The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-08-08

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have made preliminary inquiries respect
ing these charges and are convinced that
they are malicious in aim and without
real foundation But the manner In
which they have been thrown before the
public seems to demand thorough inves-
tigation of al matters involved. This
Board therefore request that you call
upon the State Board of Charities, as
disinterested and impartial body to con-
duct such an investigation.
Messrs. Cheever and Holton were APP
pointed committee on the part Of this
Board to assist in said investigation.
The report OF the investigation was
laid before us On the 10th of July. Our
committee reported their constant at
tendance to the investigation and testi-
fed that it had been conducted thorough
ly and fairly. The report states that the
investigating Board found the trustees
charged.
81. With specuIating for their person
al profit III purchase and sale of supplies
for the Institute.
2. Some of the members of the Board
Of Trustees were charged with keeping
their mistresses at the Institute.
3. That the Board has refused on de-
mand being made to Investigate charges
against teacher where resignation has
been requested, but on the contrary gave
him a certificate setting forth the fact
that it had not been called on to investi
gate any charges against said teacher"
Mr.. Williams, the accuser, on the wit
ness stand retracted the first two OF these
charges, repeating the third. The inyesti-
eating Board think cur Board erred in
judgment in not arraigning Mr.. Williams
IN a formal manner to answer the charges,
instead Of accepting his resignation. We
are content to let the fact stated in the
outset of this paper stand as our reply
to this verdict
Principal ". H. De1Iotte was found
charged with
l. Ordering several of the older girls,
pupils of the Institute, to their rooms
and causing them to undreBs and go TO
bed in his presence, that they might not
thereafter be in q position to Cry shame
| on teacher.
2. Improper, impure, and criminal in
| timacy with female teachers of the In
stitute and some of the other pupils.
The report affirms that the first of these
charges sis negative by the testimony
and believed to be utterly without found
atoms in fact. Respecting the second,
the investigating Board say ''we are OF
the opinion that there has been no i'm
pure or criminal intimacy between Prin-
cipal Denote and the female teachers
or the older pupils of the Institute. We
are however of the opinion that indis-
Greet familiarity has been more or less
indulged.' The ground of this light
censure appears to be Mr.. DeMctte' s
own admission rather than the testimony
Of others. On inquiry, his utmost Of
Tending is found to be that he has occas-
ionally greeted a teacher or a pupil with
q kiss on leaving or returning TO the In
stitute, and III two or three instances on
a casual meeting Of a teacher in the
binding. In his testimony, Mr.. Denote
pTonounces his own judgment against
such acts as q practjce; but to the spe-
cifiic question whether he has eUer thus
greeted teacher, he acknowledges that
he has on two or three occasions. For
this, in the presence of our Board, he
expressed his willing acceptance of the
verdict "indiscreet familiarity applied
to it. With this before us as his sole
| olIense and with the expressions of the
investigating Board concerning his ad
ministration, our Board appoint hin
Principal for another year. They felt
that they could not do otherwise without
offering a premium to insubordinatior
and malicious scandal.
The steward A. J. Woodbury. was
charged
| l. "With the seduction of female OF
pupils.
,. With having committed rape upon
the persons OF female pupils.
After long and tedious examination Of
many witnesses the investigating BOARD
say respecting these charges.
owe reluctantly conclude that A. j
Woodbury. did according to the testimony
commit an offense, the object being tc
test the willingness of these girls to sub
NIT to his purpose by a surrender OF theil
chastity" This judgement is at the same
time qualified by the statement that the
acts referred to took place five or sis
years ago and that for ali the time before
and since, the conduct and character OF
Mr.. Woodbury. stand unexceptionable
| but for these charges. Before these
charges were brought forward, it was the
purpose of our Board to abolish the dis
tinct Office of Steward and devolve the
| duties of that Office upon the Principal
with the assistance of Il clerk. That pur-
| pose was now carried out. 1t was voted
that Mr.. Woodbury's services be discon-
tinued after the 10Th of August next, the
intervening time to be given to proper
closing up and transfer of the books and
accounts. We did not deem it necessary
to pass distinct judgment on the act OF
years ago, believing that his own positive
and persistent denial, sustained by Z
character unimpeached except by these
charges, should weigh something against
the questionable testimony of mutes
called out by special influences, six years
after the occurrence of the acts alleged
and especially when it appears that the
mother to whom the offence was reported
at the time and whose evidence is o.
much weight in the matter, did not deem
it of sufficient consequence either to KEEP
her daughter from returning to school Oh
to make it known to the principal or any
| ,r Aha too .IarS or f,.11Sta Tn view n