribery, 1t would be exceedingly
unpleasant to be on the board.
Mr.. harris thought MIR. Hart should have an
opportunity to prove his charges. As he (Mr.
COrnelPs book, he was especially anxious for
an investigation.
Mr.. Lloyd regarded the charges as very Sc
rious. de would now call upon Mr. Hart to
name the members OF the board whose mileage
was paid to enable them to attend the meeting
which voted in CornelPs geography. The board
should demand that the author of the CHARGES
make proof now. He HART knew a special
meeting was to be called, and had had oppor-
tunity 10 fully defend himself.
Mr.. Hart again asked fer time. He did not
know there was TO be a meeting until he saw
the call In morning paper OF the same day.
de could substantlste none of his Oh argos no ".
Mr. Woodward said be fel. mortified tn At his
reputation should be stabbed by man in the
dark, who, on being confronted, said he could
not produce the proof az once. He believed he
was the senior member of the board, and it was
the first time his name had ever been coupled
with charges of corruption. IAll he had to
say was that any man who said no had been
governed by impure motives in any act Of his
as school trustee was a liar. He called upon
Mr. Hart TO name the man who WAS offered
500, as that particular charge could be tried
right away. Cornells agent was present, and
80 must be tho trustee referred to. Let that
matter be sifted at once.
Mr. Dulin didn't believe any member was
Mr.. O'Driscoll thought as probably the
charges affected old members or the board on ly
the investigating committee should be made up
OF new members.
Mr.. Hart said he didn't care who investigated
the charges, whether a committee or the entire
board, but he was not ready to night He
would say that the pride Of $500 was offered to
him and he declined IL.
Mr.. DERRICK offered a resolution that when
the board adjourn Ii be to meet on the 26tn
inst, TO investigate charges against any men,
Der OF the board, and that the accuser be re-
quested to present 10 each member implicated
prior to the sd instant, the specific nature of
charges and the names Of the witnesses against
him.
Mr.. Wilson moved the matter be referred to
committee to investigate and report. He felt
easier since the $500 had been explained; that
the thing was q kind of "close corporation,
business, and that the money was not divided.
Messrs. Woodward and Wolf said they could
not be present on the 26th inst.
Mr.. AtLee offered as a substitute for Mr.. Det-
rick's resolution that the board resolve itself
into committee of the whole TO investigate the
charges made by Mr.. Hart.
Mr.. Alice said the parties TO the 500 offer
were both present, and that part OF it should be
settled at once.
Major Richards thought the board ought to
give Mr.. Hart a reasonable time to produce
proofs.
Mr.. Chsmplin said the author had had ample
time. He desired to know how much time he
wanted.
Mr.. Hart replied that he wanted three or four
days. III he could have until Monday night
next, he would ike il better.
Mr.. AtLee withdrew his substitute, and Mr.
Detrick's resolution WAS ad0pted