Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-03-12
The University Question.

The paramount question before
the people of Michigan at the
Forthcoming spring election will be
in relation to the choosing of re-
gents of the University. Probably
there are few readers of the daily
papers who are not fully aware
of the facts in relation To the re-
cent action of the regents of
the University which is just now
a subject of so much indignant
comment throughout the State ;
but a brief retrospect at this stage
of the proceedings may not be en-
tirely out of place. 1t is well
known that in October, 1915, a
deficit was discovered in the ac-
count of the chemical laboratory.
A large number of the students at
the University have occasion to
patronize the chemical laboratory.
For this privilege they are each
charged a certain sum, and the
receipts derived from this source
are added to the general fund
which is applied to the support
of the institution. The first an
nouncement of the deficit was
made by Prof. Douglass to Presi-
dent Angel, aud an examination
was at once instituted, revealing
the fact that a large amount of
money was missing, which had
been paid by students into the
hands of Professor Rose.
DR.. Douglass was at this time
director of the laboratory, and DR..
Rose was his assistant, and attend
ed to the keeping of the accounts.
As the process of keeping accounts
required that the money received
by DR.. Rose should be paid by him
to DR.. Douglass, and by DR.. Doug
lass to the regents of the Universi-
ty, the mere fact of the deficit did
not reveal whether the money had
lodged in the hands of DR.. Rose,
in those of DR.. Douglass, or of
both. DR.. Rose, however, was
charged with the guilt of the de-
felt, at first admitted his general
responsibility, and gave a mortgage
TO secure the University against
loss. Three subsequent investiga-
tons by the regents discovered the
total amount of the deficit to be
nearly So, 900, of which it was gen.
orally conceded that DR.. Rose held
the lions share, while DR.. Dough-
lass was charged with being an ac-
cessory to a small amount.
At a later date, backed mp by r.
A. Beal of Ann Arbor, DR.. Rose
withdrew his admission of liability,
aud began proceedings to contest
the claims. DR.. Douglass also at
first assented to the finding, but
afterwards also changed his mind,
and the proposition was now made
that the courts be appealed to for
the final settling of the accounts.
The Washtenaw circuit court
rendered a decision which partical-
ly made DIR. Rose to be a defaulter,
and, following this decision, DR..
Rose was dismissed from his posit-
ion. DR.. Douglass retired at the
same time, and II was hoped and
believed that all causes OF irritation
had been removed.
But Mr.. Beal was neither satisfi-
ed nor disposed to let the matter
rest. He was actively and ener-
getically interested in the exhoner-
alton Of Rose, and apparently so
as will be seen. A decree was oh
tanned on February 10, 1878,
against Rose and his sureties for
the sum of s4,654.40. The court
held, also, that Douglass was charg-
ed with the moneys which he had
permitted 10 be charged to him 10
his account. BY the above decree
Rose was found TO be a defaulter
10 the extent of nearly $4,000.
Beal was his surety, and as such,
liable TO pay the amount. Mr..
Besl's interest at once becomes
manifest. From that day TO the
present neither Beal nor Rose have
made any attempt to secure from