Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-07-18

SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST A PROM
NENT BOOK HOUSE PARTIAL IN
VESTIGATION BY TIE PORTS
MOUTH SCHOOL BOARD.


NENT BOOK HOUSE PARTIAL IN
VESTIGATION BY TIE PORTS
MOUTH SCHOOL BOARD.
Portsmouth Times, July 10th.
The Portsmouth School Board mel
at DR.. II. F. Butts residence last night
for the purpose OF considering informa'
ton as 10 certain charges made against
members of the Board, SAID informa-
ton 10 be furnished by Mr.. j. w. II
porter, editor of the Portsmouth Enter
prise.
Present: James T. Carr, (prCsidenD
George A. White, w. T Pope, John
H. Burroughs, Thomas NJ. Hodges,
John Jack, and Samuel DAVIS; DR.. II.
F. Butt, clerk.
The meeting was called 20 order by
the president.
Mr.. w. T. Pope moved that a COM
Mite be appointed 10 wait on Mr.. ?or-
ter and request his presence before the
Board.
The clerk announced that a COM
municaton had been received from Mr..
Porter.
The reading of the communication
was desired by Mr.. Jack.
No action was taken on Mr.. Pope's
first motion, and he then moved that
the paper De read, 1t was seconded
and carried. The paper read as fol-
lows:
lOriginal.l
PORTSMOUTH, VA. July 9. 1888.
To the School Board for the CITY of
Portsmouth q:
In response TO Your le-
quest that appear before the School
Board aud make the charges which |
made IN the Enterprise on the 4th in
slant against the members OF the
Board" l respectfully state that did
not make any charges. l simply pub
lished charges which others had made.
and so stated. l used the following
language:
The following specific charges haye
been brought 10 our attention, and if
there is an investigation by any COM
petent authority, we will furnish the
names of witnesses who make them and
who profess y illlngness 10 substanti-
ate them"
Further OH l said:
"We know nothing Of this matter
personally, but il there is any invesh-
CATION by any cOmpeteEt authority we
can furnish the names of the members
of the School Board who are sad 10 be
implicated, and aleO The Witnesses who,
1t is said, will substa1,iate the char
ges."
The Board having asked for all the
facts in the case, think, perhaps, it
has q night to be informed ofthem,
though do not regard it as a "cOmpe-
tent authority to investiga them, be-
cause it can neither summon witnesses,
administer oalhs or punish member
for misconduct. but as it calls for
names, Iappend them as they were
given 10 me, taking them in the order
in which tLey appeared in the Enter
prise, and quoting thcr, from.
First A few days before The mat
ter was decid,d by The Board, proml.
nent Readjuster OF Norfolk came over
to Portsmouth 10 see one OF the mem
bers Of The School Board with q view
to having the present books retained
these ale The looks Of the University
Publishing Company-but the mcmbt r
of the Board remarked 10 him, "the
University Publishing Company is a
damn Bourbon concern, and Van Ant
werp, Bragg & Co., contributed $4,000
to the Readjuser campaign fund, so We
are going 10 adopt their books"
The member of The Board reierrt d
TO 10 the foregoing was Capt. Thomas
NJ. HODGES. and am told that the MAJ
ter alleged can be proved by Mr.. JOHN
w. Stevens. of Norfolk.
"Second-One day last week another
member of The Board (who vas pres
ent at the meeline) went to the custOm-
house IN Norfolk and remarked 10 one
of The cuslCm.house officials, we are
gong 10 change the books IN the public
schools IN Portsmouth, Being asko d
why, lie replied: 'We are going to
adopt the Eclectic series because Van
Antwerp. Bragg & Co. gave $4,000 TO
The Rcadjuster campaign fund.-"
Tie member Of the Board referred
TO in the foregoing was Mr.. John J.
Williams, and | am told that this also
can be proved by Mr. John W. S evcns,
of Norfolk.
"Fourlh-A few minutes after the
adjournment Of tie School Board FRI
day night Ohe night Van Antwerp,
Bragg Il Co.'s books were selected) a
member of the Board was standing on
the American House corner talking 10
one Of the agents Of tlat Louise who was
here for the purpose ofurging the adop
ton Of the books, and willie they were
talking two gentlemen, one r ad.
ulster and the oth,r not, cross d over
from The opposite corner. and as they
neaied The frs couple they heard the
member Of the School Board say 10 the
agent, Now that everything is salts
factory l suppose | can get SlOO,' and
the agent replied, 4 suppose so.'
The member Of the Board rel RI, d
to above Was Sir. W. T. Pope, and
Messrs. Charles Z. Scott, 0. No. 10